| Northern Spain and Galicia particularly has | | | | In what has been a mountain to climb slowly |
| long been an undiscovered jewel in the whole | | | | but surely Galicia is now trying to manage |
| of the Spanish tourism industry. Whereas | | | | successfully the twin track of its regional |
| elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula the | | | | lifestyle with a much more modern society. |
| climate can be quite continental and extreme, | | | | |
| in the northwest and on the coast the climate | | | | Galicia has always maintained strong links |
| is as you would expect much milder and more | | | | with the sea and the port cities of Vigo and |
| of a maritime nature. | | | | Corunna are centres of culture and industry. |
| | | | As has been mentioned elsewhere, the seafood |
| With regards to Galicia you have a region | | | | cuisine is second to none as you would also |
| where you have a rugged coastline with | | | | expect from a region where fishing is one of |
| extremely attractive sandy beaches whilst | | | | the most vital sectors of the economy. |
| inland the mountainous regions provide a | | | | |
| completely different experience for the | | | | The coastline, cut with fjord like Rias is |
| visitor. | | | | dotted with fishing villages. The coast |
| | | | which was devastated by the damage caused by |
| Of all of the autonomous regions of Spain it | | | | the 2002 sinking of the oil tanker Prestige |
| is understandable given its location that | | | | has now by almost recovered and in some cases |
| Galicia is considered the most remote. | | | | is almost better than ever. |
| Located in the northwest corner of the | | | | |
| Iberian Peninsula Galicia is a green, rain | | | | Cape Finisterre, the most westerly part of |
| swept region remarkable for the diversity of | | | | the Spanish mainland is part of the Galician |
| its landscape, where coastal cliffs alternate | | | | coast. Inland the region is dotted with |
| with lowlands and "rias." | | | | ancient Celtic settlements which can be found |
| | | | in the often mist shrouded hillsides. As a |
| The region is famous for its excellent | | | | further reminder of the traditional way of |
| cuisine and boasts one of the most visited | | | | life still in existence in Galicia it is not |
| religious pilgrimage sites in Western Europe | | | | uncommon to find various old stone crosses at |
| after the Vatican in Santiago de Compostela. | | | | crossroads and junctions throughout the |
| This particular pilgrimage site has actually | | | | region alongside old stone granaries found |
| generated a vast tourist industry all of its | | | | throughout the villages. |
| own that is vital to the economic viability | | | | |
| of the region. | | | | The whole Celtic culture in Galicia is |
| | | | completed by the sound of the favourite |
| The cultural and language origins of Galicia | | | | instrument of Galicia, the bag pipes and |
| are very much rooted within the Celtic family | | | | their language, Gallego, is an amalgam almost |
| of communities found elsewhere in North West | | | | of Portuguese and the various other Gaelic |
| Europe. | | | | tongues and there is an extremely strong link |
| | | | between Galicia and some of the other Celtic |
| Traditionally, Galicia was seen as a poor | | | | Countries of North Western Europe. |
| agricultural region, whose economy did not | | | | |
| lend itself to modernisation. Because of its | | | | There are a great many similarities between |
| location and partisan traditions Galicia was | | | | Galicia and the other Celtic Countries and |
| always fairly inward looking having managed | | | | nowhere is this more evident with Art and |
| to survive throughout the centuries without | | | | Culture. This is further exemplified with |
| ever really been conquered by anybody. It was | | | | the slight theme of melancholy running |
| only very briefly an independent monarchy in | | | | through quite often the words and music of |
| the 10th and 11th centuries. | | | | the region. For those who find this a concept |
| | | | difficult to understand and view it as being |
| One of the problems with Galicia as with some | | | | purely depressing and boring then you have to |
| of the other remote communities in Western | | | | try and understand the traditional background |
| Europe lies within its geographical | | | | to the entire region and realize the |
| constraints. The end result of all this was | | | | centuries of hardship that these communities |
| that like Ireland in the north in Galicia, | | | | have had to withstand and as a result have |
| emigration became a major industry. | | | | manifested themselves in their traditional |
| | | | words music. |