::: Properties in Galicia :::

HOME	CONTACT

Our Region About Us Properties for sale

Our Region : Galicia (Spain)

Weather

Galicia, in the extreme north west of Spain, lies in a temperate area. Its climate, is characterised by slight variations in temperature, mild winters and only moderately warm summers, and rainfall interspersed with dry spells which help give the countryside such a verdant look.

Because of its location, the weather in Galicia tends to vary from area to area. By the coast, temperatures range from 8ºC to 10ºC in winter and between 20ºC and 25ºC in summer. Moving away from the coast towards the provinces of Lugo and Ourense, the climate becomes a good deal drier, with noticeable differences in average temperatures, which are higher in the summer and lower in the winter.

The Rías Baixas between Padrón and Tui, have their own microclimate with much lower rainfall in the summer and average temperatures during this period which are usually 5ºC above the rest of the coast of Galicia.

Geography

An important feature of Galicia is the presence of many fjord-like indentations on the coast, estuaries that were drowned with rising sea levels after the ice age. These are called Rías and are divided into the Rías Altas, and the Rías Baixas. The spectacular landscapes and wildness of the coast attract great numbers of tourists.

Galicia has preserved much of its dense Atlantic forests where wildlife is commonly found. It is scarcely polluted, and its landscape composed of green hills, cliffs and Rías is very different to what is commonly understood as Spanish landscape.

Inland, the terrain is made up of several low mountain ranges crossed by many small rivers, and this is the reason why it has been called the "land of the thousand rivers". The most important of the rivers are the Miño and the Sil, which has a spectacular canyon.

Gastronomy

Talking about fish and shellfish in Galicia could be a cliché, but we’re not going to fail to mention it because of that. The range of fish is extensive to say the least, with the most tasty being, needless to say, those caught in the Rías or just off the coast: hake, turbot, sea-bass, grouper, sole, etc.

Moving on to shellfish, there is the delicious shrimp, and the oyster which make a much-appreciated starter, or the small crab. Barnacles contain all the quintessential flavours of the sea. Another group of shellfish appears in main courses, such as the spider crab, the crayfish, the lobster, prawns, scallop or the nutritious and plentiful mussel.

Galicia produces a number of high-quality wines. The wine culture is spread all over Galicia, although mainly in the southern half of the region. There are, broadly speaking, three outstanding main denominations: Rías Baixas, Ribeiro and Valdeorras. You can also try the wines unique to each area, especially those in Amandi and Monterrei, without forgetting, of course, that a hearty meal can always be rounded off with a cheering queimada to aid the digestion.

Links

Top