Stand at the foot of the Torre de Hércules and the Atlantic fills the frame: a Roman lighthouse on a headland, wind off the water, and the city's glazed balconies stacked behind you along the harbour front. This is A Coruña, where the old town sits on a peninsula that was once a Celtic castro, and where the sea is never far from whatever you are doing.
The city suits travellers who like to walk, who are happy to trade beach weather for bracing air, and who prefer a compact historic core to a sprawling one. It also works well for families, thanks to a cluster of small science and aquarium attractions, and for anyone following the Camino, since a branch of the pilgrimage trail to Santiago starts here.
This guide covers the main sights in and around the Cidade Vella and the peninsula, the museums and green spaces further out, and the beaches and practicalities worth knowing before you go.
Top things to do in A Coruña
1. Torre de Hércules
A Roman lighthouse built in the 1st century AD and still in use, it may have been modelled on the Pharos of Alexandria. The exterior was rebuilt in 1788, but the Roman interior was preserved, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is open daily 10:00-16:00. Adult admission is €3.09, concession or child €1.55, and it is free on Mondays. Combine it with the sculptures in the park to the east, which are a short walk away.
2. Castelo de San Antón
A 16th-century castle on an island, now connected to the city by a broad avenue. Inside is a museum of castle history and weaponry.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-19:30 and Sunday 10:00-14:30. Adult admission is €2, concession or child €1. You will find it on Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez.
3. Maria Pita House
In 1589 the English launched a counter-Armada against the weakened Spanish, stormed ashore on 4 May and captured the lower town. They besieged the upper town for 14 days but were repulsed by poorly armed and untrained townsfolk, notably Maria Pita. This museum stands on the site of Pita's house.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00, and admission is free. Signage is only in Galician, so read up beforehand if you want the full story. The grand square outside the town hall also carries the Maria Pita House name.
4. Church of Santiago
Built in the late 12th century in Romanesque style and much modified down the years, this is one of the anchors of the old town.
It is open daily 11:30-13:30 and 18:30-19:30, and admission is free. It sits at Rúa do Parrote 1, with the Emilia Pardo Bazán Museum on its west side and the bosky Praza de Azcárraga a short walk northeast.
5. Aquarium Finisterrae
A large indoor and outdoor aquarium on the seafront, well suited to families and to a wet afternoon.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00-17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00-18:00. Adult admission is €10.30, concession or child €4.12. It is on Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez, so you can pair it with a walk along the harbour front and its galerías.
6. Fine Arts Museum
Spanish art from the 19th century, including etchings by Goya, in a museum that is free to enter.
It is open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-20:00, Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 16:30-20:00, and Sunday 10:00-14:00. It is at Rua Zalaeta 2, with the 18th-century church of As Capuchinas on its east side.
7. National Museum of Science and Technology
A large, well-presented science museum, and free to enter.
It is open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-17:00, Saturday 11:00-19:00 and Sunday 11:00-15:00. It sits off Av San Roque de Afuera, further out from the centre, so plan it as a half-day rather than a quick stop.
8. Monte de San Pedro
A viewpoint where you can take in the coast, the city and the sea. There are gardens, restaurants, old military cannons and rest areas, making it good for walking, photographs or simply sitting in the fresh air.
You can reach it on foot, by vehicle, or by the famous old elevators. Go when the light is clear, since the whole point is the view.
9. Castro de Elviña
An Iron Age hill fort occupied from the 3rd century BC and abandoned in the 6th century AD, when its inhabitants moved to Brigantium. Many of its findings are displayed in Castelo de San Antón.
It is open Saturday to Tuesday 12:00-13:30. Visit the castle museum first or afterwards to make sense of what you are looking at.
10. Casa das Ciencias
A small science museum with a planetarium, housed in a park pavilion in Parque de Santa Margarita.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00-18:00 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00-19:00. Adult admission is €2, concession or child €1, which makes it an easy add-on to a park wander.
11. Domus
A small, child-oriented science museum about human perception, in a building supposed to resemble a sail. English signage is limited.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00-17:30 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00-18:30. Adult admission is €2, concession or child €1. It is at Rúa Ángel Rebollo 91, close to the aquarium.
12. Menhirs for Peace
The most striking of the sculptures ranged in the park east of the Torre de Hércules. They stand about 3 m tall, an inner ring of four and an outer ring of eight, pierced by square-cut holes. Fifty metres south is a miniature Stonehenge, the Monumento aos Fusilados.
Pair this with the Torre de Hércules and the statue of Breogán on the path 500 m southeast of the tower, since all three sit in the same headland area.
13. Military Museum
Displays of weapons, uniforms, maps and so on, at Praza de Carlos I.
It is open Monday to Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 17:00-19:30, and Sunday 10:00-14:00. The Xardín de San Carlos, a small garden in the ramparts just south of it, holds the tomb of Lt-General Sir John Moore, hit by cannon fire at the Battle of Corunna.
14. Beaches: Orzán and Riazor
These two sandy beaches sit on the west side of the peninsula. They are exposed to the Atlantic, with water distinctly cooler than the Mediterranean, so you might want a wetsuit for water sports.
Surfing is on the northwest-facing Playa del Orzán, where surf camps include Brava Surf and Base Surf Camp. If you prefer to watch football instead, the Estadio Municipal de Riazor is at the west end of Riazor beach.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Torre de Hércules when it opens, then walk the headland park to see Menhirs for Peace and the statue of Breogán. Continue into the Cidade Vella for the Church of Santiago and the Maria Pita House, and finish the morning at the Military Museum and the Xardín de San Carlos.
Afternoon: Head to Castelo de San Antón for the castle and its museum of castle history and weaponry. If you have time and energy left, the Fine Arts Museum is free and open through the afternoon on weekdays.
Evening: Walk the harbour front to see the galerías, the glazed balconies that are a feature of the older parts of town, then take in the view from Monte de San Pedro, reached on foot, by vehicle or by the old elevators.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Torre de Hércules free to enter?
It is free on Mondays. On other days adult admission is €3.09, with concession or child tickets at €1.55, and it is open daily 10:00-16:00.
Are A Coruña's museums free?
Several are. The Maria Pita House, the Fine Arts Museum and the National Museum of Science and Technology are all free. Others charge a small amount, such as Castelo de San Antón at €2 for adults and Casa das Ciencias at €2.
Can you swim at the city beaches?
Orzán and Riazor on the west side of the peninsula are sandy, but they are exposed to the Atlantic and the water is distinctly cooler than the Mediterranean. You might want a wetsuit for water sports.
Does the Camino de Santiago start in A Coruña?
Yes. A branch of the pilgrimage trail to Santiago starts here, traditionally used by British and Irish pilgrims arriving by ship. It is only 75 km, and the minimum for a pilgrimage certificate is 100 km, so the usual approach is to walk 25 km or more by some accredited route in your own country. The route runs via Alvedro, Sergude, O Mesón do Vento, Cruz, Ordes and Sigüeiro into Santiago.
Use this as your starting point, check the current opening times before you travel, and build your days around the headland, the old town and the seafront.