Paseo Marítimo

The Paseo Marítimo is the great seafront walk of A Coruña, a continuous promenade of roughly thirteen kilometres that follows the edge of the peninsula on which the city stands. It is usually described as the longest seaside promenade in Europe, and it links a series of beaches, headlands, museums and monuments in a single route that is entirely free and almost completely flat. The sea lies on one side, and the city, with its glass-fronted buildings, on the other. It was built up in sections over several decades, and it is now the main place where the people of the city exercise, meet and take the air.

A coastal walk here has many different moods. At the northern end, the route reaches the Tower of Hercules, the Roman lighthouse on its rocky headland, which is the best-known monument of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Near it, a park of large granite standing stones, known as the Menhirs for Peace, looks out over the Atlantic. As you move along the western shore, the path passes the Aquarium Finisterrae, the Casa de las Ciencias, a science museum, and the Domus, the Museum of Mankind, a curved building with a slate-clad front designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. Close by stands the Millennium Obelisk, a tall steel and concrete spire raised to mark the year 2000.

Farther along, the walk follows the long city beaches. The Orzán and Riazor beaches face the open Atlantic, with strong waves that attract surfers and brave swimmers, and they are backed by a row of buildings with glazed balconies, the galerías, that are typical of A Coruña. The sight of these white-framed windows glittering in the sun earned the city the nickname Marineda, and the glass city. On the other side of the isthmus, the route continues along the calmer waters of the harbour and the bay, near the old town and Plaza de María Pita.

The promenade is used at all hours. In the morning, runners and cyclists take it over, and later in the day families, dog walkers and groups of friends stroll along it. Benches, kiosks and cafes appear at regular intervals, and the route is lit in the evening. In winter, big storms send spray over the railings, which is a spectacle in itself, so follow the signs in rough weather.

You can walk the whole route in three to four hours, or choose a section. The part between the Tower of Hercules and Riazor is the most scenic. It suits everyone, and bikes can be rented in the city.