I will be traveling to Santiago to work in Lugo for a week in January. I've planned to stay on a few days extra (Friday to Monday) to explore the region, but dont really know where to go since its winter. A Coruna, Santiago, Vigo, Ourense or elsewhere? 1 city or 2?
I like exploring the history and visiting historical sights, but I'm also more than happy to just explore the food and observe the locals - so I have nothing specific in mind.
I haven't been to Ourense, or to Lugo for that matter. I'd rank Santiago de Compostela as the top destination in Galicia, but I also liked A Coruna and Pontevedra. Vigo has a tiny historic area near the port, but I thought is was imminently skippable, and it's probably the only place I went during my 3-month trip to Spain about which I'd say that. Not a bad place, just not very distinctive.
I also enjoyed several hours wandering around Betanzos, which is quite near A Coruna.
There are some attractive smaller towns, too, but January is probably not the best time of year for small coastal places that have shifted from fishing villages to tourist destinations. I'm thinking of Cambados and Combarro in particular. Tui isn't coastal, but it is quite small and awkward to get to; I think I'd go elsewhere in mid-winter.
If you care about weather, you might check wunderground.com for info on what is to be expected in January. In the summer, A Coruna seemed notably warmer and sunnier than much of the rest of Galicia, and Santiago de Compostela is notorious for getting little sun.
Believe weather may be a determining factor on where you end up going. Santiago, Ourense, and Betanzos are each nice, especially if you just want to people watch. Ponferrada is nice for a few hours and has a nice castle. Depending on how you’re traveling around, O’ Cebreiro and Alto de San Roque are worth a stop. They are near each other but in the mountains. If you spend those extra days in Santiago, visit the pilgrim statue at Monte de Gozo and consider heading to Muxia on the coast. There’s a small chapel there (Nosa Senora de la Barca) and nice view from the rocks.
Thanks guys! I you're correct that I should limit it to 1 city as my base with a possible short daytrip to the coast or A Coruna. Is there anything specific to do/visit in Santiago that is especially nice for the winter?
It's been a pilgrimage destination for centuries. The cathedral is impressive. See TripAdvisor's "Things To Do" list and Rick's write-up for additional ideas. You can spend many hours just wandering around outside as long as the weather isn't utterly miserable.
