The Ciudad Vieja is an absolutely essential visit to discover the history of A Coruña. Its cobbled streets and squares have evolved over many centuries, and in some of them it seems as if time has stood still. Here, life is more leisurely and authentic. Walking through the Old Town and visiting its churches, noble houses, gardens and small squares will allow you to discover the secrets of our medieval and baroque past.
Walking through streets that bring to mind the old guilds, you will find churches where the Romanesque style reaches its maximum expression, such as the Collegiate Church of Santa María do Campo, the Church of Santiago, the Church of San Francisco, the Convent of Las Bárbaras and the Convent of Santo Domingo.
You will discover emblematic buildings such as the Pazo Cornide and the old family mansion of the Coruñan writer Emilia Pardo Bazán, now home of the Real Academia Galega (Galician Royal Academy). You can also see the houses of two other famous women in the history of our city: Rosalía de Castro and María Pita, the latter with her own House Museum.
Enjoy the very pleasant walk around the charming corners of the Old Town, such as the Plazuela de las Barbáras or the Plaza de Azcárraga, full of tranquillity, or the Jardín de San Carlos, where the British Army general Sir John Moore rests eternally, with a lookout that has stunning views of A Coruña's bay and the Castillo de San Antón.
A past that embraces the present, with small cafés, taverns and places full of charm, antique shops, artisan workshops and shops and restaurants with their own personality.