Making the most of La Coruna
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The port is only a 5-minute walk from the city centre. A new terminal building improves services for passengers and crew, with a shopping centre and visitor-information facilities.
Every bus journey costs 1.30 Euro and must be paid in cash, unless you purchase a transport card from a local tobacco shop or through the connection link. The principal bus interchange is in the city centre.
The new Los Cantones shopping centre is currently occupied mainly by fast-food restaurants and cinemas. Free WiFi is provided within the centre.
Numerous taxis wait immediately outside the port. For public buses, walk straight towards the centre, cross the first street and find the stops on the second.
Take the printable map with you.
La Coruna mixes an old town with a newer town and has a couple of beaches along the two-mile coastline it overlooks. Colonnaded Maria Pita Square forms the old quarter's heart, surrounded by many shops, bars and restaurants. Attractions include several absorbing museums, among them the interactive House of Mankind, plus an aquarium and planetarium.
Coruna is also the chief Atlantic gateway to Galicia, one of Spain's most dramatically rugged regions. Among its attractions is one of the world's great pilgrimage destinations, Santiago de Compostela, with its Romanesque cathedral.
La Coruna itself is best suited to only a few hours of sightseeing.
Tourist Information Points operate at Plaza de María Pita and the Transatlantic Dock whenever a liner is in port.
Getting around
The previously popular visitor tram is no longer running.
An ever-growing promenade extends for miles past beaches, coves and cliffs. Beginning at Castillo de San Antón, it passes the port and reaches the Tower of Hercules Sculpture Park, an open-air museum in a legendary setting, before continuing around to Orzán and Riazor beaches.
Almost every sight is walkable, with Torre de Hercules the possible exception at 40 minutes away. Alternatively, take bus 3, 3A or 5 from the stop outside the terminal. Torre de Hercules is Europe's oldest lighthouse that remains in operation.
Consult the train schedules for Santiago de Compostela. The railway station is approximately 2,5 km from the cruise terminal.
Local taxis also provide city sightseeing and excursions to Santiago de Compostela.
Nearby places
In Santiago de Compostela, magnificent Santiago Cathedral honours Christ's apostle James, whose relics are believed to have been found there in the 9th century. Half a million pilgrims visit this major shrine annually; it was once the third most important pilgrimage destination after Jerusalem and Rome. Four imposing squares surround the Cathedral.
Santiago de Compostela, capital of the Galicia region, lies 76 km from La Coruna cruise port, approximately a 50-minute drive.
Food and shopping
The principal shopping lanes around Maria Pita Square are fairly small.
Money
The euro divides into 100 cents. Its eight coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent pieces plus 1 and 2 Euro, while its seven banknotes have values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.
Staying connected
Spanish is official across the whole country, alongside regional languages in parts of Spain: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a distinct Catalan variety on the Balearic Islands.
From the ship's aft decks, it may be possible to connect to free WiFi from Los Cantones Shopping centre.
Dial 112 free of charge for emergencies anywhere in Spain. Assistance is in Spanish, with English, French and German also available in certain visitor areas.
Opening Hours and
The most usual hours for shops and other businesses are Monday to Saturday, 9.30 h to 13.30 h and 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Large shopping centres and department stores trade continuously from 10.00 h until 21.00 or 22.00 h. These larger retailers sometimes open on Sunday.
Pharmacies generally open from 9.30 to 13.30 h and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. Major cities have pharmacies trading for 24 hours, while late-opening duties rotate according to a schedule printed in newspapers and displayed at every pharmacy.
Museums are generally shut on Mondays.
See the national information.