A Casa Do Rio

Get your Galicia adventures going by starting close to home: taking a turn around pretty Palas de Rei (five minutes’ drive), admiring the Romanesque church in Vilar de Donas (two minutes), wandering around the medieval Pambre Castle (20 minutes) and ambling around the ancient castro in Castromaior (20 minutes). Leave plenty of time for a stroll in Lugo (25 minutes) – the ancient city dates back more than 2000 years, and is said to be the only city on the planet still entirely encircled by original Roman walls. You’ll want to do that circuit, of course – go early, as there’s not much shade, and then dive into the old town to see what’s inside (a mix of Roman, Gothic and Baroque bits around every corner, including a stunning cathedral and town hall, and some splendid places to eat). Santiago de Compostela (an hour) must be something pretty special if so many people are determined to walk there, you’d imagine… and you’d be quite right. The pilgrims mainly set off in search of the huge Romanesque cathedral, of course – it’s well worth a lengthy wander, as are the museums and the history-stuffed streets (which also house a good number of excellent seafood restaurants and wine shops…)