What to see in Galicia in 3 days. Several alternatives to visit it

If you have come this far to know what to see in Galicia in 3 days, it is probably because you do not have more days to visit this enormous region, but even so, we must tell you that three days are very few.

The ideal is to have more, but it is not always possible. In any case, we are going to propose several alternatives, which require a different base, depending on your preferences. You could also combine several.

We offer you three routes, one based in Santiago, another based in Pontevedra and another based in Lugo or Orense. If it is your first visit to Galicia we recommend any of the first two.

What to see in Galicia in 3 days. Province of A Coruna

First day. Santiago de Compostela

The first day of our trip to Galicia for 3 days, if we have established the base in the province of La Coruña, we could dedicate it to Santiago de Compostela.

It is the most beautiful city in Galicia, and one of the main cities in Spain, and it is a must if you want to visit Galicia in 3 days. We recommend you visit the historic center of the city without forgetting the Plaza del Obradoiro and its historic buildings, the Cathedral of Santiago, the streets and squares that surround it or the Monastery of San Martiño Pinario.

To know the complete itinerary you can read our article about Santiago de Compostela in 1 day.

Second day. La Coruna

La Coruña is another obligatory destination. Visiting it in great detail will take you a day, but you can make a quick visit without accessing the monuments and have time at the end of the day to make another visit.

In La Coruña it is mandatory to visit the Plaza de María Pita, the Galleries of La Marina, the Paseo Marítimo and especially the Tower of Hercules. Any visit to La Coruña must include at least these places. For more information, read our article about La Coruña in a day.

If you have time, you can go to Ferrol or make another visit close to the city such as Porto de Santa Cruz, in Oleiros, with a spectacular beach.

What to visit in Galicia on the third day

The last of our 3-day visit to Galicia, based in the province of La Coruña, we must dedicate to touring the rugged Galician coasts and all its fishing villages. The options are two.

The first of them is to tour the Costa da Morte. Seeing it completely is quite complicated in one day, so it is best to focus on the part that goes from Muros to Camariñas, in an area where we can admire Carnota, the Mirador de Ézaro, Fisterra and its lighthouse, or Cape Vilán.

The other option is to tour the Rías Altas, especially the Ártabra Coast. It is also difficult in one day but it is worth taking a tour that takes you along its cliffs and places as spectacular as San Andrés de Teixidó.

Visit Galicia in 3 days. Province of Pontevedra

First day. Pontevedra and Vigo

If you have established the province of Pontevedra as a base to get to know Galicia in 3 days, this first day must be dedicated to the 2 main cities of the province.

The prettiest of the two is Pontevedra, thanks to its historic center, with its beautiful squares, its Cathedral and the wonderful corners that a spectacular city hides.

Vigo also has a lot to visit and is very close to Pontevedra. You can do this tour of Vigo in a day in which we recommend the most important things in the city.

You can also consider substituting Vigo for the Cíes Islands and spend at least half a day there and get to know Playa de Rodas, the most beautiful in the world for many.

Second day in Galicia. the south of the region

On this second day of the best things to see in Galicia in 3 days we cannot go to the south of the province of Pontevedra where we find some very interesting places.

One of them is Tui, a beautiful city with a very nice old town crowned by its Cathedral, a unique construction in Galicia. Very close to Tui is A Guarda, whose main attraction is the Mount of Santa Tegra, where, in addition to a Celtic fort, we find a great viewpoint from which to admire the mouth of the River Miño and its surroundings.

From there we can go along the coast to Baiona, passing by the Monastery of Santa María de Oia. In Baiona we find the Castle of Monterreal, headquarters of the Parador, and a very interesting old quarter, as well as a replica of La Pinta, one of Christopher Columbus’s caravels.

What to do on the third day in Galicia

Although it is possible to visit both estuaries in a single day, we recommend that you choose only one and dedicate your last day in Galicia to it. Both estuaries have authentic wonders to discover.

In the Ría de Arosa we find some of the most touristic sites in Galicia, such as El Grove or Cambados in its southern part, or Rianxo or the Corrubedo Dunes in the northern part.

Of the Ría de Pontevedra we must highlight, above all, Combarro, a splendid town full of granaries and stone crosses and which is very close to Pontevedra. Also noteworthy are the tourist Sansenxo or Raxó.

What to visit in Galicia in 3 days. Province of Ourense and Lugo

This route is designed for you to stay near Lugo or change your accommodation every day to make the most of the visits.

First day. Lugo and the Beach of the Cathedrals

The city of Lugo is a wonder unknown to many that is well worth a visit. And not only because of its spectacular Roman Wall, a World Heritage Site, but also because of its old town where we can find a beautiful Cathedral.

The visit to Lugo can be done perfectly in one morning, so we can dedicate the rest of the day to the Playa de las Catedrales, located in the town of Ribadeo.

What we recommend is that you inform yourself of the tide schedule of the day you want to go and thus organize the itinerary that you are going to follow.

Second day. Ribeira Sacra and Monforte de Lemos

The Ribeira Sacra is one of the places in the interior of Galicia that is a must-see. A visit to the Cañones del Sil and to some of the many monasteries found on either side of the river is mandatory.

You can also take a catamaran excursion and have different views from below of the wonders that you have been able to observe from the numerous viewpoints along the course of the river.

The day cannot be complete without a visit to Monforte de Lemos, another very interesting Galician city.

Third day. Ourense

Our last day of the three that we are going to be in Galicia can be dedicated to Orense. As Burgas is a must in this city of spas where you can relax and think about the next time you visit Galicia.

It is also mandatory to take a walk through the old town of Orense and discover the city, with its pretty alleys and squares and its beautiful Cathedral.

Orense is also a city that you can visit in one morning, so you can dedicate the rest of the day to a nearby place like Allariz or Verín, which is a little further away.

You can find more information about what to visit in Galicia on its official tourism page.