La Coruna
A Coruña or La Coruña (still sometimes known as Corunna in English, and archaically as The Groyne) is the second largest city in Galicia in northwestern Spain, second only in size to the port of Vigo in Pontevedra Province. The city is the capital of A Coruña Province. It had been the province capital from 1833 to 1982 before that role was taken over by Santiago de Compostela.
A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory in the entrance of an estuary in a large gulf (the Portus Magnus Artabrorum of the classical geographers) on the Atlantic Ocean. It provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. Although much of the heavy industry is based on the shipyards and metalworks of the neighbouring city of Ferrol, there is an oil refinery in A Coruña itself.
In English, use of the Spanish or Galician forms now predominates. However, the traditional form Corunna can still be found, particularly in reference to the Battle of Corunna in the Peninsular War. Archaically, the city was known as The Groyne, probably from French “La Corogne”)
In Spain, currently the only official form of the name is the Galician one, “A Coruña”.[2] Nonetheless, the Spanish form La Coruña is still widespread, and it is the traditional name in Spanish recommended by the Real Academia Española for texts in Spanish.[3] It is usually used in extra-official documents and in conversations between Spanish-speakers.
Climate
The climate of A Coruña is temperate maritime and heavily moderated by the Atlantic Ocean; however it does display some characteristics of a Mediterranean climate. In short, the climate more closely resembles the Oceanic climate that is common in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Autumn and winter are often unsettled and unpredictable with strong winds and abundant rainfall, coming from Atlantic depressions and it is often overcast. The ocean keeps temperatures mild, and frost and snow are rare. In summer, it is quite dry and sunny with only occasional rainfall, temperatures are warm but rarely uncomfortably hot due to the sea’s cooling influence during the day. Spring is usually cool and fairly calm.
A Coruña spread from the peninsula where the Tower of Hercules stands, onto the mainland. The oldest part, known popularly as Cidade Vella (Old City), Cidade Alta (High City) or the Cidade (City), is built on an ancient Celtic castro. It was supposedly inhabited by the Artabrians, the Celtic tribe of the area.
The municipality of A Coruña has 246,056 inhabitants, and has one of the highest population densities of Spain and Europe, with around 6,700 inhabitants per square kilometer.
A Coruña and its metropolitan area have more than 419,800 inhabitants. Including the city of Ferrol and the municipalities of Bergantiños and Betanzos, the population of the conurbation is 634,000, making it the most populous area in Galicia, and the second most populous in the northwest region of Spain, after Asturias.
Tourism
Tourism in A Coruña has increased in recent years to the point of reaching received 62 cruise ships a year. One of the drivers of this tourism is the promenade that skirts the entire city, the longest in Europe. It measures 10 kilometers. There is also a tram and a bike path that runs through most of the journey. Also, there is a cultural tour, passing several museums such as The House of Man and La Casa de los Peces (Aquarium Finisterrae) and it also visits the Castle of San Antón, which contains the archaeological museum, or the Tower of Hercules. Riazor beach with sports palace in the background.
The two main beaches of A Coruña (Orzán and Riazor) are located in the heart of the city and are bordered by the promenade above. This location makes them a great attraction for tourists, being also a meeting point for surfers much of the year. Moreover, the city has other beaches like Bens Creek, Las Lapas, Adormideras, San Amaro beach or Oza. An important holiday is on the night of San Juan, celebrated with a massive fireworks celebration, parade, burning fails and the ancient fires on all city beaches well into dawn.
In 2006 and for the first time ever, the number of tourists has doubled the population of the city, virtually to 500,000 the number of people who chose the city as a tourist destination. The city has an extensive network of hotels, international chains and local businesses offer between them a hotel offer over 3,500 beds, which puts the city at the forefront of Galicia. La Coruna has a five-star hotel, Hotel Finisterra, (Hesperia chain). Four-star hotels, Alfonso Molina, María Pita Trip, the Trip Cuatro Caminos, Hesperia John Florez or the Eurostars Ciudad de La Coruña.
The city is the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, which is a lighthouse that has been in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years. It has been declared by the UNESCO as Human Heritage.
The city is also well-known for its characteristic glazed window balconies, called galerías. Originally, this type of structure came about as a naval architecture solution for the challenging weather, particularly designed for rainy days. This fashion started in Ferrol in the 18th century when some of the technicians working for the Royal Dockyards had the idea of using the shape of the back of a war ship in a modern building. Soon, afterwards, most sea ports in northern Spain, including the Basque region were adding these glazed window balconies to their city-port houses.
In the summertime, the Orzan and Riazor beaches are immensely popular destinations, located directly opposite of the port in the central part of the city.
The city also has a robust social scene at night, especially in the summer. Most bars and clubs are on Calle Orzan, which runs directly parallel to Paseo Maritimo on the beach side. Like other parts of Spain, most clubs on Orzan do not open until 11 pm at the earliest and do not close until maybe three or four in the morning. Another popular destination, for mostly a more youthful crowd, is Los Jardines (The Gardens), a park near the beginning of Calle Real and El Puerto mall.