Secrets of La Coruna

Unfortunately it was a Fiesta on the Monday we visited and on Sunday the shops are closed so I need to go back as I've missed 2 days shopping! Pashminas are only 3 or 4 euros, lovely crisp rose wine â¬1 a bottle, unusual necklaces in the Corte Inglis shopping mall very reasonable 6,7,8 euros upwards. If you visit the side streets there are pottery shops which sell decorative home items such as picture frames, pictures, vases all carefully wrapped for us to take as hand luggage! Nothing tacky and cheap looking - would I buy it if it was??!!

Beautiful unspoilt coastline. The beach at Mera is our particular favourite - large & clean with small friendly bars. Not many tourists seem to have found this beach so it's a secret! There is a Saturday market at Sada selling cheeses (which you can take back for 7 euros each), mostly womens clothes (if you can speak Spanish then haggle if not forget it and pay the price!), entertainment. There was a poor goat balancing on tins with the gipsys wanting money for you to watch and photograph. Did we pay? No!!!

If you like castles there is one at Santa Cruz - FREE entry and nice walk around. Would suggest you hire a car and visit places of interest. There is a pretty little quayside restaurant at Porto Lobo (another tourist free place) but the views are lovely over the mussel farms and fishsing boats. The food is out of this world....fresh seafood, tapas, wine, anything Spanish! with an English/Spanish menu. We had an impromptue 5 hour lunch with Spanish friends/relatives which isn't all that unusual in Spain!!!