A WEEK AFLOAT GALICIA

The enchanting Rías Baixas in north-west Spain offer rewarding, sheltered cruising, making them ideal for a sailing holiday

- Norman Kean

DO YOU ONLY HAVE A WEEK TO SPARE?

For those of us who are time poor but who want to seize the moment, either on our own boat or on a charter, it is reassuring to know that there are plenty of cruising hubs from where we can enjoy some of the best of the region in only a few days. This new series, A Week Afloat, commissioned by Yachting Monthly and Imray, visits some ideal destinations and suggests a one-week itinerary. Each article, complete with expanded information about cruising each area, will be available as a PDF download via Imray’s website or Google Play Books. Galicia, in the north-west corner of Spain, offers the appealing combination of a balmy climate and a fascinating and beautiful coast. Between Cabo Fisterra (Cape Finisterre) and the Portuguese border lie the Rías Baixas, a series of beautiful inlets with a gentle microclimate, glorious beaches and a wonderful welcoming culture. The entrances to these rías are largely protected by a chain of offshore islands that break the worst of any onshore wind and sea, making it an ideal cruising area.

This is not the Spain of hot dusty summers, paella and flamenco, thronged with foreign visitors, but a softer Spain of green hillsides, friendly locals and bagpipe music; Galicia is a Celtic region, and proud of it. It has its own language, Galego, which looks like a cross between Spanish and Portuguese.