The Galician coastal town of Noia

The holiday town of Noia is located at the foot of the Muros bay in the region of Galicia, just above Portugal, in Northern Spain. It is some 35 km from the historic city of Santiago de Compostela and lies adjacent to the coastal region of Porto do Son, popular with Spanish holiday makers. Noia started life as a fishing village, but now has a population in excess of 16 000 with many of its inhabitants working in Santiago. During the spring and summer months Noia becomes a thriving holiday town, primarily catering for Spaniards wishing to escape the heat of the Costa's. In August alone, some eight million Spaniards travel north from cities like Madrid and Barcelona to the more temperate climate of Galicia with its green scenery and spectacular beaches.

Over recent years foreign visitors have started to frequent Galicia, exploring its scenic countryside and visiting cities like Santiago de Compostela and Galicia's other towns and villages. What makes Noia worthy of note is not just its location, but its history and appearance. Noia has existed for well over a thousand years and was, for 700 years, the seat of the Archbishop.

It has two churches dating back to the eleventh and twelfth centuries and many other ancient buildings in its original mediaeval quarter. An unfortunate feature of Noia, but one typical of this region, is the constant presence of decrepit old buildings adjacent to well maintained ones. This is the result of the land registration laws, or lack of them, in Galicia.

If you can ignore this failing, Noia is an attractive town with many tapas bars, plenty of shops and the feel and atmosphere of a genuine Spanish town. Noia still has a thriving market and the locals speak their own language, Gallego. Visit www.galiciaguide.com for further information about Noia and the region of Galicia.

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By: Martin Lambert