Properties in rural Galicia are a great investment, and will become increasingly more so as the public in general discover it and learn more and more about the region.
Galicia is a land of Celtic traditions, although the majority of people are catholic many pagan rites are mixed in with the established religion, there is still a certain magic and mysticism in the air certain nights of the year.
· Situation and climate
Galicia is situated above Portugal on the Atlantic coast has a benign climate.
The winter temperatures are never extreme, and the weather in summer is pleasantly warm.
· Trout sea trout and salmon fishing
The valleys are green and pleasant, and all rivers and streams hold wild brown trout, many also boast sea trout and salmon.
The owner of Galician country homes, Mark is a well known and respected catch and release fly fisherman who has collaborated for many years with the ecologist movements in Galicia.
He was a founder of the no kill fishing movement in Galicia, and played an important role in getting the current fishing law passed through the Galician parliament, which banned all sales of wild trout, sea trout and salmon.
The sea fishing is also excellent with large sea bass running along the coast.
· Surfing and skin diving
The rias of Galicia give you a chance to have fabulous skin diving opportunities to find yourself in the middle of a school of dolphins or in the centre of a bank of sardines so big you think you won’t find your way out of it, the surfing is now getting to be a national sport with very good surf beaches especially in the rias altas or north coast.
· Food and drink in Galicia
The shellfish or marisco as it is called in Spanish is world famous for it’s quality and abundance.
The sea fish are excellent, and one of the local wines can turn any meal into a banquet.
Galicia is best known for the fabulous white wines, some of them are world gold medal winners, but nowadays some of the local bodegas are coming up with red wines that are quite as good as any Rioja and comparable to any wine in the world on value for money.
Jacobean routes and pilgrimages
Galicia has been famous for its Jacobean routes and pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela since the early ninth century.
Nowadays many thousands of pilgrims from all over the world travel the different routes to Santiago on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, by horse cart, and even in wheelchairs.
If you would like more information of a pilgrim’s vision of Galicia click here on: www.worksandwords.com/spinfo.htm
· Cost of living
The cost of living in Galicia is much lower than in the rest of Spain.
The Sunday Times (23.1.06) rated Galicia the best value for money within Spain. A house in Rural Spain is thus an excellent investment and Galician Country Homes will be by your side through the whole process, from you first seeing the house, to you entering to live in it.
For more about Galicia and life in Galicia, visit a web site and blog of an Englishman living in Pontevedra visit: www.colindavies.net.
The wine is cheap. One can eat a good three-course meal in a restaurant with coffee and liquors for 7 or 8 euros. In the province of Lugo all bars give a tapa with each drink. Three wines and you have had a meal!
The en route magazine from Canada did an article that explains a little of the Galician lifestyle: to see click here.
Visit the official page of the Xunta de Galicia in English, click here
Another very useful guide to Galicia is http://www.galinor.es/galicia-e.html It even includes an easy to use first timers Spanish/English/ Gallego dictionary.
Peace of mind
All this adds up to a nice natural lifestyle that almost anybody can afford with no crowds, no hassle, a very low crime rate, and especially one thing:
Peace of mind
Galician Country Homes (www.galicianrustic.com)
Contact: contacto@galicianrustic.com
Telephones: 0034 982390959 (home). 0034 626811508 (mobile).
