La Coruña: My City of Glass

We walked off straight to the Tower of Hercules – the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world. Climbing the 242 steps felt like time travel – Celtic, Roman, and medieval graffiti carved into the stones. The Atlantic wind at the top whipped our hair while Africa was theoretically visible on the horizon.

In the afternoon we wandered the glazed galerías – entire buildings wrapped in glass balconies that make the city sparkle like crystal. We had lunch at A Mundiña – pulpo a la gallega so tender it melted, pimientos de Padrón where one in ten is spicy and perfect. We went to Riazor beach for a swim – city beach with real waves and zero tourists. The pros: authentic Galician soul with almost no cruise crowds. The cons: Atlantic water is cold, but that's why it feels alive.