Gastronomic Galicia – more than a mouthful

There’s a little known autonomous region in north western Spain called Galicia, where they have around 300 food fiestas every year! These gastronomic galas start on 7th January with a Rice Pudding (yes really) Festival and finish at the end of December with a Rib Pie Festival.

It’s hardly surprising that the Galicians are so obsessed with food. After all, they live in a region, where the land will grow practically anything and the sea and the “thousand rivers” that the region is renown for are bursting with seafood and freshwater fish of all shapes and sizes. The air too bears its own reward, with such delicacies as partridge, woodcock and pigeon.

The fields provide fruits and vegetables of optimum quality; the livestock reared in its meadows is excellent; the cheeses are wonderful, and delicious wines and spirits are also produced in this prolific region.

Such is the Galicians’ love of food that their provincial capital city – Lugo – has a motto which is “y para comer, Lugo” (and to eat, Lugo). For a taste of some of the capital’s best restaurants, head for the historic quarter of this Roman walled city, where diners can sample such local delicacies as cocido (meat, potato and chickpea stew), filloas (Galician crêpes) and savour white wines that are among the most prized Spanish wines worldwide, and are of extraordinary quality.

The province of Lugo is in the north east of the region, topped by the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay). A quarter of the region’s population lives in the city of Lugo, which has a history going back over two thousand years. The city was probably founded by the Celts many hundreds of years BC and was later conquered by the Romans in 13BC. The Romans built a large wall to protect the city with a beautiful cathedral inside. The cathedral still stands as does the wall and today Lugo is the only city in Europe to be surrounded by a completely intact Roman wall. The 10-15m high, 2.5km long wall with its 71 towers and ten gates, is also the only Roman wall declared a World Heritage Site.

The region even has its own language which originated in medieval times in Galicia and Northern Portugal. Even though today both areas have different dialects, the 3-4 million Galician speakers are mostly able to understand the northern Portuguese, just as the Flemish and the Dutch are able to converse.

The popularity of the region is growing as more Spanish and other EU nationals are discovering its hidden depths and unspoilt beauty. Property prices are still much lower than the Costas or Barcelona, but are on the increase.

According to Kyero.com, the average price of a two bedroom property in Barcelona (€487,500/£331,121) is still over ten times higher than Lugo (€43,000/£29,207) and the latest figures show that the average property price for a four bedroom property in Lugo is just €299,500/£203,427.

Close to the city of Viveiro on the north coast of Galicia a four bedroom, two bathroom ocean view chalet can be bought for only €202,500 (£136,928). It is situated just a few steps from an unspoilt beach in a rural setting where no tourists will disturb the peace. The house accounts for 128m2 out of a total plot size of 750m2 and comes fully furnished.

Or if you have grander aims, an old stone ‘palacio’ (palace) eight kilometres from Lugo, is set on 15 hectares (37 acres) of land and still retains many of its authentic features. 400m2 of the total floor space of 1,000 m2 consists of five beautiful antique barns which are in need of restoration. The house itself has a new roof but the interior needs to be gutted. Once rebuilt, there is plenty of room for 20 bedrooms plus bathrooms. The remaining land consists of six hectares of grassland and nine hectares of forest. Priced at €650,000 (£439,522.329).

To view 40 properties in the Lugo province visit kyero.com.