Continued from A Coruña Old Town.
After an epic day of walking thirteen miles around A Coruña, exploring its beaches, Tower of Hercules and old town, I slept well, then woke up to sunshine and the sounds of waves and seagulls on the beach, just across the street.
The view from my room
Breakfast at cafe next door
After breakfast, I made some final adjustments to my backpack. I decided to strap the Mylar umbrella to the outside of the pack, so I could be ready in case it rained.
Final adjustments to my Camino backpack with umbrella strapped to side of backpack
The umbrella fit into my backpack for the flight from Paris, but I needed easier access.
I used the the velcro of the umbrella case, the cord strap, and carbiner to secure the umbrella to the straps of my backpack.
Pilgrim tip: The Liteflex Trekking Umbrella can be strapped to the front straps of your backpack when its open, so you can use it hands-free! Available on Amazon.
The bus to Ferrol wasn’t scheduled to leave until 2 p.m. so I had plenty of time to explore more of A Coruña. I checked out of the hotel and left my backpack at the reception desk.
Fun art at hotel reception. I would stay at Coruña Mar hotel again.
The hotel receptionist pointed out Mont San Pedro on the map, just a fifteen-minute walk from the hotel along the promenade by the sea.
I loved how clean the streets and sidewalks were in A Coruña. Great bike lanes too!
I read about an elevator that takes you to the top of Mont San Pedro.
Unfortunately, it was closed for repair! I saw this as an opportunity for more Camino training and decided to walk up the mountain.
At the top, there is a restaurant, a park, a labyrinth, and some great views.
A labyrinth!
I love walking barefoot on grass.
The Tower of Hercules in the background
There are a fort and cannons at the top of Mont San Pedro.
Pointing to A Coruña on the map
The walkway back down passes an elementary school.
An elementary school has the best views of A Coruña!
Infinity fountain with a view of Tower of Hercules
Beautiful coastline
Hotel Coruña Mar is on the right
I retrieved my backpack from the hotel and walked to the bus station. On the way, I saw the house where Pablo Picasso lived until he was thirteen years old.
If you want to see this museum, check the hours beforehand, because they close for siesta.
Pablo Picasso’s early years
His unusual adeptness for drawing began to manifest itself early, around the age of 10, when he became his father’s pupil in A Coruña, where the family moved in 1891. From that point his ability to experiment with what he learned and to develop new expressive means quickly allowed him to surpass his father’s abilities. In A Coruña his father shifted his own ambitions to those of his son, providing him with models and support for his first exhibition there at age 13.
PILGRIM TIP: If you are a fan of Pablo Picasso, there’s a self guided Picasso tour of sites in A Coruña! Download PDF Guide.
Below is the tracked walk from hotel (start point is green dot), along the Promenade Del Mar to the broken elevator, where I had to backtrack to walk up the mountain. The black dot is the bus station, FYI.
Up next, Ferrol: Parador, Harbor, and Pre-Camino Blessing
All of my stages are linked on this page: Camino Inglés
The Camino Provides 
So beautiful! Thanks for the share ☺️ this was not on my list of places but after reading I feel I must add!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know much about A Coruña either so it was a pleasant surprise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My favorite travels tend to be those I do not anticipate but instead stumble upon. Pictures were beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Ferrol: Parador, Harbor, and Pre-Camino Blessing | The Camino Provides