La Coruña lies at the extreme north west of Spain and forms part of the autonomous community of Galicia.   It is an Atlantic city with a moderate climate.

The municipality covers a surface area of 36.8 km² with 243,785 inhabitants. This means a population density of 6,624 inhabitants per km².  Given the relative shortage of land and the need for expansion, the land is more profitable as a base for building.  Farming activities are therefore more centered in the surrounding areas.  Even so, as a coastal city, fishing is a very significant industry in La Coruña.  All this means that the main sector in the city is services - it is the economic and cultural centre of the area and plays the role of a regional metropolis not only in the province but in all Galicia.

There have been various changes in the city's structure over the last few decades - it now shares some administrative functions and is less of a military centre.  Companies have grown, especially in certain sub sectors such as finance, communication, layout and sales, manufacturing, technical services and the port itself (it is the largest in Europe in terms of fresh fish unloaded), with the increase in other port activities like crude oil and solid bulk, making up 75% of Galician port traffic.
 

Airports

LCG - La Coruña Airport

Rutis - Vilaboa
E - 15180 La Coruña
Airport Code: LCG

 0034 981 187 315

Direct flights Iberia and www.spanair.com offer a selection of Domestic and International flights from La Coruña. You can fly direct to: Barcelona, Bilbao, Gran Canaria, Madrid, Tenerife, Paris, Lisbon and London.

Located just 8 kms outside of the city of La Coruña this airport deals mostly with domestic flights. The nearest airport which is served by Ryanair is Santiago de Compostela Airport which is about 65 kms away.

When you arrive at La Coruña Airport there are three baggage carousels to collect your bags. After you have collected your bags head into the main hall where you will find signs for the taxis and buses and the offices for the car hire companies. Iberia and Spanair also have ticket offices here.

The departures area at La Coruña Airport consists of 10 check in desks and once you have checked in you will be called to one of four boarding gates. Within this area you will also find a café serving hot and cold drinks and a shop selling various items.

The buses at La Coruña Airport arrive and depart from just outside the terminal building. The buses leave every 30-60 minutes and the 25 minute journey into the City centre costs ~ €1.50.

The taxis at La Coruña Airport can be found outside the arrivals hall and as a rough guide a taxi into La Coruña should cost approximately €12 - €15 and to Santiago de Compostela €50-€60.

Services: Tourism Office of La Coruña, restaurant, shopping, rent-a-car, automatic teller machines.

Airlines:
IBERIA   0034 981 187 259
SPANAIR   0034 971 745 020
EASY JET (will start in February 2007 with domestic flights from Madrid)
PGA-PORTUGALIA   0034 902 100 145

 

SCR- Santiago de Compostela Airport

15820 - Santiago de Compostela
La Coruña
Airport Code: SCR 
0034 981 547 500

Ryanair and Iberia/BA fly direct to Santiago de Compostela from the UK. BA flies from Heathrow, Ryanair flies from Stansted. Ryanair also flies from Frankfurt and Rome.

Iberia and Spanair offer the best selection of flights and you can fly to and from Santiago De Compostela from:  Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Seville, Tenerife and Valencia.

This airport serves the City of Santiago de Compostela and is also used by people traveling to La Coruña which is 75 kms away.

IThe arrivals at Santiago are handled in two different halls. Hall A deals with domestic and EU flights, hall B deals with the occasional EU flight and all non EU flights. You will find the car hire companies in arrivals hall A.

Departures at Santiago de Compostela are dealt with on the ground floor and there are a total of 18 check in desks. Iberia has 6 of these desks and Ryanair has 2 desks.

There are a couple of cafés at the airport that are open throughout the day and you will find 7 different shops at Santiago selling a variety of things including cigarettes, perfumes etc.

Parking at Santiago de Compostela provides spaces for 1200 cars and the charges are as follows: €0.40 for the first half hour and €0.50 for every subsequent half hour. Daily parking costs €9 and a lost ticket incurs a penalty of €45.

You will find four different buses at Santiago de Compostela:

Airport - Lujo - runs throughout the day from 0700 - 1930

Airport to Santaigo Center - runs every 30 - 40 mins

Airport to Santiago (Doctor Teixeiro line) - runs every 30 - 60 mins

Airport to La Coruña - Just one bus per day which leaves at 1130 am

Taxis can be found outside the main terminal building and you should expect to pay €15 for a trip into Santiago de Compostela and around €80 for a taxi to La Coruña.

Banking Hours

0900-1400 Monday to Friday
0900-1300 Saturday (except during the summer)

Climate

Spain's climate varies from temperate in the north to dry and hot in the south. The best months are from April to October, although mid-summer (July to August) can be excessively hot throughout the country except the coastal regions. Madrid is best in late spring or autumn. The central plateau can be bitterly cold in winter.

Required clothing: Light- to medium-weights and rainwear, according to the season.

Please check out the following URL to find out information on the Climate of La Coruña.

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/spain/celsius/la-coruna-city.htm

Currency

(EURO) €

The basic unit of currency is the Euro. Banks, hotels, travel agencies, and exchange bureaus (câmbios) are all good places to exchange money, but it's wise to shop around for the best rate and lowest commission.

Credit cards are accepted by many businesses, but not by all. It's a good idea to ask the merchant about credit card acceptance before trying to make your purchase. Most traveler's checks and Eurocheques are widely accepted.

Electricity

220 volts AC (110/125 volts in some older buildings), 50Hz. Generally, round 2-pin plugs and screw-type lamp fittings are in use.

Language

Spanish is the official language in the country. However, other languages coexist with Spanish in certain regions of Spain. These are: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a particular variety of Catalan spoken on the Balearic Islands.

Passport/Visa

These requirements are subject to change. Check with the embassy or consulate in your home country before you depart.

U.S. citizens:  A valid passport and a return ticket are required for stays of up to 90 days.

Australian and New Zealand citizens:  For visits of up to 90 days, Australians need both a valid passport, a visa, and a return ticket, whereas New Zealand citizens need only a valid passport and a return ticket.

Canadian citizens:  A valid passport and a return ticket are required for stays of up to 90 days.

EU citizens:  A national identity card only is required by most citizens of most EU countries for visits of up to 90 days.  Citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Portugal, however, require current passports or passports expired less than 5 years; citizens of Germany, Ireland, and the UK with valid passports or passports expired less than 1 year.

Japanese citizens:  A valid passport and a return ticket are required for stays of up to 90 days.

Others:  Nationals of Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Netherland Antilles and Switzerland need either a valid national identity card for entry or a passport expired less than 5 years.

Note: A Schengen visa issued by an embassy or consulate of either Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, or Spain allows the holder to travel freely in all of these countries for up to 90 days.

Citizens of countries not listed in the categories above should contact the Spanish embassy or consulate in their home country for details about entry requirements.

Public Transport

Visitors to La Coruña find themselves in a new and interesting city that has undergone various changes in infrastructure and new offers. They have to be able to move through the city with ease to discover it or to rediscover it.

Public and tourist transport is the way for both the visitor and the local to get round the city, to enjoy the different aspects of its hospitality and dynamism.

At the Bus station (c/ Caballeros, 21 - Telephone 981 184 335) there are many companies to meet your transport needs.

Safety

Spain is one of the safest countries in Europe for tourists who come to visit.

As with anywhere, you should take basic safety measures.   You should avoid desolate, or poorly lit areas. It is recommended that you only carry on you the amount of money you will need for each outing. Pay special attention in areas with large groups of people, such as when getting on and off public transport or in department stores. If possible, try to park in a place where they will watch your car. When driving in the city, keep the doors locked until you decide to leave your vehicle, and when you do so avoid leaving valuables inside.

Prevention is the best way to avoid unpleasant incidents.

Sales Tax

TA value-added tax (VAT), known as IVA for Impuesto sobre el valor añadido, of approximately 16 percent is included in the price of most goods and services (33 percent for luxury goods).

 If your country of residence is outside of the European Union, you may request a sales-tax refund for your purchases.  There are several companies in Spain that are authorised to process sales-tax (IVA) refunds. You need to request a form for your sales-tax refund from the merchant at the shop.

Citizens of non-EU countries who spend at least € 90.15 at one store are eligible for a sales-tax refund. This amount needs to be spent at the same shop, and on the same day, for it to be eligible for a Tax Free cheque. The paperwork is simple; to obtain the refund, you must do the following:

1. Ask for a tax-free receipt of purchase, for which you need to show a valid proof of foreign residency (passport).

2. Show your purchases, and seal the tax-free goods in customs. (You have three months from the time of purchase to seal your goods).

3. Ask for the refund at the authorised refund-processing company. These companies have IVA refund offices at all major airports in Spain. You can get your refund in cash, or credit it back to your credit card.

Telecommunications

The international telephone access code is 34. Telephone codes for specific cities and their surrounding areas are as follows: Madrid 91, Alicante 96, Balearic Islands 971, Barcelona 93, Benidorm 96, Bilbao 94, Granada 958,  La Coruña 981, Las Palmas 928, Málaga and Torremolinos 95, Santander 942, Seville 95, Tenerife 922, and Valencia 96. Omit the 9 if calling from abroad.

To place an outgoing international call, dial 07, plus the relevant country code and number. To reach an international operator, dial 9198 for calls inside Europe, and 098 for calls outside of Europe. To reach a local operator, dial 009, and for directory assistance, dial 003.

Time

The local time in La Coruña is UTC/GMT +1 hour.

Tipping

Tipping is common in Spain, but not at all mandatory. In restaurants, for example, a service charge is added to the bill, but it customary to round up the bill as a tip, or, if the service is exceptional, to leave as much as 10 percent. In cafés and bars, loose change is fine for a tip. Hotels also add a service charge, but a tip for the person who cleans the room and one for the porter is customary. If a taxi driver gives good service, loose change or 5 to 10 percent of the meter fare is a common tip, and parking lot attendants and coat-check staff usually receive a Euro as a tip.

Water

Water that runs direct from taps satisfies the United Nations World Health Organization standards. Bottled water is widely available in hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores.