A Coruña

La Coruña sits on a narrow peninsula jutting into the Atlantic, its glass-fronted balconies (galerías) catching the light along the waterfront. The old town has good tapas bars crammed into small streets behind the port, and the Tower of Hercules, a Roman-era lighthouse still working after nearly 2,000 years, is worth the uphill walk for the coastal views alone. The city beach, Playa del Orzán, is right in central downtown, which is unusual for a port this size. Locals tend to eat late, so don't expect dinner before 9pm. The seafood here is straightforward and excellent: pulpo a feira (paprika octopus) and percebes (goose barnacles) are the things to try. Most of the city centre is walkable from the cruise terminal.