A coruña with vero & rose
A children’s guide to the city
Vero is a keen traveller, a proud mum to Rose, and a true A Coruñan at heart. She now lives in London with her young family, but regularly returns to her beautiful hometown. So when she invited us to explore some of her favourite places, we couldn’t wait to join her. Now, we’re happy to share our discoveries with you.
1. Breakfast & Books
Rúa Santiago 8, 15001 A Coruña
We started our day at El Punto, a charming café run by Paula and Edgar, a young couple from Barcelona. Paula is a landscape architect; Edgar a former professional motorcycle racer, and the son of two-time world champion Sito Pons. Nowadays, they serve excellent specialty coffee and delicious breakfasts made with local produce.
Right across the street, you’ll find Librería Berbiriana, a lovely independent bookshop with a good children’s and teens’ section.
2. Morning Market
Praza de Lugo, 15004, A Coruña
Next stop: the Mercado de la Plaza de Lugo, one of A Coruña’s most traditional food markets. The stalls are piled high with fresh Galician fish and seafood, fruit, vegetables, flowers and all kinds of local produce. The best way to explore? Follow your senses.
The market doesn’t have an official Instagram account, but some of its individual stalls do. Among them is Pescados Rabina, a historic fish and seafood stand that has been part of the market for generations.
3. Zara, At Home
Rúa Compostela 3-5, 15004, A Coruña
A Coruña is where Zara began, so a visit to its flagship store feels like a small piece of fashion history. Right at the top, we discovered El Apartamento, a unique space where fashion, interiors, art and a small café come together. The views over the harbour are pretty spectacular, too.
4. A LITTLE WORLD OF ITS OWN
We also stopped by Zara Home Kids, one of the brand’s stores dedicated to children. Rose had a great time exploring and playing — the beautifully designed space feels less like a shop and more like a little world made for kids.
5. SOFA TESTING
Calle Emilia Pardo Bazán 12 Bajo, 15005 A Coruña
At Castro Seis, we found a beautifully curated mix of furniture and homeware from international brands. Rose took her role as sofa tester very seriously — and, as far as we could tell, approved of every single one of them.
6. Lunch AT THE COUNTER
Rua San Andrés 53, 15003 A Coruña
For lunch, we stopped at Salpica, a young and modern seafood bar serving beautifully prepared bites alongside fabulous drinks. We took a seat at the counter and settled into the lively, relaxed atmosphere — the kind of place where lunch easily stretches into the afternoon.
7. PHOTOGRAPHY & THE PORT
Avenida Jardines de Méndez Núñez, s/n, 15003 A Coruña
Set in the industrial landscape of A Coruña’s port, the Fundación MOP is dedicated to the great masters of fashion photography. Housed in a former warehouse and restored cement silos, it was founded by Marta Ortega Pérez, daughter of Inditex founder Amancio Ortega.
When we visited, the museum was showing an amazing retrospective of Paolo Roversi. And the best part? Admission is free.
8. A CLASSIC AFTERNOON BREAK
Praza Pontevedra, s/n, 15003 A Coruña
For an afternoon snack, we headed to Cafetería Manhattan. This place has been a fixture of the city’s hospitality scene since 1972. With its retro interiors and impeccably suited waiters, stepping inside feels like entering another era.
The toasted ham and cheese sandwich is a classic — and judging by Rose’s performance, very much worth ordering. She polished hers off in under a minute.
9. ICE CREAM BY THE MARINA
Callejón de la Estacada 7, 15003 A Coruña
Framed by a palm tree and large glass windows, artisan ice cream parlour Heladería Colón is hard to miss. The flavours range from yuzu to queixo da nabiza, a traditional Galician cured cheese — so there’s plenty to keep things interesting.
There’s almost always a queue but it’s worth the wait. Grab a cone, head down to the marina, watch the fishing boats, and enjoy.
written and photographed by
ALEXANDRA KLEVER