I have never been so little prepared for a trip as the one I’m going to have. And yet I'm about to see some breathtaking landscapes, such as beaches that look like the tropics and villages that go back to the Celts. For unexpected and changing is Galicia. Like its sky, which warms you up for a moment and then later it sprays you with fine drops. Few foreigners are actually familiar with this region that lies in the north-western corner of Spain, far from the clamor of the Mediterranean coast. Here, on the Atlantic Ocean, you will struggle to find souvenir shops. And it is better that way, indeed. Because here, among green meadows and the jagged coasts with the taste of Scotland, you can still feel the tradition of an ancient people. [traditional music] On one of its hills - I will show you in a moment -, the streets of the Continent used to end, and with them the known world. Until just half a millennium ago, when a ship called Pinta returned from an exploration journey bringing news of the discovery of a new world beyond the horizon. But let's start from the beginning. Vigo. The city where I land. The most populous of all Galicia. Exploded in the 60s thanks to the automobile industry. Moreover, the city is one of the most important fishing ports in the world. Tons of seafood are bred every year year in its vast estuary. The local cuisine based on fish will be among the protagonists of my trip. I arrive in Vigo in the evening. I leave the suitcase in my room and then go to dinner looking for the most typical dish. "Pulpo a la feira", Galician octopus. Good! Do you know how to perfectly make this dish? The most important thing of the octopus is cooking, especially cooking. You have to slice it and then season it with olive oil, chilli pepper. What matters the most is that the octopus is from here, from Galicia, from our area. Another typical dish is "zamburiñas", saltwater fish, which is seasoned only with a little oil, accompanied by local white wine. Outside the restaurant, the old city rests among its narrow stone alleys and uphill dwellings. It's late. I go back to the modern area where a shaking light gives me the idea of an artistic installation. The night is peaceful in Vigo and I need rest, since tomorrow I will go in the middle of the ocean. The streets of Vigo are the one of a great city large sidewalks, traffic, any kinds of shops It really feels as a Spanish metropolis As you can see the weather is quite annoying In fact in Galicia it rains one day every three over the year. A little bit of press review from this bar in Vigo with my...very liquid cappuccino and bread with butter and jam. Spanish and Portuguese patrols are increasing Here we are at the border between Spain and Portugal. They are meant to help tourists. Vigo's automobile industry has reached it's record of occupation 950 jobs have been created in the past year. Then Rayanair has started summer season 3.100 arrivals per week from Edinburgh, Bologna, Milan and Dublin. On my trip on the ferry to Cíes islands, I meet some students that come from the Castile region, as the teacher tells me. How important is this type of experience for them? This trip is very interesting because they are doing so many different things. We come from an internal area of Spain. We do water sports like surfing and kayaking. We will see natural landscapes, such as Cíes islands, and also experience the history of Santiago de Compostela. It is a complete experience, isn’t it, girls? Film them, they are prettier! The students spend their time on Instagram and after a little chat they become my new followers. This is Juan Andrés, he wants to become a fireman. Then there is Iván, he is a cyclist. Then Lucía, and from Pordenone, Guillermo. These guys will make me company during the trip. [music] Have you ever had the feeling of landing in paradise? I did it by setting foot on the Cíes. On Praia de Rodas and on its white sand pirates used to find shelter because the bay is protected from the Atlantic. Here it is very easy to dock. Look how stunning. The water here is always calm because the islands form a natural barrier for Vigo’s bay. In fact I have not seen the open sea yet, which now appears beyond the theatrical backdrop made of rocks. This is my first glimpse of the Atlantic ocean. Beyond Vigo's bay there is the ocean and before 1493 people believed that beyond those waves the world ended. Today the islands are protected areas, but were once inhabited by Celts, Romans and others... Monks used to live on the island, completely isolated, until their monastery, which you see behind me, was destroyed by pirates. today it has been converted into the information center of the island and a village of a dozen of houses has been developed next to it. Landscapes on the islands are breathtaking. Quietness has imprisoned the massive hills, vegetation, lighthouses. And then I come across again my young friends, that greet me. - "Hey, Mirco". - "Hey, guys". Basically, to become an influencer I had to come into a reserve of seagulls in the middle of the ocean. After more than one hour's walk, I reach the first peak and realize how different it is to look the horizon of an ocean, instead of the one of a small sea, such as the Adriatic. I feel like I have been crushed by the vastness of the water, by the overwhelming infinite. On March 1st, 1493, from the port of Baiona, which you can see far behind me, they saw a medium-sized ship coming from the Atlantic Ocean. It was a caravel. Its name was Pinta and it was one of the three caravels guided by Columbus, which sailed from the port of Palos several months before. Moreover, that was the first one to arrive in Europe with the news of the discovery of a new world. It is pleasant to walk here because you can smell the scents of the woods, the pines, and the sea at the same time. And you can hear the tweeting of forest birds mixed with seagulls' verses. This is the world's largest reserve of yellow-legged gulls. Listen. [seagulls' verses] This period of the year is perfect for those who don't care about sunbathing. There is nobady. And it’s also good not to have anyone around you while you fall. The Guardian has elected Praia de Rodas as world's best beach. The sand here is so white because is made by thousands of years old quartzes Water is crystal clear, therefore it is irresistible to take a bath, even if the season does not allow it. This is my first bath in the Atlantic ocean. After a break by the sea, with my feet sunk in the sand that looks like flour, it is time to reach another peak, crossing a wood of eucalyptus trees whose tall trunks seem the columns of an endless cathedral. From Prince Top you have one of the best sight that nature could offer. “Best” is not enough. From up here, in the middle of nowhere that smells like salt, nature explodes with magnificence as in a painting. I take the last ferry that brings me back to mainland while the sunset caresses the beach and swallows a ship. Now I have a better way to see the "bateas", the platforms for breeding "marisco", seafood. There are thousands of them in the shadow of the hills. My adventure among the seagulls made me hungry, and it looks like I'm not the only one that "tiene hambre". My face is sunburnt and my second dinner is all about fish again. Sea urchin omelette to start with, followed by a large toust with octopus and "tetilla", a local cheese. Keep tetilla in mind, because we will see it at the end. Meanwhile, I chat with who prepared my meal. Is the octopus more preferred by Galicians or tourists? By everybody, Galician people as well. I eat it every Sunday myself, never skip once. I always eat my dish of octopus with vermouth. The next morning, walking along the streets of Vigo under the mandarins, I decide to get on a bus and reach a very important place for the West, the town where the news of the discovery of America came first. The port where the Modern Age actually began: Baiona. A humble and restful village nowadays. [traditional music] It's a holiday, it's past 10 in the morning and everything in downtown Baiona in shut down. There's none around, except for those ladies down there that came out of this door, going grocery shopping. I've been looking for breakfast for half an hour but all the places are closed. I hear the first shutters opening up. [People arguing] A Spanish argument. [People arguing] One minute it rains, one minute it's sunny, then it's cold, then it's hot again. Baiona's residential area is made of extremely narrow alleys. Some are just a few inches wide. This is Baiona's seafront. Which actually an ocean-front, since it faces the Atlantic Ocean. You can see the Cíes Islands over there, and Vigo's bay. In Galicia we often come across these two types of structures, “horreos” and “cruceiros”. Horreos are granaries, maize deposits, placed on granite piles. Side splits allow what’s inside not to get moldy, keeping rats outside. They can be located anywhere, from ocean sides to town squares and private gardens. Their covering is very peculiar, since it hosts two opposite symbols. The cross of Christianity on one side and, on the other, a small Celtic pyramid symbolizing fertility. This one represents a stylized phallus We are going to reach now the caravel Pinta, which is docked at the harbour. The minute I descend the hill, it starts to rain. I'm walking on the deck that leads to Columbus' caravel, although this one was actually captained by Martín Alonso Pinzón. Today it rains on the caravel, and we are safe inside the harbour. But think about what months of navigation through storms must have been. Rain and giant waves. All of them sharing a single space. Lack of space is surely what strikes the most below deck. For several months crew members had to to live together in a single room, without cabins, bathrooms, or galley. They left in August 1492 and returned in March 1493. Therefore, the crew was certainly subjected to considerable stress, In fact, several tense episodes had occured on board during the crossing of the ocean. Sea life is tough, no doubt. Now it rains even more. I leave Baiona with the feeling of a remote village of such an importance that perhaps it doesn’t even know it itself. On the way back I make a new friend. This kind and rambling lady who really cares about giving me directions of places to visit. Although my level of Spanish generates some misunderstandings. But neither I, nor she give up. "It's impossible to get lost," says the lady. The fact is that I get off at the wrong stop. It is past 3pm and I haven’t had lunch yet. I look for the best restaurant in the area according to online reviews. Do you think I will still find people sitting there? It is 3.40pm and people are still having lunch, as Spanish use to do. My lunch is a tray of "langostinos a la plancha", grilled giant red shrimps. At my table, I chat a little with the restaurant owner. We make giant shrimps, but also other kinds of seafood, such as , crabs, Necora crabs, king crabs, prawns, clams... Even though the last ones need to be cooked. For the giant red shrimps, the grill must be very hot. We sprinkle it with salt, then place the shrimps on top of it and add a little olive oil. When they are grilled on one side, we turn them over. Prices in Galicia are economic. Now, with a full stomach, instead of exercising like this old gentleman does, I follow the directions of my bus lady friend and reach the hill of Castro. During the Iron Age many villages were built in Vigo’s bay. They were called "castros". One of them was located on Vigo’s promontory. A fortress was then built in the same place, and you can see it behind me From up here you can see the whole bay on which now heavy gray clouds stand above. I climb higher where fog is eating the woods. I go back down and reach the water, while Samil beach is receiving the last rays of sunshine of the day. Time to say goodbye to Vigo, because the world’s most important Christian pilgrimage destination, after Rome and Jerusalem, is waiting for me. I get there by train through Pontevedra’s green countryside, passing by the estuaries of lo wer Galicia. [traditional music] I just got by train to Santiago De Compostela. Some guys told me during the trip that here the weather is usually a bit colder than Vigo. It is a bit chillier, indeed. They also said it rains a lot, therefore I consider myself quite lucky since the sky looks quite nice tonight. Beautiful sunset, isn't it? But wait until you see my pilgrim accommodation. If I find it. Where is my hostel? Twenty-eight... I don't know. Let's ask here. Excuse me, do you know any hostel around here? You have to go a little bit further. A little bit further. Then, what's its number? It doesn't have it. I thought I would have slept in a dormitory room, not that the whole hostel was a single big dormitory. The hostel is a single large room with dozens of bunk beds. I'm not sure if you see that I'm on top of a bunk bed. As any pilgrim, you have to make your own bed. They give you blankets and sheets, and then you make it on your own. The pillow case is shorter than the pillow. If you pull it on one side, the pillow will pop out of the other. Wanna see the result? This is my sarcophagus. Beyond the dividers I can see the other beds. These are the showers. They seem quite clean. "Please, take your shower in about 3-5 minutes". Great, I also have to be quick. A blow-drier. Then the wc. Someone tried to sterilize the bathroom in his own way. Shower done. Now, since I'm hungry, "vamos a tomar algo", let's go and eat something. Someone might think of Santiago just as an ancient city, the last destination of one of the world's most important pilgrimage. The truth is that the city center looks like a big modern city. But as soon as I access the historical center, urban planning sharply changes. This is definitely one of the narrowest alleys ever! It is 11 pm. Will I find an open tavern where to have dinner? I will, and it is so packed that the lady owner stands at the doorstep and stop anyone from entering. I’m just in time. Do you see those three women a little tipsy at the table? After eating, they decide to leave their table to me and we make a toast with wine, that here you drink in their typical ceramic cups. I order one big tray of steamed mussels. It takes me just a little to finish it. Then I remember that a student told me on the train to order "necora", which is a kind of crab. You have to put it in the pot while still alive. Necora must be alive, fresh. You buy it at the market while still alive. You have to understand its quality and where it comes from. While there is no secret about cooking it. You put it in the water and after 10-15 minutes is already dead. At that point, turn on the fire and after 5 minutes of boiling, the crab is ready Price is very competitive here as well. Outside of the “taperia”, I am overwhelmed by a very exciting night. It looks like there is some sort of parade along the streets of Santiago. Men with hoods are parading while holding a podium with the statue of Christ on top. It is not an ordinary procession. These are the Holy Week's celebrations. Streets are filled with people. [Orchestra music] Trumpets sound reverberates through the city’s stone alleys. Pilgrims and tourists follow the parade along the streets, and all around that impressive worship monument, which is the ultimate destination of the Way of Saint James. I do not deny that coming out of the streets of Santiago and watching the cathedral’s facade, for the first time at night, with the sound of this music and all these people, is quite emotional. Instruments notes are vanishing away across the city and so the people. Praza do Obradorio, which is the St. Peter’s Square of Spain, becomes the meeting place for young people who do push-ups. I go back to my hostel and to my sarcophagus-bed. Tomorrow I’ll go to see the end of the world. This is the press review from a cafè in Santiago. Clearly at this early hour I'm the only one around. They are saying that they were hoping in more tourists for the holidays, but the tourist presence rate is 70%. Last minute reservation had collapsed due to bad weather. Here there are a few happy tourists on Santiago's square, although they are wet. Hotel managers ask for more events in order to attract more visitors. It looks like Rimini. Then they talk about last night parade, which I accidentally came across with. Santiago's procession filled the monumental area with excitement. It has been very moving indeed. Today we will visit Costa da Morte using this bus, along with seven other tourists. Lucy, our guide, she’s Spanish and studied in Molise, Italy. The cathedral is still rather caged. This was our meeting point. The square is quite empty at 9am. It is holiday, after all. The weather is variable. First rain, then flashes of sun here and there. There are my new companions. After a cup of coffee, we go straight to Costa da Morte, which is on Spain north-west corner, and it is called that way since many shipwrecks have occurred there over the centuries, due to the strong streams and the presence of rocks a few inches beneath water’s surface. Our first stop is an ancient infrastructure, which is central to the region. [traditional music] I am walking across the Maceira bridge, which has been the only connection point between Costa da Morte and the rest of Spain since the Romans and over the centuries. That is why this area has not been very urbanized. The bridge foundation is Roman, but what you see was built later, in the Thirteenth century. The power of water was able to operate the Galician mills. They were also spaces for socializing. In in Galicia they are called "muíño" and Galician traditional music is named "muiñeira", since it was born around these work places. It reminds me of blues music and American cotton fields. Behind my shoulder you can see Playa de Carnota. It is the longest beach in Galicia. It is 8 km long. There is a lot of wind here, and the people take advantage of it through the wind energy blades. On the road again, we pass by Mount Pindo, which is a crossroads of legends. According to one, its granite rocks were the soldiers of an ancient pagan queen. They decided to petrify themselves in order to protect their sovereign forever. An exceptional show takes place on the side of that mountain. We are now going to visit the Ezaro Waterfall, which is Europe's only waterfall to directly to the ocean. Today Ezaro’s water is only half of the river’s flow that creates the waterfall. The reason is a hydroelectric plant that has been built on top of it and that initially used to completely block the waterfall. After a while, the European Union intervened saying that that was appropriate, and allowing the plant to retain only 50% of the water. This is the result today that still remains fascinating. We cross the villages of Costa da Morte where houses have large windows, because once these ports had commercial relations with Venice. Galician fish in exchange for crystal. Then, where water becomes blue and the sun warms up a hill, we reach the farthest promontory of Spain. Before the discovery of America, people used to watch the horizon from here and see what they believed was the end of earth. This is the end of the Way of Saint James. Here the streets of the Roman empire ended as well. Finisterre, "Fisterra" in Galician, means "the end of earth". Here the known world during Roman times ended. Finisterre is a place full of emotions, because most stubborn pilgrims conclude their journey here after passing by Santiago. Finisterra's lightouse is the Kilometre Zero of the Way of Saint James. This is a very special moment for them, because they came here on foot from Santiago and it took them four days of walk. This is their final destination. Such a journey is able, as they say, to change their life. How special was the journey for you? It is very amazing, such a precious experience. It gives you lots of emotions. The journey is like the life. You miss the comfort of home, but then you realize that you live with more things than necessary and that happiness is in the little things of every day. It's like that. Going up Costa da Morte you get to another symbolic promontory. Muxía. A rough sea is welcoming me. This is Nosa Señora da Barca church It is a very exceptional church since it is placed a few meters from the ocean's waves. According to tradition, James the Apostle often came in Muxía, precisely here, to pray the Virgin Mary to help him convert locals. Here we also find a monument that was erected in memory of the Prestige’s shipwreck occurred in 2002. The oil tanker has in fact sunk 250 km off the coast of Muxía, causing a severe environmental damage to the whole territory. Costa da Morte’s economy, which is mainly based on fishing, has recovered just recently. Returning to Santiago, green lawns covered with granaries and granite villages flow at our side. And they are wet again from the rain. A wet sunset awaits me in Santiago, but full of surprises. In fact, I get lost in some suburban alleys and find myself following a creek, along a very romantic wooden platform that goes into the vegetation. However, I am starving again, and I decide that I deserve a dinner in the city’s most exclusive restaurant, always according to internet, because of my pilgrim experience. And I make new friends. These are my new friends. Zeneida, Ruyman, Angel and Ana. Nurse, draft-man... no wait, designer, draft-man and manager. For starters, oysters. But the cuisine is fusion in here and Galician typical recipes are revisited. These are scallops on a cheese base. Here we are the desserts. Another dessert is the beginning of my last day. Today I visit one of the most important places of worship in the world. Millions and millions of pilgrims have passed by here. I’m walking on the tribune of Santiago de Compostela’s Cathedral, where pilgrims used to stay and rest at the end of their pilgrimage. Please, be sure to wear anti-slip shoes in order to do what I'm doing, especially if it rains. I'm walking on the cathedral roof’s slopes. This building was initially really militarized, as you can see from the battlements’ merlons. Catapults could once throw projectiles up to one kilometer away. The cathedral foundation is Romanesque, but some additions of different epochs are present. The last ones belong to Baroque and you can see them on the top of the tower. Downstairs, the cathedral’s aisles are constantly full of visitors. The Romanesque architecture helps their flow through a stratagem. The ambulatory is that architectural space created specifically for cathedrals such as this one, which is for pilgrimages. Its purpose is to make pilgrims walk all around the central nave, not to disturb the mass that takes place there. The pilgrims mass begin at noon and the speaker strongly invites to turn off your smartphones and cameras. "I repeat. It is forbidden to use cameras and cellphones". While some people pray inside, others outside are dancing in the Galician way. [traditional music] I leave downtown and do one of the things I like to do the most in an unknown place: close my map and get lost. In that way you find all the best spots, such as the backside of this conviction turned into a museum. In Santiago, as in the rest of Galicia, one often feels a little like in Ireland. The same contrasts between the green of the meadows and the gray and black of the stones of monumental buildings and country houses. Everything is wet from the rain. To protect myself, I go and eat my last Galician meal at Mercado de Abastos, where they open oysters under your nose, drain them and serve them fresh in your plate. These are two different types of Galician sea oysters. This one’s called "piana" and has got a softer flavor. This one is the "rizada" and has got a more intense flavor. Do you remember “tetilla”? The typical Galician cheese I had eaten with the pulpo toast? Well, it is called that way since it resembles a woman's breast. That is my last purchase. The end of my trip came suddenly, like that caravel that at the end of the Fifteenth century upset the world. Galicia is like that. A peaceful, humble land, whose ancient spirit has captured and inspired multitudes of people throughout history. Written, filmed and edited by Mirco Paganelli
