Lugo

Lugo is in Galicia, NW of Spain. Understand Lugo is a city in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain. It has a population of around 100,000 people, and is home to a considerable student population with a campus of the nearby University of Santiago de Compostela to the south of the city centre. The city is well known for it's historic roman walls which circle the old town, reaching a height of almost 15 metres - they are still in excellent condition, and remain completely intact. Their historic status is recognised internationally, and form a UNESCO world heritage site. History The city was founded by Celts, who named it Lugos after the Celtic god of light, oaths, and the arts. It remained a small town of little repute until the Middle Ages when it became a seat of pilgrimage. This was because the cathedral would show the Blessed Sacrament to the public 24 hours a day. The roman walls which give the city its famewere built between 263 and 276 AD to defend the then Roman town of Lucus Augusti against local tribes and Germanic invasion. However, their success in the defence of the town was limited, and over the next 700 years the town was invaded and sacked by Suevi, the Visigoths, the Moors, the Christians and the Normans. In 1833 Spain was split into provinces, and Lugo became the capital of Lugo province, which gave it more status, which was further helped by the railway arriving here in 1875. The city kept on growing as an administrative centre, and when the Civil War broke out it was quickly under the control of Franco’s nationalists. Get in By plane By air, the closest airport is Lavacolla [1] (ICAO: LEST, IATA: SCQ), about two hours by bus away. Empresa Freire [2] operates a regular bus service to and from Santiago de Compostela, with a stop at the airport. The following companies operate currently at this airport: Adria Airways: Ljubljana Aer Lingus: Dublin Air Berlin: Palma de Mallorca Air Europa: Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Caracas EasyJet: Geneve and Basel Iberia: Madrid and Bilbao Ryanair: Frankfurt, Milan, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Lanzarote, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Tenerife Volotea: Venice, Ibiza and Menorca Vueling: Barcelona, Málaga, Paris and Zurich Turkish Airlines:Istanbul By train RENFE has a train station in the city, which connects Lugo by rail to the rest of Spain. Daily overnight sleeper services to Madrid and Barcelona leave Lugo each night. Regional services connect Lugo directly to A Coruña, Ourense and Monforte de Lemos, and from those destinations every major town in Galicia can be reached [3]. There is also a daily service to Bilbao. By car Lugo is just off the A-6 national highway, which reaches from A Coruña in Galicia to Ponferrada and Madrid. It is also on the N-640 Galician route from Ourense to the northern coast at Ourense. Driving around town is relatively easy, however there are a number of one way streets which can be confusing. Much of the old town is pedestrianised, and as such off-limits to most drivers. By bus Lugo Bus Station (Praza Constitución) is just outside the old city walls, and serves a number of destinations. Empresa Freire [4] provides a regular service to Santiago which goes via the airport. ALSA [5] also serves destinations throughout Spain, including Madrid (5-6 hours), Madrid Barajas Airport (6-7 hours), and Santander (6-7 hours). Arrive del Norte served destinations throughout Galicia, including A Coruña and Monforte de Lemos. Get around The city is small, and the tourist centre is easily navigable by foot. Maps are available from tourist information offices and most hotels. Bus services operate to the outskirts. See Murallas Romanas (Roman Walls). The Roman Walls are the number one historic attraction in the city, and are considered some of the best preserved in Europe. They have been made a UNESCO world heritage site, and form a loop of around 2km around the old city, with 71 towers along their length. Entering the old city still requires you to walk through one of the gates, which were used until the 19th century. Free.  edit Catedral de Lugo (Lugo Cathedral). Construction began here in 1129, with further work taking place for several hundred years after. Also located on the same site is the diocesan museum with an interesting archaeological collection. Free.  edit Do Learn The University of Santiago de Compostela has a campus in the town [6], to the south of the centre, which offers a number of programmes, including exchange opportunities for private students and those looking to study through existing exchange programmes such as Erasmus. They offer courses in: Veterinary Medicine Humanities Business Administration Additionally, the Centro de Lenguas Modernas attached to the University provides a number of language courses in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English. These courses are generally only available to registered students. Work Buy Eat Budget There are a large number of supermarkets and bakeries throughout the city which sell everything the self-caterer needs. Pastelería Don León, Calle de San Pedro, 39 (Other branches throughout the town.), ☎ 982245119. Serves fresh bread and sweet and savouries throughout the day.  edit Gadis (Good supermarket), Calle de Quiroga Ballesteros, 10 (Other branches outside the walls.), ☎ 982280324, [7]. Good quality supermarket that stocks local and international produce.  edit Mid-range Fonto do Rei 2, Avenida de Madrid (15 minutes walk from the old town.). Serves excellent tapas and seafood for good prices.  edit Splurge Drink The vast majority of bars will provide you with a small portion of food (tapa) with a drink order (even a soft drink), and with enough drinks often a sizeable amount of food can be had! The local beer is Estrella Galicia, and other common brands include Cruzcampo, Steinburg and San Miguel. Cook, Augas Férreas número 20, 27003, Lugo, ☎ 982600800, [8]. Popular bar in a student area, with good beers and tapas.  edit Loft 52, Circulo das Artes, 5, ☎ 982229993. A decently priced dance bar in a student area of Lugo, which hosts regular nights for students and locals alike.  edit Comic, Plaza del Campo, [9]. 23:30 - 04:00. A popular alternative nightclub, that also doubles as a comic book gallery.  edit Sleep Budget Metropol by Carris, Miguel de Cervantes, 58 (Just outside the roman walls), [10]. Cheap apartment style hotel about 5 minutes walk from the city centre that is nothing special, but very good value for money.  edit Hostal Brios, Pintor Laxeiro, 6 (About 15 minutes walk from the centre.), ☎ 982241408, [11]. Well reviewed basic hotel that is outside the main tourist area. Interesting and modern interior design, and excellent staff.  edit Mid-Range Hotel Puerta de San Pedro, Rio Neira, 29 (Very close to the bus station and just off a main road from the town centre.), ☎ 982222381, [12]. A pleasant hotel very close to the bus station and just outside the city walls, it offers 36 clean and simple rooms. Breakfast is available in the hotel, but there are many other places to go nearby. €34.  edit Splurge Hotel Pazo de Orban (An 18th century Baroque palace in the centre of Lugo.), Travesía Miño, 6, ☎ 982240217, [13]. A small but beautifully furnished hotel with a view of the walls, and a short walk from the Cathedral. The hotel is in a historic building, so rooms vary wildly in size, but are all well furnished. Staff are attentive and friendly. Very good value for money.  edit Gran Hotel de Lugo, Avda. Ramón Ferreiro, 21, ☎ 982224152, [14]. There is little "grand" about the hotel: it inhabits an ugly modern building on a main road just outside the walls. Overpriced, and not highly recommended.  edit Contact Stay safe Lugo is a really safe place to visit like Galicia in general, however some caution never hurts (especially on the weekends at night). For all emergencies dial 112. The town is covered by multiple law enforcement agencies. The Policia Nacional (national police) responds to emergency calls and patrols the city centre. They are also able to provide written reports in the event of a minor crime. The Guardia Civil (paramilitary civil guard) and Policia de Galicia (regional police) also have bases in the city. The Policia Local (local police) also patrols residential areas, and deals with misdemeanours and less serious incidents. Cope Get out This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!