Coloured lights adorning the streets, Christmas carols in every corner, decorated wooden booths… These are unmistakable signs that Christmas has arrived. Almost every city and town in Galicia organizes a market at this time of year in which neighbours and visitors can buy holiday presents ones and admire, as they stroll, the work of many craftsmen. These are six of the many appointments of this kind that take place in Galicia.
Christmas Market of Santiago de Compostela
The Christmas Market of Santiago de Compostela opened on Carreira do Conde street this past December 2nd and will be available until January 6th. It is worth consulting its website to check the hours at which they carry out activities, intended for children, among which are workshops to make cork objects, refrigerator magnets, or Christmas cards, popular games and classes taught by the market’s own exhibitors. Among them there are artisans that work wood or leather, or make toys, jewelry or decoration pieces.
Besides this, artists and artisans join each year at the Mercado da Estrela (“Star’s Market”), which is held halfway between the Museo do Pobo Galego and Plaza 8 de Marzo, in Compostela. Its sixth edition begins today, Friday, and lasts until Sunday the 17th, bringing together creators of handmade design products and also gourmet food producers, artists and painters, new musicians who offer intimate concerts… An ideal occasion to buy a creative, original and unique present for this Christmas.
Christmas Village in A Coruña
In A Coruña the center of Christmas activity is the María Pita square, occupied these days by a beautiful town made of snow-covered houses and colourful lights. In this area activities for children, theatre, magicians’ performances, concerts or workshops take place. In the Christmas Village, attractions for children have been installed, such as a carousel, a train, inflatables, a Ferris wheel, a snowboard simulator and various games.
Market in the Rúa do Príncipe in Vigo
The Rúa do Príncipe, in the centre of Vigo, has been the stage of a Christmas market for years, organized by the merchants of the area. Located on this occasion on London Street, behind the MARCO museum, it has an interesting representation of organic food producers, as well as food and craft stalls. It will be open until January 5th. It is also convenient to keep up with the local press, since in the city several Christmas-related markets and activities are carried out in neighbourhoods such as Bouzas or Coia and in some shopping centres.
Nadalear in Pontevedra
Pontevedra holds from the 16th of December until the eve of the Wise Men day (January 5th) a Christmas market located in the Teucro square, in the historic center. The city has an intensive program for these dates with concerts, theatre, charity galas and a festival of Christmas carols that are sung, as they were in the old times, in the taverns of the monumental area.
Market in San Marcos Square in Lugo
Lugo will also have a crafts market this Christmas. It will be assembled in the centric San Marcos Square and will be open from December 21st to January 5th. The visit to this exhibition can be complemented with the numerous activities programmed for children and adults, including artistic walks along the Original Way to Santiago, music, puppets and exhibitions in the old city jail or in the spectacular Interactive Museum of History of Lugo.
