Original subtitles

(exciting music)

(uplifting music)

- Our journey begins

in the hidden village of Cudillero,

before tracing the coastline down to the Beach of Cathedrals

where the Cantabrian Sea has carved the shore

like a mighty sculptor.

From here, we cross the headlands

at the very tip of the Iberian Peninsula

for some sun and surf,

and then make our way to the Tower of Hercules,

the oldest lighthouse in the world.

Next we move south to Cape Finisterre,

once believed to be the end of the earth.

Turning inland to the east, we head to the cathedral

of Santiago de Compostela, a holy site

in the Christian faith, and the final resting place

of one of Jesus Christ's apostles.

We continue east to Lugo with its ancient city walls,

head south to a number of spectacular monasteries,

and conclude our journey at Monterrei Castle

on the Portuguese border.

On the Asturian Coast, nestled inside a horseshoe

of steep, rocky cliffs cascading toward the sea

is the small, picturesque village of Cudillero.

Not only strikingly beautiful, the huge,

natural surrounding amphitheater makes it

virtually invisible from either side.

Powerful camouflage that helped protect the tiny town

from Norman pirates who once patrolled the coast of Spain,

pillaging and burning as they went.

(casual festive music)

Here, bright pastoral homes and shops

all twist their way down the mountains,

leading to the village's most important feature, its marina.

Cudillero was founded by fishermen,

and it remains a seafaring community to this day.

Watching the ships return with their catch each evening

and buying fresh seafood right off the boats

is the town's favorite activity.

Wild, jagged, and marked by high, plunging cliffs,

the breathtakingly beautiful Asturian coast

was Celtic territory before the arrival

of the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula,

then called Hispania, by Caesar Augustus in 19 B.C.

The sound of Celtic bagpipes can still be heard

in this region as a reminder of this area's past heritage.

This is the only stretch of the country never to be

conquered by the Islamic conquest in the early 8th century.

The invaders were fought off this land

by a Visigoth chieftain in the 722 battle of Covadonga,

the victory that founded the kingdom of Asturias,

and without which there may never have been

a reconquest of the Peninsula

and the birth of modern Spain.

Concealed inside the rugged cliffs is the port town

of Luarca, built around an S-shaped cove

and bisected by a small river, this was once

an important hub for whaling.

Today, it survives as a modest

but attractive seaside resort.

Not only sharp and rocky, the coastline also features

more than 200 sandy beaches

that offer stunning views, excellent surfing,

and for the very confident, some designated naturist areas.

A little further to the west, overlooking the ocean

is the town of Tapia de Casariego.

Bathed in sun and sea mist with year-round swells

fed by an underwater river, it's a perfect place

to catch a wave, a trout, or an afternoon nap.

One of the most iconic and beautiful sites

along the Spanish coast is the Beach of Cathedrals.

A national monument only visible during low tide,

the cove features an array of natural architectural marvels

including stone arches, grottoes,

and even secret passageways.

Just up the coast, off the sandy beach

and turquoise waters of the Cantabrian Sea

is the town of Foz.

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Built on the mouth of the river Masma

long before Rome came to the shores of Spain,

this was for centuries one of the most important

shipyards in the Spanish northwest.

Today, with its untouched beauty, Foz has developed

into a popular resort.

Moving north and to the west, we crossed the headlands

of Spain, at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula

to arrive at Cedeira.

Cut in half by the river Condominas,

a web of bridges connects the old world to the new.

Peaceful and serene, both halves are swept

by an expansive beach, and many of the locals here

still make their living from the sea,

landing striped trout from small ships

or carving the sought-after delicacy of goose barnacles

from the rocky shores of the nearby Ortegal Cape.

Moving south along the coast, we arrive at Valdovino Beach.

In all, the Galicia region of Spain

offers 1200 kilometers of coastline

with some of the best surfing in Europe.

The trick here, it is said, is not finding

a swell large enough to ride,

it's finding one small enough to handle.

But for those looking for a little less adventure,

there are always shallow, still lagoons nearby.

Even in summer, sun bathers and surfers who brave

the rocky terrain to get to these pristine

and golden beaches may well find they have them

all to themselves.

A little further to the south,

we find the ship building city of Ferrol,

where twin castles guard the harbor entrance

to the birthplace of the dictator, Francisco Franco

as well as the socialist leader, Pablo Iglesias.

Just off the Ferrol coast, we catch up with an ocean yacht

cruising through the clear blue Atlantic.

With fully 17 estuaries, known here as rias,

Galicia provides the second-largest sailing area

in all of Spain.

On a rocky peninsula at the entrance of La Coruna harbor

stands the mighty Tower of Hercules.

Legend says that after slaying Medusa's grandson, Geyron,

the mythical Greek hero buried the giant's severed head

where he stood, and then built the lighthouse

to remember his victory.

In reality, this incredible beacon was erected

by the Romans in the first century A.D.

At 59 meters tall, it is the second-highest lighthouse

in Spain, and it is the oldest Roman lighthouse

still in use anywhere in the world today.

Though the outer walls were added much later, in 1788,

most of the interior is the original craftsmanship

of Roman masons.

This site was chosen because it was, at the time,

the very edge of the civilized world.

Nearly 2000 years later, visitors can still climb

the 234 steps to the top, and gaze down at the stunning

Spanish coast and the surrounding city of A Coruna.

This busy port, oddly contorted along the peninsula,

has been occupied since prehistory, and only started

to boom after being visited by Julius Caesar in 62 B.C.

A Coruna is perhaps most famous, though,

for a battle in 1589, when a woman named Maria Pita

repelled the English armada.

She took up her dead husband's spear,

killed the British flag-bearer,

and then, shouting from atop the city wall,

rallied her people to defeat the English forces

led by the privateer, Sir Francis Drake.

Seven kilometers away, servicing the historic metropolis

as it has done for decades, is Coruna Airport.

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More than 800,000 passengers

pass through these gates each year.

A sharp turn to the west finds us again

tracing the coastline as we make our way

towards Cape Finisterre.

(gentle guitar music)

Jutting 600 meters into the sea

and rising 241 meters above the water

is Monte Facho.

And standing on top is Cape Finisterre Lighthouse,

known to many as the lighthouse at the end of the world.

Built in 1853, its beacon can be seen

for up to 65 kilometers at sea,

warning ships of the jagged shore that has claimed

enough vessels, and enough lives, to earn the macabre

nickname, Costa da Morte, or the Coast of Death.

The town that stands in the shadow of the lighthouse

is Cape Finisterre, which translates to Land's End.

Once believed to be the westernmost point in Spain,

this was thought to be the very edge of the earth.

It's also the final stop for a great many pilgrims

traveling the way of St. James.

After visiting the shrine of the apostle

in Santiago de Compostela, they continue here

where, as a matter of tradition, they burn their clothes

at the lighthouse as part of a ritual,

signifying the end of one life,

and the beginning of another.

Turning back east, we discover sitting on a serene inlet,

the charming fishing village of Cee.

Only about an hour's drive from Coruna Airport,

its ancient harbor is protected by a pair of fortresses,

once used to defend the bay

against marauding pirates and privateers.

Today, though, the only invaders are the tourists

who come to visit this beautiful part of Spain.

Providing much of the power to the region

is the Santa Ucier Dam.

Spanning the River Celias, it was built in 1988

under the direction of Juan Benet Goitia

who was not only a civil engineer,

but one of the great writers of the 20th century.

From water power to wind power, Spain is one of the largest

producers in the world, and Galicia alone

features more than 100 wind farms, which are currently

powering 1.5 million homes.

This is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela,

one of the most holy places in the Christian faith,

and believed to be the final resting place

of St. James the Great, one of the 12 apostles

of Jesus Christ.

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Since the Middle Ages, pilgrims have walked the way

of St. James from across Western Europe

to end here, beneath the spires and statues

of this great cathedral.

This is the fourth church to stand here,

and was built gradually, piece by piece,

beginning in 1075.

It was finally consecrated in 1211,

more than 130 years later.

Construction would continue for centuries.

The result is a soaring mix of its original

Romanesque architecture,

with Gothic and Baroque embellishments added,

as the earlier parts of the structure

were damaged and repaired.

The Cathedral is the heart of Santiago de Compostela,

the capital city of Galicia

Legend says the hermit Pelagius was led to the tomb

of St. James by a star in the sky,

thus Compostela was given its name

which means Field of the Star.

The oval-shaped section of the city,

bounded by the high Medieval wall,

is known as Old Town.

It was largely destroyed by Muslim forces

in 997 A.D., but completely rebuilt

and further fortified over the century that followed.

Santiago de Compostela has been a pilgrimage site

for over 1000 years without interruption,

and today it is a more popular destination than ever.

Nearly a quarter of a million people each year

still spend several grueling weeks walking hundreds

of kilometers to find the city,

and perhaps, in turn, meaning to their faith.

Just south of the city, we find cyclists

powering towards glory in the annual race

known as Vuelta a Espana,

or the Tour of Spain.

It was first held in 1935, and was only interrupted

a few times by the likes of the Spanish Civil War

and World War II.

Since then, it has been run each year

since 1955 without interruption.

It is one of cycling's most prestigious events,

and one of only three grand tours,

along with Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

(crowds cheering)

The first Vuelta a Espana was contested by 50 riders,

crossing a 14 stage journey spanning 3411 kilometers

of mountains and valleys.

Modern tours see more than 200 men

peddling their way across a slightly shorter

but still brutal 3181.5 kilometers over Spanish roads.

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Though riders come from all across the globe

to battle the punishing landscape

as a matter of national pride, Spaniards have

historically, dominated the Vuelta,

winning 30 of the 69 tours to date.

Continuing east, we arrive at Lugo,

the only city in the world still completely encircled

by Roman walls.

They were built in the third century,

rise as high as 15 meters, and are studied with 71 towers

and 10 gates.

The walls are constructed of stone shells

on the internal and external facings,

and the core is filled with earth and rock.

They are protected as a World Heritage Site

and listed as being the finest surviving example

of later Roman military fortifications on Earth.

Despite the size and strength of the massive city walls,

Lugo has been sacked a number of times.

The Suevi, the Visigoths, the Moors,

and the Normans have all, at one point,

destroyed and occupied the town.

Inside the walls of Lugo is St. Mary's Cathedral.

Just like Santiago de Compostela,

it was built, bit by bit, over several centuries

beginning in 1129.

The result is a beautiful and unique potpourri

of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical elements.

(dreamy choral music)

Moving south through green fields

in the Adontero valley of Galicia,

we find the isolated and majestic

Trappist Monastery of Santa Maria La Real of Oseira.

Considered by many to be a high watermark

of Romanesque architecture on the Iberian Peninsula,

it was originally founded by French monks in 1137,

though added to over the centuries.

The monastery was destroyed in 1552 by a terrible fire,

but the restoration got quickly underway

the following year.

Much later, in 1835, the monks were all expelled

from the land as a result of a law

which privatized monastic properties in Spain.

This place remained abandoned for nearly 100 years

until French and Spanish Cistercian monks

returned in 1929 and rebuilt the badly dilapidated church.

The 14 monks who currently inhabit the monastery

walk in the footsteps of their forebearers

and continue the tradition of distilling a fine liqueur

made from three distinct varieties of eucalyptus leaves

grown right here on these lands.

Not far away is the River Minho

bending its way through the Spanish countryside.

The longest in Galicia, the Minho

runs for 340 kilometers, watering vineyards and farmlands,

and providing hydroelectric energy

at its three reservoirs.

Only a few kilometers away, though,

is a much greater source of power.

Only completed in 2013, Santo Estavo Dam

is Galicia's largest hydroelectric plant,

generating energy for some 285,000 homes.

Following the river Sil west from the dam,

and deeper into the Ribeira Sacra region,

we find, hidden behind a curtain of forest,

the very remote Santo Estevo Monastery.

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Believed to have been founded between the sixth

and seventh centuries, the monastery features

three distinct cloisters in three diverse styles,

one Romanesque, one Gothic, and one Renaissance.

Declared a monument of historical and artistic

significance in 1923, the monastery has now been converted

into what's called a parador, a type of luxury hotel

located in grand historic buildings.

Today, travelers can live a decidedly more lavish lifestyle

here than those the monks once knew.

One can lounge in one of the 77 guest rooms,

take a spa day, or dine on fish freshly caught

from the river at the terrace restaurant

overlooking the chestnut forest.

For a truly ancient and opulent religious experience,

though, we head towards the border with Portugal

to find the Benedictine monastery

of San Salvador de Celanova.

Founded by St. Rudesind in 936 A.D.,

the abbey features as its most prized treasure,

the chapel of San Miguel,

which dates back to 942, making it not only

one of the oldest in the country,

but the only Medieval Spanish monument

to remain intact and without restoration

since the 10th century.

Much of the monastery was rebuilt

in the 16th and 17th centuries, including the abbot's facade

which makes up one entire side of Celanova's town square.

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Taken as a whole, the monastery complex is, for many,

the single best example of baroque architecture

in this part of northern Spain.

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Our final stop on this journey

brings us to the gates of Monterrei Castle,

only 10 minutes from the border with Portugal.

Built in the 12th century, and completely surrounded

by not one, but three castle walls,

this fortress was specifically built

for its strategic location

during the Portuguese Spanish wars.

More than just a military fortification,

the castle also contained a monastery

as well as a hospital.

Declared a national monument in 931,

Monterrei also holds a place of great literary significance

as the home of the first printing press in Galicia.

For its ancient stone beauty, its cultural heritage,

and its brute strength, Monterrei Castle

is a magnificent site,

and it's a perfect place to end this journey.

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