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I love Galicia, but it has the ugliest towns (on the Camino Francés)

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I can't remember much of the towns but I loved the scenery. I had a hard time dealing with the cows..t on the path on the first day or so, that turned me off.
 
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I remember a couple of big towns that I didnt think were overly impressive. Melide, cant remember the other. Bit of a shock to the system after days of rural walking.

There are uglier towns. Some of the heavily industrialised towns and developments on the Salvador are far uglier. I remember getting to the top of the big hill after Mieres and looking out thinking this is why I got out of civil engineering.
 
The Camino without the cow pies would simply be another long hike... They are one of the great cultural symbols of the countryside.

I look forward to the smell of fresh manure in the morning. It brings back memories. I just try earnestly NOT to step in them...

I leave for the airport to fly to Paris in 2 hours. NOW I am excited...
 
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Most beautiful towns on the Ingles!!!! Pontedeume and Betanzos in particular. Smaller towns like Neda and Fene are very attractive too.
 
I don't suppose many would consider Melide or Arzua to be the most pleasing towns on the eye. That said, I had my best ever menu peregrino in Arzua, so I have some fond memories. The countryside with its mists, cows, stone cottages definitely win on the Frances at least.
 
O'Cebreiro? How can you say that is ugly! It was my favorite place!
To each his own...

Rambler
 
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My friends and I were just sure there was a cow walking the Camino and it stayed ahead of us all the way to Santiago leaving us fresh cow pies to let us know that it was in the lead.
 
Cow pies and nondescript towns are not nearly as significant as who is walking. Yes, the towns lacked individual character; but there were still people worth talking to and patches of grass (wet as it was!) to sit on.
 
Melide was full of life in the midst of a fiesta when we passed through and it was fabulous. The stone villages in Galicia were the absolute highlight of my camino and I think I could write a book on the many and varied horreos. I loved the area.
 
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I know exactly what you refer to -- not the charming stone villages, but the ugly newer builds, often two or three storeys over a bricked-up storefront, all of it so cheaply built it is already sagging and streaked with rust and coming to pieces within a year or two. Or a half-finished concrete skeleton, covered in weeds and litter.
This is so common throughout the province there is a popular nickname for the "architectural movement:"El Feismo Gallego! (The Galician Ugly). It is most apparent in small cities like Sarria, Monforte de Lemos, Ourense, Lalín, or Ferrol -- just take a look at any Gallego bus station for an institutional example, or any Gallego church built in the 20th century. Gallego architects have a lot to answer for.
 
As an architect, Rebekah, I have to disagree with you... most architects between the 60's and 90's had a lot to answer for Especially the public/civil service ones. Not just the Gallegos. But, also as an architect, it's the guy who signs the cheques that makes ugly architecture.
 
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Anniesantiago said:
Yeah Jeffery, you're right… you prolly should just stay home
::ne more bed for me!:::
Click to expand...
It certainly is galling that the locals would allow buildings to deteriorate, and let their livestock get in the way of real Pilgrims. What next? Commercialize the Camino by selling pilgrims coffee and food? Galling (and ugly).
 
SabineP said:
Most beautiful towns on the Ingles!!!! Pontedeume and Betanzos in particular. Smaller towns like Neda and Fene are very attractive too.
Click to expand...

I think the OP was about "smell(er)", not "small(er)" villages/towns
 
Whatevs... It was a privilege to walk and talk and visit and experience a place I had never been to before. What a terrible first world problem to be turned off by the local city (un)planning.
 
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Can we get more information from you on the ugly, and how to avoid it, here?
 
Buen camino ))
 
I add this to temper what I said above, about "feismo..."
The Camino de Santiago is a holy path and a pilgrimage, not a scenic tour. If we want to wander in spectacular, only-pretty places, we´ll have to go to Disneyland, where everything is pre-planned and cast in plastic. Galicia is a real place, populated by real people... some of whom have tastes in buildings that are less-than agreeable to Almighty ME! If I´m a pilgrim, I´ll just have to take the ugly with the pretty. Just like in Real Life!
 
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