If you've ever visited California in your life, you're already familiar with the sounds of the surf, the feel of the sun on your back, and the sand between your toes. But, if you've been to California recently, you're probably noticing more pollution in the air, more and more people crowding the beaches, and so much progress that California has started to lose its appeal because of its commercial approach to tourism.

Now, if you want to find another travel location that has white sandy beaches but without all the commercial traffic, might I suggest to you the Spanish region of Galicia, a pristine European destination that has hundreds of kilometres of beaches for you to explore or just for relaxing in the sunshine. Galicia is a tourist-friendly destination that focuses on the people, and concentrates on promoting their own culture and traditions, instead of caving in to the modern "ideals" of tourist culture.

Galicia is an independent region of Spain, and has a rich history filled with wonder. Galicia once belonged to the Roman Empire almost two thousand years ago, and its countryside is freckled with remnants of that great civilization. Places like Lugo and its walled fortress offer the traveler a unique historical experience, while at the same time providing visitors with bounties of food delights with their world-class seafood and shellfish, wine, and local culinary favorites.

If you're looking for tours, Galicia has the legendary "Costa de la Muerte" (known as the "Coast Of Death"), where guides take you along the fabled coasts of Galicia telling tales of shipwrecks and treasure. The many vineyards of Galicia offer some of the world's finest white wines, and Galicia's seafood markets can provide you with some of the greatest temptations from the sea, such as goose barnacles, lobster, swimming crab or octopus, and everything from cockles, razor clams, oysters, mussels, clams and scallops.

In Galicia, you can decide how you want to spend your vacation, whether laying on a beach chair sipping on sweet sherry, aguardiente (a very potent alcohol drink), or a nice cold Estrella, or exploring the ruins, churches, and outposts, or just enjoying the local culture and cuisine. It's all yours to discover in beautiful Galicia.

Many of these things you'll never find in California, except perhaps in a bottle or a can! For more great information on travel and tourism in Galicia, have a look at these useful resources: hoteles en galicia and mapas de galicia