Coastal Views, Cured Ham, and One Epic Helicopter Ride

Arriving in Avilés

We arrived in Avilés mid-morning and began getting ready for a day trip to A Coruña – a city that blends Roman history with windswept ocean views and… a surprising number of ham legs.

Legs and laughs

The coach ride into A Coruña was pretty easy-going, and once we arrived, we set off on a walking tour. First stop: a tapas restaurant absolutely covered in jamón. Hundreds of legs hung from the ceiling like chandeliers made of cured pork. I kept wondering what would happen in an earthquake. We tucked into some proper Spanish small plates while chatting to a fellow Aussie and his wife. He, like me, brought his Canon everywhere – and she, like Ros, had opinions about it. We all had a laugh comparing notes on when it’s “okay” to whip out the camera. Apparently, Ros and this woman could start a support group.

Herculean views

From there, we trekked uphill to the Tower of Hercules—the oldest working lighthouse in the world. Built by the Romans in the 1st century and restored in the 1700s, it's still guiding ships today.

Standing at the top of the hill, the views across the Atlantic were spectacular. The sea thrashed against the Galician coastline—a truly dramatic and unforgettable sight.

We paused for a while to take it in while a group nearby ran uphill excitedly thinking they’d found a toilet block. It was closed. They looked deeply betrayed. We, on the other hand, were content just soaking up the scenery.

As the tour wrapped up, we grabbed an ice cream while waiting for the coach to take us back to the ship – about a 45-minute drive. We thought the excitement was done for the day… but we were wrong.

Up in the air

Back on board, we heard the helicopter might be flying—depending on the swell. The pilot wasn’t sure if the captain would allow it, but after a few stabilising turns, the captain gave the all-clear.

Ros and I scored prime seats—she sat up front next to the pilot, and I was right behind her. We soared along the coast at 180 km/h, flying over cliffs, waves, and even the ship below.

Absolutely magic. Best experience of the cruise so far—no question.

Dinner at Koko’s

We finished the day at Koko’s, the on-board Asian fusion restaurant. After the adrenaline rush, the food hit the spot. We were exhausted—but still buzzing from everything the day had thrown our way.