ABOUT: OTT-DVD-116 - On Tour... FREEWAY OF THE ATLANTIC A Coastal Tour Of Northern Spain AUTOPISTA DEL ATLANTICO This journey along the Autopista Del Atlantico travels across the northernmost region of Spain in Galicia, a green land on the roaring Atlantic, similar to Scotland, and abundant with colourful tradition and culture. Coruña's history centres mainly around its harbour. In ancient times the city was an important seaport and under Roman occupation it was known as Flavium Brigantium. Legend has it that the vivacious Maria Pita revolted against the former pirate Sir Francis Drake and thus assisted in the liberation of the city. The Santiago De Compostela Cathedral is said to be the most outstanding monument in Spain. It covers 23,000 square metres and took more than a hundred years to build. Pontevedra is a city on the mouth of the Rio Lérez. Cobbled pavements lead past splendid Pazos, the residential palaces of the city's old trading families. Two hundred kilometres long, the Galician coast represents thirty per cent of the Spanish coastline. Its strategic location once made Galicia an ideal haunt for smugglers and pirates and its tiny villages give the impression that time has stood still.