When the ancient Celts reached the cape that juts into the Atlantic Ocean at the edge of La Coruņa, they called it Finisterre, "the end of the earth."

Set on a peninsula in the northwest corner of Spain, La Coruņa is the gateway to Galicia, the country's green region of lush vegetation and fjordlike waterways or rias, and legend has it, the origin of Celtic expeditions to Ireland. From the Galicians' fair hair and complexions to folk music played on Galician bagpipes, gaitas, and the dance, muņeira, similar to a Gaelic jig, it is evident why the name Galicia was derived from Gallaeci, a Roman word for Celts.

As cruise liners approach La Coruņa, they are greeted by the Hercules Tower, the world's only working Roman lighthouse.

Behind it, ships dock in front of the city's hallmark feature, Las Galerias de la Marina. Many-storied buildings from the early 19th century fronted by elegant glassed-in balconies encircle the harbour and fill it with reflection and light. Tapas bars, restaurants and cafes line the waterfront, offering fresh seafood and a lively scene. Unlike most ports, at La Coruņa passengers disembark in the heart of the city's historic

district, the Old Town, and its colonnaded squares, plazas and lush gardens. Not to be missed are Maria Pita Square, home to the Town Hall; churches dating from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period; and the peaceful Gardens of San Carlos, rife with greenery enclosed within a Medieval fortress.

Surrounding La Coruņa remain signs of the Celts, including Stonehenge-like dolmenes, standing stones that were the basis of the region's carved stone architecture, and pallozas, primitive thatched huts of Celtic origin.

A short day trip from La Coruņa leads to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A Holy City, Santiago de Compostela has been the target of religious pilgrimages since the Middle Ages. The pilgrimages will culminate in 1999, considered a Holy Year because the festivity of Santiago de Compostela (July 25) falls on a Sunday. Throughout 1999, the city will surpass itself in its traditional celebrations and festivities for this, the last Holy Year of the millennium.