Aula· Spain, city by cityGalicia
Betanzos
«Betanzos es famosa en toda Galicia por hacer tortillas de patata tradicionales.»Betanzos is famous throughout Galicia for making traditional potato omelettes.
Betanzos is located at the head of the estuary of the same name, in northern Galicia, on a hill between two rivers. It was one of the capitals of the Kingdom of Galicia and preserves the Gothic churches of the Andrade family; every 16 August, a twenty-five-metre paper balloon is launched there, the largest in the world.
Did you know
The runniest tortilla in Spain.
In Betanzos, they cook the famous local potato tortilla, which is very runny and contains no onion, celebrated every year with a national competition.
How they talk in Betanzos
«Brigantino» is the traditional demonym, derived from the historical name Brigantium. «Tortilla de Betanzos» now indicates a precise style recognised even outside the city.
morriña
Melancholic nostalgia, particularly for one's own land. Used to describe the feeling of distance and melancholy towards the land of origin or, more generally, a nostalgic state.
Everyday life in Betanzos
The «globo» of 16 August
At midnight, a paper hot-air balloon twenty-five metres high rises, made by hand all year round and painted with the satires of the year: it burns as it rises, and sometimes falls on the houses.
«A medianoche sueltan el globo.» — At midnight they release the balloon.
The undercooked «tortilla»
Here the potato omelette is made liquid inside, and is eaten with a spoon: it has become famous throughout Spain, and the bars in the centre compete to see who makes it best.
«Un pincho de tortilla, por favor.» — A piece of tortilla, please.
The climb to «Campo do Carme»
The medieval centre climbs from the river to the church in a maze of uphill alleys, with arcades and timber-framed houses: you go up on foot, because you cannot pass by car.
What to eat in Betanzos
Tortilla de Betanzos
Potato omelette that is undercooked, remaining liquid inside: it is eaten with a spoon, and that is how it has always been done here.
Empanada gallega
Short and wide savoury pie, filled with tuna, meat or mussels.
Percebes
Goose barnacles detached from the rock beaten by the sea, boiled for a minute.
Festivals in Betanzos
O Globo de Betanzos
16 August
At midnight a paper balloon more than twenty metres high rises, made by hand all year round: and sometimes it catches fire.
What to see in Betanzos
O Globo
A paper balloon twenty-five metres high that rises every 16 August: it is the largest in the world.
Iglesia de San Francisco
The Gothic church of the Andrade family, with the tomb resting on a wild boar and a bear.
Parque del Pasatiempo
An encyclopaedic park from the nineteenth century, built by an emigrant who returned from Argentina.
Santa María do Azougue
The Gothic church on the market square, next to San Francisco.
Where Betanzos comes from
The largest paper balloon in the world
Castreña era
Brigantium
A settlement on the hill between two rivers, at the head of the ría.
1219
The fuero
Alfonso IX grants it the fuero: the walled town is born, which becomes one of the capitals of the Kingdom of Galicia.
14th century
The Andrade family
The Andrade family builds the Gothic churches and dominates the comarca.
1875 → today
The globo
Every 16 August a twenty-five-metre paper balloon rises: the largest in the world.
Want to learn Spanish by travelling across Spain?
In Aula every lesson is a city lighting up on the map — Betanzos is one of them. Two hundred lessons from A1 to C2, free, starting from your level.
Start from Betanzos →