The Plaza de María Pita is the social heart of A Coruña — a broad arcaded square flanked by the neoclassical City Hall and lined with cafes whose tables fill every evening. The square was rebuilt in the early 20th century, and the arcades on three sides give it an elegance that holds up in any weather.
In the centre stands a bronze statue of María Pita, the local heroine who helped repel Francis Drake's assault on the city in 1589. She holds a pike aloft in one hand and a defeated English soldier at her feet. The pose is theatrical but the feeling of civic pride it represents is genuine — a Coruñesa born and bred.
The square hosts outdoor concerts and events through the summer, and the cafe tables are occupied year-round by locals who treat the whole operation as their living room.