With the intention of making things easier, we detail the possible excursions you may make once you have arrived in Finisterre (Places you cannot miss).
1- SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – For a full-day or half-day excursion.
We advise to leave after breakfast, without hurry, to Santiago de Compostela (80 minutes by a good road). Visit the cathedral, take a walk around the old town, and for those who are very devout (or just for curiosity) attend the Pilgrim’s Mass, which is held every day at 12:00.
Getting lost in the streets of the old town of Santiago de Compostela is a very rewarding activity, as you will be walking through history.
If you decide to have luch in Santiago, we recommend the Dezaseis Restaurant, located in Rúa San Pedro, 16 (981564880 – It’s advisable to book before). A typical Galician restaurant with very good product. It is not the cheapest restaurant in Santiago but the value for money is excellent.
2- A CORUÑA – For a full-day or half-day excursion.
Leave early in the morning and you will arrive in A Coruña in 80 minutes, half the journey by a good road and the other half by a motorway.
We advise you to leave the car in a car park, as parking on the street in the centre of A Coruña is very complicated. Then, visit the port, Plaza de María Pita, Los Olmos area, Calle Real, Calle Galera, Riazor,… A Coruña is a place to walk.
Then, take the car again to visit A Torre de Hercules, icon of the city of A Coruña, and San Pedro Mount, which was an old military battery, and nowadays it is a lovely garden area from where we have some of the most amazing views of the city and the sea.
If you decide to have lunch in A Coruña we recommend two options: La de Alberto Restaurant (981907411 – It’s important to book beforehand), great quality at medium price; or a second option would be to go for “tapas” in Los Olmos and Calle Galera. It’s more casual but funnier too.
3- MUROS / CARNOTA / O PINDO / EZARO – For a half day excursion.
We advise you to do it after breakfast in a quiet way. Go along the coastal road to Muros, where you can visit this charming town with a beautiful old part. In the summer, there is sometimes a boat offering voyages to visit the Ria which it is well worth it.
On your way back, you will find Carnota along the coastal road. Here we have the largest beach in Galicia, with 7 km long and with a wonderful state of preservation, avoiding crowds and horrible construction. You can also visit the famous “hórreo”. It’s the biggest one with 35 meters long, and where the local people used to store the grain. Nowadays, it’s mainly used for decorative purposes.
A little further north we will reach the village of O Pindo with its great Mount Pindo. We will talk about it a little bit later in the section of Trekking, as climbing the Mount Pindo is a great activity for those who like walking and nature.
Later on, we will arrive at O Ézaro, where the Xallas river flows into a waterfall (the only river in Europe that does it this way), creating an atmosphere of great beauty, both day and night, when the area is illuminated. Once you have visited the mouth of the Xallas River, we advise you to go up to the Mirador de O Ézaro, and enjoy some of the most beautiful views of the Galician coast.
4- COSTA DA MORTE – Stunning nature and sea
Depending on the time you have got for your trip, we propose you, from north to south, some places that should be “obligatory visits” during your stay in A Costa da Morte. There are some others, but we encourage visiting these ones.
– Malpica de Bergantiños: One of the most typical towns of A Costa da Morte, with a picturesque traditional fishing port and a beautiful beach in the town center surrounded by a promenade with terraces.
– Corme: The village of Corme, and the lighthouse of O Roncudo form one of the most unspoiled areas of A Costa da Morte. In the lighthouse of O Roncudo, we find the most tasteful goose barnacles (and the most expensive too) of the Galician coast. Once we know the whole area that surrounds the lighthouse of O Roncudo, we realize the reason why the goose barnacles are so expensive. In the summer, we have the “Festa do Percebe”, where we can taste this seafood at reasonable prices, and in a great atmosphere.
– Laxe: Beautiful seaside town with a beach of 2 km long in the town-center of with a lovely promenade. In addition to this beach in the town-center of the village, we also have the Traba Beach at 8 km far fron Laxe. A large and unspoiled sandy beach with great charm.
– Camariñas: Capital of the traditional bobbin lace, and the origin of A Costa da Morte, where many “famous” boats sank. Many stories and legends on this topic have been publised. In addition to the fishing port, located in the town-center, you cannot miss Vilán Cape. The lighthouse keeper is still living there and she will be delighted to have a chat with and to tell you stories of the area.
– Muxía: Recently known for being the Km 0 of the Prestige catastrophe which took place at the beginning of this century. Muxía is a charming town with great history (half real and half legend. It depends on anyone’s ears). The sanctuary of the Virgen de la Barca, (where it is said that the virgin appeared on a boat), has a special scenic beauty, and many of the characteristics that define A Costa da Morte: wild sea, stunning landscape, wind, nature,… The famous “pedra dos cadrís” and the “pedra de abalar”, with their special shapes, call visitors’ attention.
– Ría de Lires: A haven of peace, and one of the most amazing sunsets in the area. We recommend visiting the Ria de Lires just before the sunset. Go for a walk, visit Touriñán Cape and go to a terrace for a cup of wine, beer or even a Gin Tonic to witness a sunset of great beauty that impresses everyone.
– Corcubión: The “pearl” of A Costa da Morte. This town has been declared as a historical-artistic site since 1985. It is one of the most typical towns of A Costa da Morte, with an old pretty part, which has not been still destroyed by the Globalization.
