Fiestas en Rías Baixas

Ways

The Coastal Way

The Coastal Way

Experience the sea spirit of As Rías Baixas

In Galicia, the Coastal Way has its starting point in the estuary of the Miño River, and runs along the coast to the inland part of the Ría de Vigo, where it meets the traditional Portuguese Way. This coastal route, from the town of A Guarda up to Redondela, offers stunnings landscapes of beaches, cliffs, coves, inlets, woods and river paths. Here, you will discover a rich archaeological heritage, churches, Galician manor houses popularly known as pazos; you will stroll around beautiful old towns; and will enjoy its local cuisine, culture and festivals.

The castro (Pre-Roman hillfort) of Santa Trega welcomes pilgrims on their way to the town of Santiago de Compostela. Departing from the estuary of the Miño River, the Coastal Way overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, the Cíes Islands and the Vigo estuary, which will allow visitors to experience first-hand the seaside and wine culture of As Rías Baixas.

The sea will be your companion on the first part of your route, until you meet the central Portuguese Way. Enjoy this itinerary, which is official since 2016, scented with a salty aroma, and discover the magic of the Rías Baixas coast.

Distance: 25 km

The River Miño's cross-border estuary is a site of extraordinary natural interest, with a great biological diversity. One of its highlights is its riverbank forest, unparalleled in Galicia, where we can see alders, willows, oaks, ashes, black poplars, elms, birches and laurel trees. In addition, visitors can sight over fifty different species of aquatic birds native to central and northern Europe.

The stop at A Guarda allows us to enjoy the view of the typical seaside houses, colourful and narrow, and we can take a leisurely stroll around the port. The Praza do Reloxo and the Church of Santa María are two points of interest that you should not miss on a visit to this town.

The Santa Trega Hill dominates the estuary. At the top is the most important Protohistoric archaeological settlement in Galicia, with its characteristic round constructions. The citania (a type of settlement that is bigger than a castro) dates back to the 4th century BC and it bears witness to Pre-Roman trade. The view of the scenery from the top of the mountain makes it worth climbing, with the river estuary, the town of A Guarda, the Atlantic Ocean and the beach of A Foz, in Caminha, at your feet. A truly unique image.

We will go down to the beaches of Fedorento and Area Grande, where archaeological sites have been found featuring a wide variety of tools crafted by the old settlers. We will continue on our way to the municipality of O Rosal, well-known for its wines under the Designation of Origin Rías Baixas. We pass by the cliffs where the ocean waves break at our feet, and enjoy a panorama of great beauty, where sea birds can be sighted all year round.

In O Rosal we can take the route that passes by the mills of O Picón and O Folón, recognised as Heritage of Cultural Interest.

Our next stop is Oia, the third municipality of the Way in Galicia. One of the must stops here is the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Oia. Located by the Atlantic Ocean, its origin dates back to 1137 under the protection of Alphonso VII of Castile, and, throughout its history, until 1835, it was governed by 140 abbots.

The stage concludes in Mougás. We can highlight the port, where we can admire a beautiful rocky area. The place also attracts surfers due to its waves, suitable for this sport.

A few kilometres away from Mougás we find A Cabeciña, an archaeological site with a history of over 4,000 years formed by petroglyphs and a castro with monumental defensive structures and impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean. Its original rock engravings are unique in Galicia.

The A Groba Mountain Range stretches along the Atlantic coast. From there, we admire the mouth of the ría (coastal inlet) of Vigo, with the Cíes Islands, a natural gem that is part of the National Maritime-Terrestrial Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia.