«Although several centuries of Viking scourge had depopulated the coastal strip of the Morrazo peninsula, the parish church of Tiran had been erected at the end of the 12th century on a rocky cliff at the edge of the sea. [...] In front, on the other side of the estuary, the city of Vigo appeared lying like a sleeping animal at the water's edge».

It was in this evocative way that the writer Domingo Villar presented the main scenes of his novel El último barco (The Last Ship). The two banks of the Vigo estuary are the focus of the investigation of the latest murder by veteran inspector Leo Caldas. After successfully solving two previous cases that take place between Vigo and Nigrán and that reached the public under the title Ojos de agua and La playa de los ahogados, in this latest instalment of the saga the main plot tells the story of a woman from Vigo who goes to live in Moaña in search of peace and quiet and spectacular landscapes.

The interest awakened by Villar's precious story has given rise to several literary routes around Moaña that start at the Romanesque church of San Xoán de Tirán, on the banks of the Vigo estuary, and continue to the viewpoint of A Mona, Videira beach, the fountain of Cristo das Boas Augas and the Cova da Lontra (Lontra Cave). The book describes it as «inhabited by an otter that used to tear the sailors’ nets to eat their catch».

Villar described in detail the strong link between the neighbourhood and fishing, the Vigo estuary and the constant flow of people between the two shores. He was also able to evoke sensations as particular as the breeze that hits the protagonists as they cross the Rande Bridge by car, which defines the silhouette of the Vigo estuary and is the link between the two scenes of the plot.

A tongue of land between cliffs

Monteferro is a spit of land that juts out into the sea surrounded by cliffs. To the northwest are the remains of an abandoned military base and at the top of the slope, 147 metres above sea level, is a large granite monument in honour of the Virgin of Mount Carmel, patron saint of sailors. In addition to its rich historical heritage, an archaeological deposit of Roman remains has also been discovered in the area. It is also a place with exceptional views to enjoy a sunset in front of the Cíes.

El último barco is a scenic and emotional journey through the links between Vigo and Moaña, unlike La playa de los ahogados, which takes place in Panxón (Nigrán) and is a treatise on artisanal fishing in As Rías Baixas.

The choice of settings is never accidental. Nigrán was the summer resort of the writer from Vigo for more than three decades.

The attention to detail and the affection with which the settings are described make La playa de los ahogados an unbeatable pretext for organising a getaway to the south of the province of Pontevedra. 

The starting point is the appearance of Justo Castelo's corpse on the beach of A Madorra. The investigations lead Leo Caldas to the Refugio del Pescador Bar, which perfectly sums up the character of the local people, the Votive Temple of the Sea and allows him to experience an unforgettable sunset in Monteferro with views of the Stelae and Cíes.

In addition to good stories always drawn by the sea, readers will find in Villar's books information about the local heritage and a very personal list of little-known corners of the coast of As Rías Baixas. Now all that remains is to respond to this literary invitation and follow in the footsteps of Leo Caldas.