Imagine you’re in Galicia, with access to a car, and you want to take a beautiful tour through the Rías Baixas. Which route should you take?
There are several beautiful routes to consider through the Rías Baixas, depending on where you’re staying.
My favorite road trip through the Rías Baixas: Pontevedra – Fisterra
This is my favorite journey through the Rías Baixas. This route allows you to see all the beauty of the Rías Baixas in one day: nature, culture, and history.
The route can be completed in one day, but if you want to make more stops, you can split the route into two parts.
Follow the following places to complete the route:
- Pontevedra. Start the day with a Spanish breakfast in the beautiful car-free city center of Pontevedra.
- Combarro. The first stop. A small historic town. Take a look at the typical Galician horreos in this authentic fishing village.
- O Grove. Via a magnificent road along A Lanzada beach, you’ll drive onto the peninsula. Take a break on one of the many beaches on the peninsula.
- Cambados. The capital of Albariño. Visit a winery here and taste a delicious Albariño wine for which Rias Baixas is famous. After Cambados, you can optionally visit the town of Illa de Arousa. This island is accessible by a long bridge and offers a beautiful view over the Ria de Arousa. You can surely find a nice place to have lunch here.
- Porto de Son. Besides being a beautiful pass to the Ría de Muros e Noia, Porto de Son also has a historical landmark, namely the Castro de Baroña. A splendid remnant of a historical fort, strategically located by the sea. It must have been an impressive structure in the past!
- Louro (Muros). After Porto de Son, we take the coastal route to the final destination, Fisterra. The hustle and bustle of the Ria de Arousa are far behind us. It’s time for peace and nature. Personally, I find this the most beautiful stretch. Stunning views over the ocean and the sometimes rugged coastline.
- Fisterra. The endpoint of this tour. In ancient times, the Romans also considered Fisterra the end of the world, and nowadays, many pilgrims continue their journey from Santiago to Fisterra as the absolute endpoint. If you have the opportunity, watch the sunset at the Fisterra lighthouse.
Tip: Feel free to stop more often at the beginning because that’s where the nicest towns are. The second half of the journey is mainly nature and enjoying the views.
Alternative road trips in Rías Baixas
Of course, there are several other tours to consider in the Rías Baixas.
One option is to visit the southernmost Rias, for example, from the A Guarda border post via Bayona to Vigo.
Another possibility is to drive from Santiago de Compostela to Fisterra and then south towards the Ria de Aurosa.
What did you find most beautiful in the Rías Baixas?