Complete routes to enjoy the Rías Baixas. The best thing to visit

The Rías Baixas comprise the west coast of La Coruña from Cape Finisterre and reach almost to the south of Galicia. Throughout these almost 400km we find places that you will not be able to forget and that we will summarize for you here.

This route is not designed to be done in a single day, as it is practically impossible, but you can divide it into stages and enjoy this spectacular wonder.

The best routes to get to know the Rías Baixas

To complete your visit to the Rías Baixas, or even so that you don’t have to worry about anything, we recommend some of the following activities and excursions:

• Guided tour of the Pazo de Rubianes
• Excursion to Fisterra and the Costa da Morte from Santiago de Compostela
• Excursion to the Rías Baixas from Santiago de Compostela
• Excursion to the Cíes Islands from Santiago de Compostela
• Boat to Ons Island

1. Cape Finisterre and the Costa da Morte

Possibly the Costa da Morte is the most beautiful area of ​​Galicia facing the sea. If you visit Galicia it is essential that you go to visit it.

The southern area of ​​the Costa da Morte is the one that belongs to the Rías Baixas and its central point is Fisterra, at one of the ends of the Ría de Corcubion.

The Cape Finisterre Lighthouse is possibly the most famous in Galicia and the place where the Camino de Santiago really ends, as many pilgrims arrive there.

On the way to the south we have one of the main wonders of Galicia, the Mirador de Ézaro, on Mount Pindo and where the Xallas River flows, surprising for the waterfall that goes to the sea.

Carnota is the next point of the trip. There you will find the famous 35-meter hórreo, the second largest in the world, and Carnota Beach, the largest in Galicia as it is 7 km long and is a place you should not miss.

Muros is the end point of this tour of the Costa da Morte.

It is a very touristy seaside town with a historical-artistic ensemble that is worth visiting.

The Ría de Muros, which begins in the town of the same name, also stands out for Noia, where its granite buildings and the Church of Santa María a Nova are reason enough to visit it.

2. What to see in the Ría de Arosa

We can start the tour of the Ría de Arosa in a place that does not exactly belong to this estuary since it is located at the confluence of the Arosa with the Muros but we should not miss visiting.

It is the Dunes of Corrubedo, a highly visited Natural Park where we can enjoy its mobile dune and its fresh and salt water lagoons.

Entering the Ría de Arosa, we see towns such as Ribeira, with the most important inshore port in Spain, and Coroso Beach.

Further on we find another very touristic town such as A Pobra do Caramiñal and later the Mirador de la Curota, from where you have the best views of the Ría de Arosa.

After crossing Boiro and Rianxo we reach the other end of the Ría de Arosa.

The first point of interest is Carril, where the famous and exquisite clams are from.

Nearby is Vilagarcía de Arousa, one of the largest cities in Galicia and where we can admire some country houses and churches and taste excellent fish and seafood.

But possibly the main points of the Ría de Arosa are Cambados and O Grove.

In Cambados, an important stately town, we can visit the Pazo de Bazán, which is the Parador de Turismo or the Ruinas de Santa Mariña, some Gothic-style remains that you should not miss, located next to the most picturesque cemeteries in Spain.

The Ethnographic and Wine Museum is also very interesting. It is also convenient to visit the surroundings of the Plaza de Fefiñans with interesting 16th century buildings such as the Pazo de Fefiñanes, where the oldest winery in the area is located.

In O Grove we can enjoy its promenade and the atmosphere that is lived in it and take a boat to the Isla de la Toja, famous for its soaps and the Chapel of the Shells.

Nearby is the Playa de A Lanzada, one of the best in Galicia and you should not miss the opportunity to get to know it.

3. The Rias of Pontevedra and Vigo

In the Ría de Pontevedra we find some of the most tourist towns in Galicia such as Sanxenxo, Portonovo and Raxó, with their spectacular and crowded beaches.

But the jewel of the northern part of the estuary, and possibly of the entire Galician coast, is Combarro, a small fishing village that you should visit, the town with the most famous hórreos in Galicia.

Its crosses are its hallmark as well as the characteristic seafaring houses.

If we continue to Playa de Padrón, we can see no less than 30 hórreos aligned by the sea in one of the most famous images of Combarro.

Leaving Pontevedra aside, we recommend that you read our dedicated article, we arrive at the southern part of the estuary where the Pazo de Lourizán and its camellia garden and Bueu are located, from where you can take a boat to the Ons Island, one of those that are part of the Atlantic Islands National Park.

Continuing along the path we arrive at the Ría de Vigo. At the entrance to it are the Cíes Islands, also belonging to the National Park and whose visit is essential to discover its beauty and Rodas Beach.

After crossing the spectacular and famous Rande Bridge, you reach the southern part of the estuary, where Vigo is located, the largest city in Galicia and to which we also have a dedicated article.

From there we find interesting beaches, such as Samil Beach and finally we arrive at Baiona, another very touristic place where we can find a replica of La Pinta, one of the ships that took Christopher Columbus to America.

Also noteworthy is the Collegiate Church and the Monte Real Castle, which is currently a Parador Nacional.

4. The southern part of the province of Pontevedra

The Rías Baixas itself end in Baiona but there is still a part of the Galician coast to the south going to Portugal that is worth knowing.

One of the pretty villages you pass through continuing this route is Oia, where the Monastery of Santa María is located, an old Cistercian monastery founded in the 12th century.

It is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Galicia and it is worth going to see it.

Following a beautiful coast to the south, we finally arrive at A Guarda, one of the typical fishing villages of Galicia and which is the place where the River Miño empties.

But the most important point of interest in A Guarda is the Monte de Santa Tegra, where there is a very well preserved Celtic settlement and from the top of which there are great views of the mouth of the Miño and the Galician and Portuguese coast.

This is how an impressive tour of the Rías Baixas ends, although you can end the tour by visiting the city of Tui, very close to A Guarda.

This area of ​​Galicia is one of the most beautiful in Spain and it is worth visiting carefully and admiring every corner.

You can find more information on the official Rías Baixas tourism page.