The Area

    Costa da Morte

    A Costa da Morte is really, a magical mythical ground, plenty of stories, and one of the most special borders of the old Europe, with a unique personality that everyday attracts more and more people. Somewhere the tourists stop being themselves, and submit to the show as part of it, feeling that this place is powerful, singular, and also cozy.

    It has gorgeous and beautiful landscapes, historical wealth, guardian lighthouses at the horizon and, of course, singular local cuisine.

    Besides being the end of the pilgrimage route towards the remotest west of the continent, it is a meeting with life on its own, where the elements fight but are also complementarians.

    Precipitous cliffs, fertile and green valleys, ancient villages, charming sea ports… A Costa da Morte welcomes us but it also steals us something. Whatever we are helpfully ready to give.

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    Monuments & visits

    • Castle of San Carlos: Defensive fortification built in the 18th century under the king Carlos III of Spain to protect the coast against the attacks of enemy boats. In 1892 it was sold by the State and acquired in public bid by D. Plácido Castro Rivas, a very important industrialist in the region and born in this village. Years later, his son, Plácido Castro del Río donated the property in 1948 to Fisterra´s people, in order to make a museum inside. Some years ago, the Fraternity of Fishermen of Fisterra and the Regional Fishing Department fitted out the site for housing the Museum of Fishing, which was opened in 2006. Here you can see an exhibition about the development of fishing over time: traditional boats, tools, equipment and habits of seafaring people. You can also find information about local shipwrecks.

     

    • Church of Santa María das Areas: The construction began during the XII Century (declared Historical-Artistic Monument). There are various styles present in it: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque because it had enlargements and restorations through the centuries. In this church you can see the altarpiece of “Santo Cristo de Fisterra” or also called “Cristo da barba dourada” (Sacred Christ of Golden Beard), in front of whom thousands of pilgrims prostrate themselves when arriving to Fisterra at the end or the Way of saint James. They come from Santiago where they had visited the tomb of the Apostle. They burn their clothes, take a dip in the sea, collect the scallop shell and return to their countries as new ones. The celebrations of the Santo Cristo its every Easter Sunday, and it was declared Touristic interest Festival.

     

    • The Fisterra lighthouse: The most emblematic lighthouse in the Costa da Morte, the light guides the boats around while navigating in this dangerous sea, against very stormy weather and against the reefs and tidal flats that can cause shipwrecks. The current building was constructed in 1868 and is the most visited place of Galicia after the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

     

    • The Immigrant’s monument: It remembers the thousands of immigrants of Fisterra and Galicia who been forced to leave their home searching for a better future. In a special way it is dedicated itself to the immigrants in Argentina and in other countries of America, as well as to all those in other places of the world, as much as their family. This monument was made by the sculptor Agustín de la Herrán Matorras, and built due to the initiative of the mayor José Fernando Carrillo Ugarte. It was shown for the very first time in 1993.

     

    • Cementerio Fin da Tierra (the End of the Earth Cemetery): It´s a piece of work by the architect César Portela. Not finished yet, but has received numerous architectural prizes.

     

    • Touristic Fish Market: It is the market where the fish is bided when arriving from the sea and that allows the visitors to witness how the most common marine species caught by the inshore boats are sold for the very first time. This fresh fish and seafood could be tasted later in a wide choice of restaurants all over the village. Next to it, housed in the same market, you can visit an exhibition about fishing.

     

    Beaches

    Fisterra is a cape, it is surrounded by the sea and there is a lot of absolutely beautiful beaches, some of them offshore with strong waves (perfect for surfing), and some inshore, sheltered by the cape, calm and with crystal clear water.

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    • Langosteira Beach: Lovely 3 km beach, it is the most touristic one in the village and the most visited all over the Costa da Morte. It usually wins the Blue Flag distinction, because of its facilities: promenade, access for people with disabilities and parking area. The wealthy variety of seafood (razor clams for example), and its natural environment, as well as those sights to the village and the surroundings make it unforgettable.

     

    • Playa de Talón: Desde esta ubicación, los peregrinos observan por primera vez el cabo Fisterra. Es la vista más famosa de la villa, y una playa maravillosa, de aguas cristalinas y tranquilas.

     

    • Ribeira Beach: A little beach located in the very heart of Fisterra, closed to the seaport and the San Carlos Castle. It is the ancient natural seaport of the village, an open door of wealth for the people of Fisterra.

     

    • Talón Beach: From this spot, the pilgrims see the Cape of Fisterra for the first time. Wonderful, crystalline and calm water, it is the most famous sea sight from Fisterra.

     

    • Corveiro Beach: Located in the village, closed to the Nosa Señora das Areas Church, it´s a natural paradise, especially for scuba diving lovers.

     

    • Sardiñeiro Beach: In the north of the village you can find a small town called Sardiñeiro. In its beach you can enjoy wonderful sights of the estuary.

     

    • Mar de Fóra Beach: One of the most beautiful beaches in the Costa da Morte, directly facing the Atlantic, and exposed to heavy swells and winds, it’s very dangerous. The dunes have been recently protected, and a sea promenade has improved the access. You can watch from this place the Cabo da Nave (the most western spot in the European continent), and the mythic Centolo Island, so this beach must be visited.

     

    • Arnela Beach: Remoted small creek where the boat Casón collapsed in 1988. This beach is very dangerous, but beautiful. The access has been improved since 2002. Open to the Atlantic Ocean, it counts with an interesting dunes system which extends lengthways its almost three kilometers length.

     

    • Rostro Beach: The biggest sand spot of the village, it´s 3 km length, and also the most dangerous and most beautiful ones.
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