Next August 12, Galicia will be one of the privileged places to contemplate the total solar eclipse. With the expectation generated by this exceptional astronomical phenomenon, a massive influx of visitors is expected to come to some of the most spectacular enclaves in the community, especially those located facing the Atlantic and with a clear horizon. But precisely some of those places that seem most attractive to sit and look at the sky have been categorically excluded from the plans.
The Xunta de Galicia has established 29 exclusion zones spread across the four Galician provinces, although the list is still provisional and could be expanded before the date of the eclipse. The decision responds to reasons of security, accessibility, evacuation capacity, lack of services and protection of especially sensitive natural or heritage spaces.
Therefore, although the weather forecast will be the main factor that determines where there will be best conditions to see the eclipse, there is a much more important prior question: checking that the chosen place is enabled to receive the public.
Melissa Mayes
The places where you will NOT be able to see the eclipse in A Coruña
The province of A Coruña concentrates eight of the exclusion zones established so far. Among them is one of the great tourist icons of Galicia: the Tower of Hercules.
The surroundings of the Roman lighthouse and the islands of San Pedro have been included in the list of restricted spaces at the proposal of the City Council of A Coruña. In both cases, the decision seeks to protect areas of high natural and heritage value, in addition to avoiding problems related to security, access and evacuation.
In the case of the Tower of Hercules, one of the main risks associated with an extraordinary concentration of visitors would be that part of the public abandons the authorized trails and routes to look for an alternative site from which to contemplate the phenomenon. Pressure on a particularly sensitive natural area could affect the surrounding flora and fauna.
Paulo Santos
The San Pedro Islands also have particularly complex access conditions and a marine and terrestrial ecosystem that the authorities want to preserve in the face of an exceptional influx.
The A Coruña list is completed with: O Pedrido beach, in Bergondo; the surroundings of the Furnas de Dexo, in Oleiros and four enclaves in the municipality of Carnota: the Cabana viewpoint, A Berberecheira, Carnota beach and Monte Pindo.
The latter is especially known among those looking for spectacular landscapes on the Galician coast, but precisely its tourist attraction and the characteristics of the terrain have led to it being included among the spaces that will not be available for observing the eclipse.
Galicia Tourism
Up to 17 banned places in Lugo
Lugo is the province with the largest number of enclaves included in the list. It includes the Castrodouro castle, in Alfoz; the esplanade of Parque dos Condes, in Monforte de Lemos; the hermitage of San Marcos and its surroundings, in Sarria; and, in Xove, the cliffs of Papel, Punta da Mansa and the Roncadoiro lighthouse.
In the municipality of Barreiros, Anguieira Beach, Mount Comado, Mount Cornería, Mount Pebanor and Santo Estevo do Ermo are outside the observation device.
The relationship continues in O Vicedo, where the Tixoso viewpoint, the bridge over the Sor river, the Laxes viewpoint, the Ponte do Porto, the Moreiras viewpoint and the Fuciño do Porco path have been included.
Galicia tourism
Lugo is one of the Galician territories that arouses the most expectation before the eclipse and some of the areas included in the list are precisely natural enclaves and viewpoints with a high tourist influx.
The three restricted areas of Pontevedra
In Pontevedra there are only three, for the moment, the points included in the provisional list: Xestoso, the Fervenza da Toxa, in Silleda, and the Monte da Guía, in Vigo.
Again, these are places with an important landscape and tourist attraction. The Fervenza da Toxa, for example, is one of the best-known natural spaces in the province, while the Monte da Guía is one of the usual viewpoints in Vigo. Its inclusion responds to the same logic that applies to the rest of the exclusions map.
Galicia Tourism
A single restricted point in Ourense
The province of Ourense currently has a single exclusion zone. It is located on the mountain track that leads to the San Martiño (or Cadeiras) viewpoint, in the municipality of A Rúa.
Although the number of restricted enclaves is much smaller than in Lugo or A Coruña, it is part of the same planning device designed to prevent the search for a good observation point from taking spectators to places with conditions that are not suitable for receiving an exceptional concentration of people.
Ribeira Sacra tourism
Where CAN you see the eclipse?
The existence of exclusion zones does not mean that you have to give up looking for a good place to watch the eclipse. In fact, the Xunta has so far validated 85 official observation points throughout Galicia, selected taking into account issues such as accessibility, capacity and security.
In A Coruña, the City Council has also proposed several large spaces capable of absorbing part of the expected influx. Among them are the area around the Casa de los Peces, on Buenos Aires Avenue, and the O Portiño elevator area, with an estimated capacity of up to 100,000 people each.
Added to them is Mount San Pedro, which will be able to accommodate approximately 40,000 attendees, in addition to the urban coastal strip formed by the surroundings of the San Antón castle, the Náutico area and the O Parrote promenade, with an estimated combined capacity of 30,000 people.
Cover photo | Paulo Santos
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