If you are looking for a corner of northern Galicia that does not usually make it into the viral rankings of destinations to visit this spring or summer, but when you discover it you understand why some compare it with the Italian Cinque Terres, keep reading. We present O Barqueiro, a fishing village with terraced houses facing the sea, rocking boats and a lot of tranquility.
It becomes almost impossible not to have a great crush on arriving at its port and discovering a kind of amphitheater of houses overlooking the sea. This is because the white and colored houses are spread across the hillside, forming a kind of natural terrace. Everything looks towards the water, as if the entire town was watching the sea.
Mañón Tourism
It is a small, secluded place with the same old soul. There, the fishermen at work coexist with the quiet terraces from which to sit and watch the sunset without rushing. There are no great infrastructures and artifices for tourists, only the sound of the boats, the smell of salt and that true charm that cannot be manufactured.
The place where two seas collide
Part of its magic is also in the map. The O Barqueiro estuary, one of the smallest in Galicia, is the scene of an unusual encounter: that of the Atlantic and the Cantabrian Sea. It is produced very close to the Estaca de Bares cape, the northernmost point of the peninsula.
Because of them the landscape constantly changes. There are days with calm seas and others when the wind actively reminds you that you are in the north. In autumn, furthermore, the sky becomes a spectacle with thousands of seabirds crossing the coast in what is considered one of the best ornithological observation points in Spain.
Xunta de Galicia
Between bridges, trails and hidden beaches
The name of the town is not coincidental. Before the metal bridge that today joins the two banks existed (built at the beginning of the 20th century), a boatman was in charge of crossing people and goods. From there, O Barqueiro.
That same bridge is part of a perfect plan today: travel the coastal path that connects it with O Vicedo until you reach Area Longa beach. A walk between sea and vegetation that ends in open sand and with the feeling of being at the end of the world. Nearby, Coelleira Island stands out for its remains of an ancient monastery.
Cataleirxs
Eating badly here is not an option
Like any good seafaring town, what reaches the plate comes practically directly from the sea. Fresh fish (such as hake or sea bass), seafood and that typical Galician cuisine that does not need to be reinvented to succeed, with traditional broths and octopus as the protagonist. Sitting down to eat after watching the boats arrive at the port has something magical that is difficult to explain, but easy to understand as soon as it happens.
While other coastal towns accumulate long lists of essentials, often disappointing, O Barqueiro sticks to its own thing: discreet, authentic and without any interest in going viral. Maybe that's why we like it so much. Furthermore, although compared to other famous Italian destinations, this town in northern Galicia is unique.
Cover photo | Xunta de Galicia
