The districts that form the geodestination are: Boiro, Dodro, A Pobra do Caramiñal, Rianxo, and Ribeira.
From the tip of Barbanza peninsula to the heart of the Arousa estuary bordering it to the north. Beaches, viewpoints, and every possible type of attraction across the southern end of Barbanza peninsula.
The Route of the Sea of Arousa and River Ulla passes through all these districts.
Barbanza - Arousa
Patrimonio
Several museums teach us about the history and ethnography of this area: in Rianxo we can discover coastal culture in the Museo do Mar and in Ribeira we can explore the Museo Etnográfico de Artes. This land is rich in writers and several of them have their own museums, such as the museo de Valle Inclán (A Pobra do Caramiñal) and the Casa Museo Manuel Antonio (Rianxo), which is a reminder that Castelao and Rafael Dieste were born in this district, in addition to Manuel Antonio. Art has its place in the Museo de artes do grabado á estampa dixital in Ribeira.
Ancient history is to be found in important sites: the Neolithic in the dolmen de Axeitos in Oleiros (Ribeira) and the late Bronze Age in the castros de Neixón in Boiro. The Roman age is still preserved in the paving of the Vía XX per loca marítima road which takes us to the Castelo de Vitres viewpoint in Boiro.
Religious heritage ranges from the early Romanesque of the igrexa de Cespón (Boiro) which has a triple calvary to the church of Santiago do Deán which presents a mix of styles and a beautiful atrium and an old calvary. There is also the Gothic church of Santa Comba in Rianxo.
This is also a land of pazo manor houses. In Dodro, the 16th century Lestrobe pazo, the holiday home of the archbishops of Santiago, is now a hotel and Rosalía de Castro spent would spend time in the Ermida pazo there.
Espazos naturais
As we are discussing the countryside, it would be unforgivable not to mention the Parque Natural das Dunas de Corrubedo e Lagoas de Carregal e Vixán, where you can take in the shifting dunes of Galicia and see for yourself that one of the lagoons is salt water and the other fresh water.
In the heart of the estuary you can find the mouth of the River Ulla which is part of the sistema fluvial Ulla-Deza. In between lie a great number of beaches with tourist facilities. These include Barraña beach in Boiro, Cabío beach in A Pobra do Caramiñal, Tanxil beach in Rianxo, and Coroso beach in Ribeira. At the mouth of the estuary lies the Illa de Sálvora island which is part of Aguiño parish (Riberia) and is also part of the Parque Nacional das Illas Atlánticas.
Festas e gastronomía
There are Five Festivals of Galicia that hold Tourist Interest status in this geodestination: the Xesús O Nazareno e Procesión das Mortallas (A Pobra do Caramiñal), the Virxe de Guadalupe (Rianxo), the Dorna festival (Ribeira), the Romaría de San Ramón de Bealo (Boiro) and the most recently recognised Festa do Percebe de Aguiño (Ribeira) which celebrates the unique trade of goose barnacle fishermen. Cuisine here is shaped by the sea and the importance of the Ribeira fish market and its large fishing fleet. Yet, there is a strong farming presence at hand which offers high-quality meat and vegetable produce.
HIGHLIGHT: Cambados, the capital of the Albariño
Cambados is known as the capital of the Albariño. Its cit centre, which possesses a rich heritage, is the result of the contemporary union of three old and independent historic towns: Santo Tomé – the oldest area, a fishing village with a beautiful harbor –, Cambados – the administrative centre –, and Fefiñáns, the aristocratic district and commercial centre.
Given the village's link with wine production, a visit to its Museo Etnográfico y del Vino and its Museo de las Rutas del Vino is highly advisable. In both, one can learn more about the history, art, geography and popular culture related to the wine produced in these lands.
