Discover the famous Beach of the Cathedrals and its impressive rock formations with this fantastic trip from Santiago de Compostela. You'll also visit Lugo and Ribadeo!
Day Trip Details
We'll meet in front of the Capilla del Pilar and leave Santiago de Compostela behind to head northeast. After an enjoyable road journey, we'll arrive at the city of Lugo, very famous for its walls, which have been perfectly preserved. They're more than 7,000 feet long!
Once there, we'll take a guided tour of the historic center of Lugo for an hour and a half. Among the most emblematic monuments of the town is the cathedral of Santa María, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose construction took more than a century.
Of course, we'll also visit the Roman wall, which surrounds the old town, one of the best-preserved Roman walls in the Iberian Peninsula.
After the tour of Lugo, we'll go to the second part of the excursion: the amazing beach of Aguas Santas, commonly known as the Cathedrals beach. It has this name due to the rocky forms of the fine white sand, which evoke the flying buttresses of Gothic shrines.
We'll enjoy a walk around this place, taking advantage of the low tide to sneak under the arches, which are more than 100 feet high. As you stroll along the beach, you'll be struck by the sound of the waves crashing against these stone giants. Its beauty has earned it the official status of a Natural Monument, and it's considered to be one of the best beaches in Europe.
Next, we'll visit the beautiful town of Ribadeo, located very close to Cathedrals Beach. We'll admire the façade of its beautiful neoclassical Casa Consistorial, and other emblematic monuments, as well as the port. You'll also have some free time to taste the delicious Galician cuisine.
Next, we'll head to Illa Pancha, a true natural gem in Galicia just outside Ribadeo. You'll have 1 hour of free time to explore the area around this islet, admire its charming access bridge, and snap photos of its iconic lighthouse surrounded by the Bay of Biscay.
After this visit, we'll return to the bus and go back to the original starting point in Santiago de Compostela, where the excursion concludes.
Document Info
Las Catedrales beach is a protected area with a daily visitor limit. Access to this beach requires authorization from the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Regional Government). Our provider will handle this permit, so it is very important that you provide your ID numbers and dates of birth when making your reservation. These documents must be valid and up-to-date; otherwise we cannot guarantee access to the beach.
