Costa da Morte: what to see, do, where to eat and sleep

‘Off the Map’ It has taught us that it is not necessary to leave the peninsula to find incredible places. This time, Alberto Chicote visits Galicia’s Costa da Morte with Lydia Valentín, one of the most amazing enclaves in Spain.

The Death Coast -or Costa da Morte in Galician- is located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, exactly on the province of A Coruña and it is a wide area that travel along the coast from the town of Malpica to Cape Fisterra.

Apart from its landscape, another of the most striking aspects for many travelers is the peculiarity of its name. One of the legends tells that the reason to call this place Death Coast are the shipwrecks that took place in the area and that caused the death of hundreds of people throughout history.

But shipwrecks are not just myths, Jose Baña Heim researched and wrote the book ‘Coast of death: history and anecdote of its shipwrecks’ in 1980. Thus being a pioneer in the investigation of shipwrecks in this region.

What to see in Costa da Morte

The Costa da Morte is full of places to visit. All of them have a privileged landscape, so we recommend three places that you cannot miss if you travel to the Galician coast.

Camariñas is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, among other reasons for its pulpo the fair Y the Cape Vilán Lighthouse, the first electrified lighthouse in Spain. The Alberto Chicote route starts from here on the program for today, December 28, at 10:30 p.m. on laSexta.

Very close to the cape where the lighthouse is located you can see the English Cemetery, which recalls the tragedy of the Serpent, a Royal Navy ship that ran aground in 1890 and of which, according to the institutional website of the Xunta de Galicia, only three sailors survived.

In Camariñas you can visit amazing beaches, like that of Reira, Santa Mariña or that of O Trece. But if you prefer to walk around the area, you will find different routes and trails in which to enter, for example the Route of the Mills, which crosses the Rio Grande.

Every second Sunday in September in Muxía a massive pilgrimage is held. It recalls the moment when the Virgin Mary arrived in a boat to give encouragement to the Apostle Santiago. It was to the current Santuario da Virxe da Barca where he arrived; hence its name. So this is one of the most visited buildings in the area.

It also has romanesque churches of great architectural beauty such as the church of Santa María de Muxía, the church of San Julián de Moraime or the church of San Cristovo de Nemiña.

In addition to these buildings, beaches they are also part of its tourist attraction. They are not kilometer-long beaches, what’s more, most are small or medium in size, so they are perfect for resting and enjoying nature.

Malpica can be the start or end of your trip to the Costa de la Muerte in Galicia. Is a very colorful and atmospheric town, so in summer the promenade and terraces come to life.

Once here, you have the opportunity to tour the four-kilometer route from Santo Adría to Malpica, the route that the procession of San Adria travels on the day of the pilgrimage. It is a path next to the sea and beaches, perfect to enjoy the coast and its landscapes. In addition, you can take advantage of the route to visit the Sanctuary of Santo Adrian.

Where to eat and sleep

There is no doubt that the gastronomy of the area is defined by the taste of the sea. Here we can find fresh products and enjoy different dishes from both fish (sea bass, monkfish, turbot…) as of shellfish (lobster, spider crab, razor clams …).

Even so, the Costa da Morte in Galicia stands out for its barnacles, This is stated on the official tourism website. It also highlights the longueirón (bivalve similar to the razor), recognized for its quality and its different ways of eating it: grilled, patty or natural with olive oil and garlic.

In the institutional space of the Xunta de Galicia you can find a list with different restaurants in which to taste these dishes. But, apart from the restaurants, they have different gastronomic parties where you can know all the typical dishes of the area:

• Feast of the Angula: Saturday of Holy Week in Ponteceso.
• Feast of O Raxo: the first Saturday of June in Brantuas (Ponteceso).
• Cherry fair: the first Sunday in July in Paiosaco (A Laracha).
• Barnacle party: on July 12 in Corme (Ponteceso).
• Clam Festival: the first Saturday of August in the town of Corcubión.
• Trout Festival: the first Sunday of August in Baio (Zas).
• Lounger party: the first Sunday of August in the port of Fisterra.
• Cocktail party: every August 21 in Noicela (Baldaio, Carballo).
• Octopus festival: on September 8 in Sardiñeiro (Fisterra).
• A Pataca Party: the third Sunday of September in Coristanco.
• Fabada Festival: every first Sunday in October in Paiosaco (A Laracha).

But wherever we go, rest is always important. On the Xunta website they offer a list of different accommodations where to stay and recharge batteries; from hostels to hotels.