The Sea Route of Arousa and the Ulla River

This modern route evokes the final journey of the Apostle's body, which must have entered Galicia via the Arousa estuary. Tradition has it that the boat on which his body arrived had traveled from the Palestinian city of Jaffa.

Connected to the rest of O Salnés by an isthmus formed by the magical A Lanzada beach, this enchanting landscape has been a strategic settlement since Roman times.

Now world-famous thanks to its wines, the town of Cambados was a key settlement that was controlled by feudal lords from the 12th century onward. It was governed by a number of eminent historical figures, such as the poet and Adelantado Mayor (a Spanish medieval title given to nobles) of Galicia, Paio Gómez Chariño.

Cambados' main historic building (and one of the most famous in Galicia) is the Palace of Fefiñáns. The building was ordered by Juan Sarmiento Valladares, one of Philip II of Spain's ministers, in the 16th century. It is believed that the palace's wine cellar was the first to bottle the wine now known worldwide as Albariño.

This town is home to a Galician fortress with an exceptionally long history: the Torres de Oeste (Towers of the West). Its origins date back to Roman times, when it was built to defend the estuary. It also played a key role defending Santiago de Compostela from attacks by the Normans. The towers are the setting for the famous Viking Pilgrimage, a festival awarded the status of International Tourist Interest in 2002.

Given the depth of the Arousa Estuary, attacks by sea via the estuary meant that attackers could reach the center of Galicia with ease. The Towers of the West in their current form were built in the 12th century to see off invasions, and were used as recently as the 18th century to defend the area from attacks by the English.

Sitting at either end of the Ulla River, these fertile towns have had a fundamental role in shaping the lands of Santiago. Sitting as close to the mouth of the river as they do, their wetlands (such as the Brañas de Laíño) are among the most biologically diverse in Galicia.

Since the Middle Ages, the coast at Boiro has been closely associated with the city of Santiago de Compostela, its cathedral, and its chapter. Buildings such as the Church of Santa Baia in Boiro, and the Torre de los Canónigos (Tower of the Canons), now in a state of disrepair, are reminders of this connection.

At the end of the estuary, on the edge of the Barbanza peninsula, is one of Galicia’s most characteristic port towns. It came under the jurisdiction of Santiago de Compostela between the 10th and the 19th centuries.

Sheltered by the Barbanza mountains, this town is home to the best viewing point over the Rías Baixas: the mountain of A Curota. The historic town center is the result of the fusion of two places: A Pobra do Deán (named after the lord of the estate, the Dean of Santiago de Compostela) and the town of O Caramiñal.