Galicia painted in turquoise blue, with its crystal clear waters
Today we will talk about Galicia's wonderful beaches. What better time than the beginning of summer to share information about Galicia's unrivalled natural setting so you can make the most of it.
Galicia has the longest coastline of all Spain's autonomous communities: 930 miles (1,498 km) in length — which, given that some beaches stretch up to 7 km long, gives you an idea of just how many beaches are concentrated along the entire coast.
It is also the autonomous community with the greatest number of beaches in Spain. Almost all of them are sandy and, needless to say, they are not overcrowded.
As a basic fact, there are a total of 861 registered beaches, all public and with no restrictions other than that 200 of them are smoke-free.
In terms of quality ratings, 459 of the beaches are considered excellent, and swimming is prohibited on only 9 of the 861. 123 beaches hold the Blue Flag distinction, both for the unquestionable quality of their waters and for the services they offer.
As a curious detail, the further south a beach is in Galicia, the colder its water. Conversely, the further north, the warmer it tends to be. Despite the notable differences between north and south, tracing the coastline from the Rías Baixas to the far end of the Mariña Lucense, the majority of Galicia's beaches stand out for the turquoise blue of their crystal-clear waters.
In the south of the region, there is a wealth of paradisiacal coves and stretches of sand where the sea is usually calmer, in contrast to the beaches of the Rías Altas, where wilder landscapes predominate, with unique natural settings and cliffs shaped by the impact of the waves against the rocks.
Finally, here are some beach recommendations from different parts of Galicia:
- Playa de Rodas (Cíes Islands, Pontevedra)
- Playa de Xilloi (O Vicedo, Lugo)
- Playa de Niñóns (Ponteceso, A Coruña)
- Playa de Carnota (Carnota, A Coruña)
- Illote do Areoso (Illa de Arousa, Pontevedra)
- Playa de las Catedrales (Ribadeo, Lugo)
- Playa do Picón (Ortigueira, A Coruña)
- Playa de Melide (Isla Ons, Pontevedra)
