Mar de Santiago, a geo-destination made up of the municipal districts of Vilanova de Arousa, Catoira, Valga and Pontecesures, has recently set in motion an initiative to promote its tourist attractions. This gave rise to the Mar de Santiago trip, a unique option that enables visitors to discover this area, based on the Traslatio route. It will be available until early September.
Both national and international visitors have shown interest in this activity, which consists of a full-day itinerary that starts and ends in Compostela. The organisation is satisfied with the warm reception enjoyed by the excursion on its first days. The August trips started yesterday with a group of visitors from different parts of Spain.
A trip with two different aspects
The Mar de Santiago trip offers visitors the possibility of exploring, in two different ways, the territory that gave rise to the pilgrimage to Santiago. You can discover each one of the municipal districts during the boat trip –recreating the itinerary followed by the Apostle’s remains– and on land.
In the case of Pontecesures, visitors will discover the history of its Roman bridge and the local cuisine -in the Casa da Lamprea (Lamprey House) and Praza de Abastos (food market)– while the explanation of the world’s only sea-river Way of the Cross starts with the Fito Xacobeo figure as the trip’s start and end point.
The boat departs from Pontecesures’ river port and makes its first stop at Vilarello, Mar de Santiago’s only river beach. Continuing our sail while enjoying the outstanding natural surroundings, the boat stops at Torres de Oeste, Compostela’s old fort, whose remains bring to mind the Viking invasions.
Sailing along the singular Ulla Estuary, the itinerary continues towards Ría de Arousa, where we will see the people involved in cultivating mussels, one of the area’s food products par excellence.
Food, wine, and culture
After disembarking at the Mar de Santiago ferry terminal, the trip continues with a food and wine experience in the winery called Bodegas Granbazán. This consists of a guided tour of the facilities, ending with a commented tasting of wines belonging to the Rías Baixas designation of origin, paired with Galician cheeses and canned food.
In the afternoon, the trip features striking panoramic views from the Pedras Miúdas viewpoint, in Catoira. From there we can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of part of our boat itinerary.
The Mar de Santiago experience ends with a tour of the Valga Eua-de-vie Interpretation Centre, featuring its most outstanding food products, as well as mentioning the outstanding figure of La Belle Otero. Another singular experience to accompany your pilgrimage or visit to Compostela.
Online bookings
You can find all the information you need about this tourist initiative at www.mardesantiago.com. You can book your Mar de Santiago trip, operated by Tour Galicia, on the following web. Direct bookings by visitors is also promoted by means of promotional leaflets.
In addition, you have the possibility of touring the region on your own by just booking the Traslatio route. In this case, you can contact any of the four shipping companies that operate in the area: Amare Turismo Náutico, La Barca del Peregrino, Tours Rías Baixas or Viajes Juan Allo. You can consult an updated timetable of the boats’ departures on the tourist destination’s website or by visiting its Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Guaranteed boat departure
The work of promoting the geo-destination, included in the Mar de Santiago Strategic Tourism Plan (2021-2025), features the creation of a new tourist product. This promotes, among other aspects, a boat trip from Pontecesures to Vilanova de Arousa, visiting the world’s only sea-river Way of the Cross. The objective is to encourage pilgrims and tourists visiting Compostela to complete their experience by discovering the area that, according to the Codex Calixtinus, the Apostle James’ remains passed through on their journey from Jaffa to Compostela (better known as the Traslatio). In view of the interest shown in this trip, Mar de Santiago has worked to guarantee the departure of boats from Pontecesures’ river port, thereafter sailing to Vilanova de Arousa to discover on board the natural, historical, and cultural riches of these two municipal districts, as well as those of Valga and Catoira.