Jacobean Year These are the 10 most beautiful towns on the Camino de Santiago
Holidays Spain, the favorite destination of European tourists for this summer (and the rest of the year)
"Rice to starboard!"
The signal given by
Miguel, the captain of the yacht
, puts us on guard and, excited, we begin to scan the water in all directions.
"To the right!", He clarifies ... And it is that those of us who are more dry land than anything else need some time to get hold of the nautical vocabulary and respond automatically without having to stop to think about what part of the boat it is. starboard and which port side, where is the stern and where is the bow.
The dolphins, that is the rice,
bottlenose dolphins
, pass under the boat and accompany us for a few minutes.
"There are quite a few in the estuaries," says Miguel.
It refers to the Rías Baixas, which is where we are sailing,
from Vigo to Santiago
.
Yes, yes, I know that Santiago is not on the coast but it is our destination because we are doing the
Maritime Way, a new official Jacobean route
with which the Compostela is obtained, the document that certifies that a pilgrimage has been made to Santiago.
This route has a nautical crossing part and a land route part.
And that makes it different, of course: let's see which path has dolphins, rafts, islands and waves!
Mussel in the rafts of the estuaries CR
The exact name is Camino Marítimo de la Ría Muros-Noia because it is from this estuary, the northernmost of all, from where the Camino later starts.
Until we reached it, the defeat of the ship has taken us through those
of Vigo, Pontevedra and Arousa
, and we have visited places such as the
Cíes Islands, Ons, Sanxenxo, Portonovo or Vilanova de Arousa.
At the end of the journey we will have to have accumulated at least 90 nautical miles for the pilgrimage to be recognized.
And then complete, on foot, a minimum of 12 kilometers.
But hey, for now we continue at sea, heading north, towards Muros-Noia.
Everything changes when viewed from the sea: the cliffs are more imposing, the sandy areas more serene, the facades of the most solemn fishing villages, the most mysterious lighthouses ... "Navigating the estuaries is almost a walk," says Miguel.
«It is fabulous because you are in the sea but protected.
Things change when we go out to sea ».
Thus, the journey has a calmer side and a more adventurous side.
HEADING NORTH
After leaving Arousa and the
landscape of rafts
of its estuary (the one that has the most), we continue north.
"You have to be careful around here because there are a lot of rocks," says Miguel, consulting the nautical-GPS chart on his mobile.
"Look at how the one over there is sailing," he says, pointing to a stumbling block that looks huge, judging by the light stain it causes on the water when the waves reach it.
Well, yes, in the open sea the crossing is encouraged ... We save the sore feet of the days on foot but a few wobbles are not taken away by anyone ... Although it is part of the seafaring experience.
By boat on the Camino de Santiago.
At the end, we enter the cozy embrace of the estuary again and the sea calms down.
El
Monte Lour
or northern ye
l Castro de Barona
to the south can be considered sentinels of Muros-Noia estuary.
It's hard to look away from the first.
From the sea it looks like a volcanic cone that juts into the water, although it is neither one nor the other because it actually has two peaks and they are made of granite, nothing to do with volcanoes.
It is magnetic.
At its feet there is a gigantic beach of white sand and a lagoon, as if someone had gathered the most attractive natural elements.
VISIT TO THE CASTROS
On the other side you can see the Baroña fort, one of the
most unique
archaeological sites
in Galicia
.
You have to get close to here once on land, even if it is in the opposite direction to Santiago.
It would be unforgivable not to visit him being next door.
We can first go to the interpretation center of the fort, which is in Porto do Son, and then go to the small peninsula where the plants of the old circular houses are preserved, the double wall that defended the town and other buildings.
The fort of Baroña, in Porto do Son.ÓSCAR CHECA ALGARRA
This maritime route ends in Muros.
From here, as well as from the other part of the estuary, from Porto do Son, the old Jacobean path of the estuary started.
Both branches joined in Noia and, from there, they left for Santiago.
In the Middle Ages,
Muros
was one of the most important ports in Galicia.
Not only did it have a greater draft that allowed ships to anchor, but it was also the center of the lucrative business of the sardine industry.
Thus, little by little it became a strategic port that attracted both sailors and merchants.
Ships came from every conceivable point, but especially those coming from northern Europe called here.
And, on board, along with the navigators, merchants and traders, the pilgrims also came.
Here there is not such a rush, so before leaving we take a tour of this town that has preserved quite well its old appearance of palaces,
arcades, arcades and narrow streets
and with names as evocative as those of Bitterness, Health, Hope , the Light or the Solitude.
Like pilgrims, we also pass by the collegiate church of San Pedro, which houses a unique object: a holy water font in whose glass a coiled serpent is carved.
TAMBRE ESTUARY
And now, how is it interpreted? Well, it is already known that the serpent is the symbol of evil in Christianity ... "It can represent the evil itself that remains inside the holy water and is purified, or it can be a pagan interpretation in the one that the snake, which is an animal that is related to wisdom, gives us that vision, that knowledge, when our body comes into contact with water ", explains Montse, the guide in detail.
Following the coast of the estuary we reach the Tambre estuary where we find one of the most beautiful bridges in the area:
Ponte Nafonso.
It is of medieval origin but the stamp it now presents has been given by subsequent reforms.
The floods of past centuries washed away seven of its arches, so now it has twenty.
Some old colored boats abandoned among the reed beds give a melancholic touch to the surroundings.
Ponte Nafonso.CR
It is time to visit
Noia
, the
Portus Apostoli
, as it ended up being called for being the closest port to Santiago.
As with Muros, many merchants and pilgrims arrived here to start the road to Compostela, which allowed the city to prosper economically.
BETWEEN TONES AND MUSEUMS
The
Guild Tombstones
museum
gives an account of the number of trades and the activity that took place here during the Middle Ages and later times.
It is a unique museum, not only for its content but also for its location, as it is in a church, in the middle of a cemetery in the historic center of the town.
In addition, this cemetery is a place of passage, since it is open on two sides and people use it as another street.
The
church of San Martiño
is another of the visits to be done in Noia.
On its façade, the influence of the master Mateo is evident, since the figures are quite similar to those that we will see in the Cathedral of Santiago, but what is most striking is that it seems unfinished, since it only has one of the two towers.
the final stretch
With all these stories in our backpack we left Noia
for Santiago,
in the final stretch of our trip.
From here the marine atmosphere, the saline aroma and the squawking of the seagulls will be left behind, but well recorded in the mind.
We are encouraged by the voice of Ultreia !, which was the greeting of the ancient pilgrims.
Now they say that "good way!", But it is the same.
A pilgrim in the last kilometers of the Camino.CR
There are those who like ultreia much more, which would be translated as go ahead !, let's go! In reference to the end point of the road, that is, to Santiago.
To this the answer was suseia !, which would be something like let's go higher !, although there are those who interpret it as a clear hallelujah!
In short, the fact is that there are more than 35 kilometers of walking route ahead, although
just doing 12 would be enough
to complete the Maritime Way and obtain the long-awaited Compostela.
But already put ...
Shortly after leaving Noia, the Camino goes up to the
monastery of San Xusto de Toxosoutos.
Monks have not lived in this place for a long time, but the place they chose for its location continues to be spectacular: the banks of the river are full of waterfalls in the middle of a thick forest of oaks, laurels, ferns and holly trees.
The postcard is idyllic, but beyond the beauty it was also chosen to take advantage of those waterfalls and build
hydraulic geniuses such
as
fulling
mills and flour and paper mills, whose ruins, covered with mosses and lichens, appear here and there among the vegetation.
The pools that are created at the foot of the waterfalls are still used as natural pools and places for excursions.
The image could not be more bucolic.
Back on the road, and with the excitement of reaching the end, the words said by Álvaro Cunqueiro about Santiago come to mind: "One approaches Compostela as one approaches a miracle."
That's how it is.
But the unusual is also in what has been left behind.
It has started to rain ... With water this journey began and with water Santiago receives.
PRACTICAL GUIDE
Navigation:
Sailway (www.sailway.es) is the boat rental company that offers the five-day Nautical Cruise from 665 euros / person.
Where to sleep:
Cabañas de Almeida.
Tree houses in Outes (from 170 euros).
Also in Pesquería del Tambre, a rural hotel in Noia (from 89 euros / night).
Where to eat:
A'Xarda.
Kitchen with modern touches in Porto do Son.
From 30 euros.
More information:
on the Ría Muros Noia website (riademurosnoia.com)
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
tourism
DiscoverWhy Cáceres is the perfect indoor getaway
Getaway Five essential plans to do in Córdoba
Tribute to the most traditional Hollywood: when Sofia Loren had breakfast at the Palace and went to work at La Pedriza
See links of interest
Work calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
Best Universities
Ons Jabeur - Garbiñe Muguruza, live
Switzerland - Spain, live
Belgium - Italy, live
Live: The Tour reaches the Alps, with three world-class ports