When we originally made plans to head across the Atlantic and sail to Europe, we intended to head from the Azores directly to the UK or Ireland.  But we got a little bit tired of waiting for the persistent northerly winds to stop, so we ended up sailing to northwest Spain instead.

Paseo de Pedras Negras boardwalk in San Vicente do Mar, Ria Pontevedra
Granite boulders and heather were abundant along the path
Fog and sun in Ria Pontevedra

So, when we arrived in the Rias Baixas area of Galicia, we didn’t really know what to expect.  We hadn’t done any research on the area, we hadn’t talked to anyone who had ever sailed here, and our only source of onboard information for the area was a few pages in an overview book that covers the entire west coast of Europe, from Denmark to Gibraltar.

Combarro waterfront
Granite paved streets in old town Combarro date back to the 1700s

Lucky for us, it turns out that the Rias Baixas are a fantastic cruising area.  The summer weather is benign and predictable.  Mornings often feature a northeast land breeze generated by overnight cooling ashore, which is perfect for sailing back towards the ocean from whichever of the rias we happened to be anchored in.

Galician Hórreo or granary- used to dry grains or fish
Hórreos are built from wood or stone and are raised on pillars ending in flat stones in order to keep rodents out
They have slits in the walls for ventilation
Combarro is known for its numerous hórreos

The scenery in the rias is very pretty.  Tree-covered hillsides slope gently down to the water’s edge, and there are some areas of rocky shore somewhat reminiscent of Maine.  These rocky areas are interspersed with beaches, most of which are broad and long with beautiful golden sand.  The quantity and quality of beaches was totally unexpected, at least to us.

Quaint Combarro home
A cruciero in a square in Combarro.  Crucieros are monumental granite crosses found throughout Galicia

These beaches aren’t a secret to the locals, however.  On every sunny day we’ve had, weekday or weekend, the beaches are packed.  We’ve seen a wide variety of culture at the beaches – some are family-oriented, some have beach bars with thumping music, and some are for naturalists – but the one common theme is that the local population seems to take full advantage of this fantastic resource.

Iglesia de la virgen Peregrina in Pontevedra. An important stop along the Portuguese Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago)
Convent and Church of San Francisco, Pontevedra

And the Rias feature plenty of population.  There isn’t a single large city in the entire region of Galicia – both Vigo in the south and A Coruna in the north are home to about 300k people.  But the coast in between them is lined with a steady series of towns and villages.  Many of them have been populated for many hundreds of years, so the quantity and quality of the historic buildings is outstanding.

Cruciero , Pontevedra
Iglesia de San Bartolomeu, Pontevedra

The downside of all of this population is that there are plenty of people nearly everywhere, both ashore and on the water.  The benefit of all the people is the great culture ashore, the ease of shopping, and of course the delicious food.

Lérez River, Pontevedra
Loving the Spanish Rias

So, we’re very happy we came and can highly recommend the Spanish Rias as a cruising area.