As Catedrais beach — Attraction in Ribadeo

Locates on the Cantabric coast in the province of Lugo (Galicia), and lies about ten kilometres to the west of the town of Ribadeo on the northwest coast of Spain, Praia das Catedrais (Beach of the Cathedrals) is the name given by the tourism industry to Praia de Augas Santas, meaning "Beach of the Holy Waters" in Galician. It is one of the most visited natural locations in Spain.

Beach of the Cathedrals is made up of cliffs and comprises a section of coastline halfway between the Ribadeo and Foz estuaries. The action of the water, wind, and weather have shaped an impressive series of caves and rock arches of up to 30 meters high, in addition to geological formations which, viewed all together, resemble the architectural elements of a cathedral.

During high tide, the beach appears small, the water fills the crevices and caves of Beach of the Cathedrals, emitting babbling and whistling sounds that further add to the magic of the place.

During low tide the size of its cliffs and sea caves is more apparent, ranging from small cracks on the rock to big caves whose roofs have collapsed due to the erosion of the waves. Particularly low tides create access to nearby beaches through the sand extension. As the coast stretch is almost horizontal, the water covers the beach again very quickly.

Praia das Catedrais has been declared a Natural Monument by the regional Ministry for the Environment of the Xunta de Galicia.

Some photos courtesy of...

One of my favorite places to visit!! It is so beautiful and the beach seems to go on forever. I live in Asturias, and any time anyone ever comes to visit, I always make it a point to bring them to this beach. A few important things

1. make sure that you make a reservation before going. You are not allowed in unless you have the verified email. There are limited spots each day.
2. make sure that you go when the tide is just going down, not already down and going back up. We made that mistake and got caught in the tide rising again. It comes up QUICKLY. One moment we were walking on sand with no water and the next we were literally WASTE DEEP in water.
3. due to my previous point, wear a bathing suit or bring an extra pair of clothes just incase because it was not fun walking around in soaking wet clothes
4. if you're like me who said "I won't take my shoes off because I don't want to get my feet wet" you are mistaken (see point 2 hahabah) but besides that, even during low tide, you will have to step through tide pools to continue walking down either side of the beach, so wear sandals/ water shoes or make sure you have a bag to carry your sandy shoes once you take them off, because it's annoying to carry your shoes (and have them in all of your pictures)

I LOVE this beach, and will always go whenever I have the...

This beach is a real gem, but there are a few important things to keep in mind to make your day there truly unforgettable. First, it is important to know that access to the beach is limited, and to get there, you need to book an appointment in advance. But do not worry - it is worth it! Another important point is the tides. Be sure to follow the tide schedule, because at certain times the beach can be completely flooded. To arrive there when the water has risen and find that there is nowhere to walk, will be quite frustrating. Now about the beach itself. It really is a magical place! The nature here is amazingly beautiful - unique landscape, bright colors and amazing atmosphere. The water in the ocean is not very cold in August. Don't forget to bring a raincoat. The weather here can be changeable, and the rain can start unexpectedly. And of course, comfortable shoes for walking on the rocks are a must have. There are several parking lots, a picnic area, a restaurant and a paid toilet near the beach. In general, this beach is an ideal place for those who want to feel unity with nature and see something really unusual. I recommend it...