Praia das Catedrais, Galicia, Spain

Into Galicia's hidden arches. Praia das Catedrais, Galicia, Spain

In Spain's far northwest, Galicia meets the Atlantic with force—its long coastline carved by waves into cliffs, inlets, and wave-cut platforms. Rain-fed hills and dense forests spill toward the sea, creating a landscape that feels closer to Ireland than southern Spain, with shifting skies and a distinctly Atlantic mood.

On the region's northern edge, the town of Ribadeo sits near the border with Asturias on the Bay of Biscay, where estuaries meet the open ocean. The coastline here shifts from rugged to surreal, with cliffs suddenly giving way to complex rock formations and hidden coves. Praia das Catedrais—'Beach of the Cathedrals'—takes its name from massive arches sculpted by the ocean over time, their shapes resembling the soaring architecture of stone cathedrals.

Visit when the tide drops. For a limited stretch of time, the exposed seabed becomes a walkable maze of stone—an ever-changing terrain that disappears again as the ocean surges back in, quickly reclaiming the sand and reshaping the shoreline.