Las Catedrales beach, Galicia, Spain

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The 'cathedral' of the Cantabrian Sea. The mystery of Las Catedrales

Las Catedrales (The Cathedrals, or As Catedrais in Galician) is one of the most beautiful and mysterious beaches in northern Spain. It’s on the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and its real name is Aguas Santas (Holy Waters) beach. It’s known as Las Catedrales because its arches, thought to have been carved by the action of salty water and wind over millions of years, look like the buttresses of a Catholic church.

However some geologists have argued that these arches and caves are not entirely natural but are the remains of an ancient Roman gold mine and believe certain formations suggest they were created by men, rather than nature. What is unarguable is that Las Catedrales offers breath-taking views of the Galician coast, either from the beach or from the top of its 98ft (30m) cliffs.