Hotel Mar da Ardora
Why we like it: Small hotel above Mar de Fóra beach, in Fisterra, with an organic vegetable garden, a spa with heated pool and west-facing terraces. Double from €85.
From €85
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Duration2 nights
From Santiago1 h 20
From A Coruña1 h 25
Best timeMay – September
Budget€200–300 pp
Getting thereBy car
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Friday afternoon and sleep two nights in Fisterra. Saturday is the south of the coast and the sunset; Sunday, Muxía and Cape Vilán on the way home.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival in Fisterra
An hour and twenty from Santiago via Negreira, a little more from A Coruña. Overnight at Hotel Mar da Ardora, on the hillside of Mar de Fóra, with a spa and sea-facing terraces.
Saturday
- 110:30Fervenza do Ézaro and viewpoint
Half an hour east, via Corcubión and Cee. The River Xallas falls almost a hundred metres into the sea; then the O Ézaro viewpoint along the road of ramps.
- 213:30Lunch at O Fragón
Above the village of Fisterra, with the ría and Monte Pindo in front. Market cuisine; book ahead.
- 317:00Harbour, San Carlos castle and the lighthouse
The fishing museum by the harbour and, as the afternoon fades, Cape Fisterra and its 1853 lighthouse. Stay for the sunset.
Sunday
- 110:30Muxía and the Virxe da Barca
A good half hour north. The sanctuary on the rocks and the climb up Monte Corpiño.
- 213:30Lunch in Muxía harbour
A Lonxa de Álvaro, with fish from the fish market and zamburiñas. If you prefer Camariñas, Villa de Oro; both close on Wednesdays.
- 316:30Cape Vilán and the drive back
Spain's first electric lighthouse and its shipwreck centre; call ahead for opening hours. From Camariñas, back to A Coruña or Santiago in a little over an hour.
The Costa da Morte is not one to see in a hurry: the coastal roads are slow and every cape deserves its walk. With two nights in Fisterra, an hour and a half from Santiago or A Coruña, you do the south one day, with sunset at the lighthouse, and the north the next, with Muxía and Cape Vilán, without driving at night.
How much does it cost?
Allow €200–300 per person in a double room: two nights at the Mar da Ardora (from €85 for a double, according to its website), two lunches and two dinners. The lighthouses, the waterfall and the sanctuary are free; the fishing museum and the shipwreck centre have their own entry fees.
If you change something
If you are travelling with a dog, sleep at Casa de Trillo, a village house inland from Muxía that accepts pets, and do the plan the other way round: Muxía and Vilán on Saturday, Ézaro and Fisterra on Sunday. Without a car, the Optimus Tours excursion from Santiago covers O Ézaro, Fisterra and Muxía in a day.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Costa da Morte, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Costa da Morte
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
The coast is driven, cape by cape
Fisterra, O Ézaro, Muxía and Cape Vilán are separated by slow coast roads: pick two or three a day and no more. With one night, sleep between Fisterra and Muxía.
60–110 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Mar da Ardora, in…
- Getting aroundFrom Santiago, an hour and…
- Where to eatO Fragón and Tira do…
- ServicesTourist offices in Fisterra and…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Mar da Ardora, in Fisterra, with a spa
- Casa de Trillo, village house in Muxía, pets welcome
Getting around
- From Santiago, an hour and a quarter to Muxía and a little more to Fisterra
- Climb to the O Ézaro viewpoint with gradients close to 30%
Where to eat
- O Fragón and Tira do Cordel in Fisterra
- A Lonxa de Álvaro in Muxía; Villa de Oro in Camariñas
Services
- Tourist offices in Fisterra and Muxía
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Casa de Trillo
Why we like it: Village house of the Trillo family in Santa María de Coucieiro, 8 km from Muxía: rooms, two apartments with kitchen and a vegetable garden. Pets welcome.
Hotel O Semáforo, Fisterra
Why we like it: Six rooms in the former Navy lookout building beside the Cape Fisterra lighthouse, with a restaurant, a café and terraces over the Atlantic.
From €99
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Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Fisterra | Cape, lighthouse, port and restaurants | |
| Muxía | Santuario da Virxe da Barca, villages | |
| Camariñas and Cape Vilán | Lighthouse, shipwreck centre, lace | |
| Cee and O Ézaro | Waterfall into the sea, kayaking and Monte Pindo | |
| Carballo and Cabana | Surfing at Razo and the Dombate dolmen |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Costa da Morte
A Lonxa de Álvaro
What to order: one of the four octopus dishes on the menu and, if there are two of you, the soupy rice with lobster
O Fragón
What to order: the Premier tasting menu bought on its website; à la carte, the marinated xeito sardine and the roast sea bass
Tira do Cordel
What to order: the grilled *robaliza* (sea bass), the dish the house was built on
Villa de Oro
What to order: the rice with lobster, the dish the house puts first; or monkfish with clams, noodles and prawns
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book Saturday and Sunday lunches
In summer and at weekends they fill up.
- 2The wind rules
Bring a coat for the capes and do not go down to the rocks in a heavy swell.
- 3Check the seasonal opening hours
The fishing museum and the Vilán centre change their hours depending on the month.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where is it better to sleep?
In Fisterra if you want sunset at the lighthouse; in Muxía if you prefer a quieter village.
How long does it take from Santiago?
An hour and twenty to Fisterra.
Can it be done in a day?
Part of it. To see all four places without rushing, two nights are better.
And in the rain?
The Vilán shipwreck centre, the Museo do Encaixe in Camariñas and the fishing museum are all indoors.