# Ribadeo and As Catedrais Beach How to book As Catedrais for free and what time to go according to the tide, boats on the Ribadeo estuary, Rinlo and its lobster rice, and where to sleep on the Mariña lucense. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/galicia/ribadeo-and-as-catedrais · Revisado: 2026-11-13 Ribadeo is the Galician town on the Eo estuary, on the border with Asturias, at the eastern end of the Mariña lucense. Ten minutes to the west is As Catedrais beach, or Augas Santas, with its slate arches that can only be walked at low tide. The town has a historic centre with indiano houses (built by returned emigrants), a port from which boats leave along the estuary and towards the beach, and to one side the fishing village of Rinlo. It can be seen in a day; with a night you can pick the best low tide without rushing. ## Do you need to book As Catedrais? At Easter and from 1 July to 30 September, yes. The authorisation is free and is issued by the Xunta at ascatedrais.xunta.gal, at most 30 days ahead, in each person's name and for a single day; one person requests it for a group of up to 25. If no places are left, there are shortcuts published by Turismo de Ribadeo: the pass given by Ribadeo accommodation, such as the Parador, the Rolle or Mi Norte; the Bus Praia ticket from the bus station, in summer; or the taxi receipt. The rest of the year you go down without a permit. The reservation affects only the sand: the paths above are always free. ## What time do I go, according to the tide? At high tide, the sea covers the whole beach for hours. The Xunta recommends going down between two hours before and two hours after low tide, and Turismo de Ribadeo advises arriving an hour early and heading first to the right, because the area of the arches is the last to be uncovered and the first to be covered. On days near the full or new moon, with spring tides, the beach opens up more. The Xunta website gives you the time of low tide when you choose a date; so does the tourist office. If low tide falls at an impossible time, the boat from Ribadeo port shows you the arches from the sea in an hour and a quarter, for €30, with no permit. ## What else is there in Ribadeo? While the tide rises, the town fills half a day. The old town, a Site of Cultural Interest, has the Torre dos Moreno at the top, with its Modernista dome, and runs down Calle de San Roque between indiano houses. The boat trip on the estuary lasts half an hour, costs €7 and passes beneath the Santos bridge as far as Figueras and Castropol, already in Asturias. On foot, the Senda Azul runs from the Illa Pancha lighthouse to the As Aceas mill in 5.7 km. To the west, Rinlo is a small port with lobster pens among the rocks and the starting point of the beaches route, 6 km along the coast to As Catedrais. To understand the rock, Turismo de Ribadeo organises free geology walks with a geologist. And if you are after waves, the Gamus Surf school gives surf lessons at Foz and Barreiros from €35. ## Where do I eat and sleep? In Rinlo you eat the soupy rice with lobster: A Cofradía has made it since 1992, at €52 for two, and Porto de Rinlo serves it in a traditional house on the square. In town, La Solana, next to the port, serves fish and seafood. For sleeping, the Parador looks over the estuary, the Rolle is a stone mansion in the centre, from €60, and Mi Norte, a film-set hotel in the countryside near the beach, from €78. ## When to go and how long? From June to September everything is running: boats, tourist train, information point on the beach and Bus Praia. August is the busiest month and has the highest prices. In May, June and October no permit is needed outside Easter and the beach is quieter. In a day you see the beach and the old town and eat in Rinlo; with a night you add the boat and the Senda Azul at sunset. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Cantabrian Coast, Camino del Norte, Unusual places to stay in Spain - Cerca: Cudillero (a 76.1 km), Leitariegos and the Laciana Valley (a 81.5 km), Somiedo (a 84.0 km), Oviedo (a 102.2 km) ## Qué hacer - **As Catedrais Beach at Low Tide, with the Xunta's Free Authorisation** (1 h 30 · All ages able to use stairs; no pushchairs · Free, with prior authorisation): As Catedrais, or Augas Santas, is a beach in Ribadeo enclosed by slate cliffs in which the sea has opened arches, caves and corridors. It is a natural monument, and can only really be explored at low tide: at high tide the water covers the whole beach for hours. Going down is free all year, but at Easter and from 1 July to 30 September the Xunta requires an authorisation, also free, obtained on its website. The authorisation, step by step In the two periods with reservations you enter the beach with a named permit for a specific day. It is requested at ascatedrais.xunta.gal, at most 30 days before the visit; the website doesn't let you book earlier. One person can request it for a group of up to 25, but must give everyone's details: first name and surname, sex, year of birth and identity document. Under-14s don't need a document. The permit is valid only for that day and for the people named in it, and there is a permanent checkpoint on the stairs down. If the quota is full, Turismo de Ribadeo publishes three other routes. If you are sleeping in Ribadeo, your accommodation may give you a pass. The summer shuttle bus, the Bus Praia, leaves from Ribadeo bus station and its ticket serves as authorisation; the colour of the outward ticket must match the return time. And if you arrive by taxi, the receipt is valid as a permit. Outside those dates nothing is needed: you arrive and go down. The restriction affects only the descent to the sands; the paths and viewpoints above are open. The Xunta also organises free guided visits with official guides, in groups of up to 25, which are requested along with the authorisation. Their times change each day with the tide. If you are already on the beach and didn't request it, ask the guide whether places remain. The tide rules The Xunta recommends going down between two hours before and two hours after low tide; the booking website tells you the time when you choose the day. Turismo de Ribadeo is more precise: arrive one hour before low tide and go first to the right when you come down the stairs, about 600 metres, because the area of the arches is the last to be uncovered and the first to be covered. Spring tides, around the full and new moon, leave more sand in view; with neap tides you may not reach the arches even if you go at low tide. Don't go near the base of the arches or enter the caves: it is a cliff that sheds rock, especially after heavy rain. If the tide cuts off your way, don't cross through the water. Wear shoes that grip on wet rock and take something warm. Getting there and parking The beach is about 10 minutes from Ribadeo along the N-634 and has its own exit on the A-8, number 516. There are three car parks; the farthest is less than a kilometre from the entrance. By train, the Ferrol–Xixón line stops at Esteiro, 10 minutes' walk away. In summer, the Bus Praia saves you looking for a space. On the beach there is a tourist information point at Easter and from 1 July to 30 September. To see it from the sea without depending on the tide, see the boat to As Catedrais from Ribadeo. - **Boat to As Catedrais Beach from Ribadeo Port** (1 h 15 · From age 3; not suitable for those who get seasick easily · Desde 30 € per adult): From the water, As Catedrais can be seen whole: the arches, the islets and the cliff wall that from the beach you see only in parts. The boat leaves from Ribadeo marina, at the Porcillán pier, skirts the coast to the west and comes back in a little over an hour. You don't need the Xunta authorisation, which is for going down on foot, or to wait for low tide. The route from Porcillán Terralmar sails in two twelve-seat motorboats. On leaving the ría you pass the Illa Pancha lighthouse, continue along the cliff coast to the small port of Rinlo and reach As Catedrais, where the boat approaches the arches. The return is the same way. It is about 75 minutes in total, with six departures a day: 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:30, 17:00 and 18:30. If you are sleeping in Foz or coming from that part of the coast, Maremasma runs a similar route from Foz port in an eight-seat rigid inflatable: an hour to As Catedrais, or an hour and a half if you add Rinlo. It asks for a minimum of four people. Price and booking With Terralmar it costs €30 for adults and €20 for ages 3 to 10; under-3s cannot board. Tickets are bought on its website with day and time, and in July and August it is best to do so ahead: places are few. With Maremasma, €35 to As Catedrais and €45 with Rinlo, also with booking on its website or by phone. In both cases the departure depends on the sea state and may change on the day. Who it is for It is the way to see As Catedrais if you are with someone who can't go down steps or walk over rock, if low tide falls at an impossible time or if you didn't get a permit. For children from age 3 it works well: it is short and there is something to see all the time. It is not the best idea if you get seasick: the coast is open sea and in a swell you notice it. Bring a warm layer, because in an open motorboat the wind blows, and no large bags. If you get splashed, that's normal. The best thing is to combine it with the beach on foot the same day: in the morning by boat and in the afternoon, if the tide cooperates, down on the sands. In between, eat in Rinlo: A Cofradía has made soupy seafood rice since 1992. - **Boat Trip on the Ría de Ribadeo, Under the Puente de los Santos** (30 min · All ages · Desde 7 € per person): The Ría de Ribadeo, or Eo estuary, is the border between Galicia and Asturias: Ribadeo on one bank, Figueras and Castropol on the other. A half-hour boat trip goes through its interior, passes under the Puente de los Santos and explains what each pier was used for. It costs €7 and is fine for any age, also for those who don't trust the open sea: inside the ría the water is usually calm. What you see from the boat The Albatros V leaves from Ribadeo marina and passes O Cargadoiro, the iron pier from which the ore that came down by train from A Pontenova was loaded, and the fort of San Damián, which defended the entrance to the ría. It crosses under the Puente de los Santos, which links the two regions, and approaches the Asturian shore: the Trenor palace and the Gondán shipyard, in Figueras, and the Casona Grande, in Castropol. Along the way the skipper explains the tables where oysters are farmed in the ría. Terralmar runs a trip of the same length and price on its 24-seat boat, which recalls the passenger launches that linked the villages of the ría before the bridge. Times, boarding and booking The Albatros V leaves in the morning between 11:00 and 13:30 and in the afternoon between 16:00 and 19:00; within that window it leaves when full, with a maximum wait of about 30 minutes. You can board at Ribadeo, Figueras or Castropol. Book on its website; if your date doesn't appear, call 696 504 239: they say they are available all year if the weather permits. Terralmar publishes departures at 11:00 and 15:30, with more depending on the day, and sells tickets on its website. A protected area The ría is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, a special protection area for birds since 1989 and a natural space protected by the Xunta since 1995. Turismo de Ribadeo describes it as a key habitat for migratory waterbirds of the Atlantic. The ría is also part of the Río Eo, Oscos y Terras de Burón Biosphere Reserve. It is a good plan for the time when the tide is high and As Catedrais is under water. Afterwards, walk up to the old town and the Torre dos Moreno, or follow the shore to the Illa Pancha lighthouse. - **From the Illa Pancha Lighthouse to the As Aceas Mill on the Blue Trail** (1 h 30 · 5.7 km · All ages; linear, can be done in stretches · Free): Illa Pancha is the islet with a lighthouse that marks the entrance to the Ría de Ribadeo, north of the town. From there starts the Senda Azul (Blue Trail), a signposted walk of 5.7 km that skirts the ría southwards, passes the port and ends at the As Aceas tide mill. It is easy, with no long climbs, and takes an hour and a half at a relaxed pace. There is nothing to pay or book. The route It starts at the lighthouse, on the rocks, with the Cantabrian Sea on one side and the mouth of the ría on the other; on clear days you can see the Asturian coast opposite. Going down towards the town you reach the fort of San Damián, the military construction that guarded the entrance, and O Cargadoiro, the iron pier where the mining railway opened in 1903 ended. That line, of more than 30 km, brought iron ore from A Pontenova; from 1927 to 1966 it also carried passengers. Today it is an ethnographic park. You continue along the Porcillán marina and the Os Bloques beach, and the last stretch enters a wooded area up to As Aceas. That stretch, from A Vilavella, was recovered by the Provincial Coastal Service in 2013, and the Concello is replacing the eucalyptus trees in the area with native species. How to do it It is a linear route, so plan the return. The most comfortable is to start at the lighthouse and finish in the centre, at the port, which is about halfway, and do the As Aceas stretch only if you feel like it. If you prefer car or bike, the Ruta de los Miradores, 11.5 km and paved, links the old town with A Atalaia, the chapel of San Miguel, O Cargadoiro, Illa Pancha and the Santa Cruz viewpoint. In July and August, the Albatros V tourist train stops for a while at the lighthouse. Comfortable shoes are enough; on the rocks by the lighthouse, take care if they are wet or there is a swell. Dogs are allowed, on a lead. When to go At sunset the lighthouse has the best light and fewer people. In a storm, the spectacle is at sea, but don't go near the rocks. Combine it with the boat trip on the ría, which passes the same points from the water, and finish with a few raciones beside the port, at La Solana. - **Ribadeo's Historic Centre, the Torre dos Moreno and the Street of the Indianos** (2 h · All ages; pushchair-friendly through the centre · Desde 7 € per adult on the tourist train; the walk on foot is free): The centre of Ribadeo has been a Bien de Interés Cultural since 2004 and can be walked in a couple of hours. The piece everyone photographs is the Torre dos Moreno, an indiano house (built by a returned emigrant) with a modernista dome at the highest point of the town, facing Praza de España. Around it are the convent of Santa Clara, the church of Santa María del Campo and, downhill, the houses built by emigrants who returned rich from America. The Torre dos Moreno and Praza de España The tower was built between 1914 and 1915 by the brothers Juan and Pedro Moreno Ulloa, following the designs of the Argentine architect Julián García Núñez and the engineer Ángel Ardex. It was made with materials little used at the time, concrete, glass and wrought iron, and the dome rests on four caryatids. It occupies the highest plot in Ribadeo, where the fortress stood, and so can be seen from almost the whole town. It is a private residence: you look at it from outside. In the same square, Praza do Campo or de España, are the Pazo de Ibáñez, the convent of Santa Clara and the church of Santa María del Campo, a former Franciscan convent. The tourist office is here and gives out the walking map. The route of the indianos and the market From the Moreno corner, the route of the indiano legacy goes down through the San Roque district, where the mansions with glazed galleries, gardens with palm trees and towers designed to be seen from the street are concentrated. The Casa de Don Clemente, which joined two buildings into one, and Rúa Rodríguez Murias deserve a stop. The Plaza de Abastos, with exposed ironwork, was given to the town by the indiano Ramón González Fernández and opened in 1925 to a design by Ramiro Saiz; on Wednesdays there is a producers' market and in summer also on Sundays. Further down, beside the ría, are the Old Customs House and the fort of San Damián. The tourist train In July and August, and until 10 September, the Albatros V tourist train leaves from in front of the tourist office and in 50 minutes goes down to the port, runs along the seafront to the Illa Pancha lighthouse, where it stops for photos, and returns via San Roque and the market. It costs €7 for adults, €4 for ages 4 to 12 and nothing up to age 3. It works well with small children or if you prefer to see the whole without walking. For lunch nearby, La Solana is a stone's throw from the port. If you sleep in the centre, the Hotel Rolle occupies a stone mansion between the port and the pedestrian streets. - **Rinlo and the Beaches Walk to As Catedrais** (2 h · 6 km · All ages able to walk 6 km; linear · Free): Rinlo is Ribadeo's other port: a small fishing village west of the town, with houses clinging to the cliff and the sea coming in between the rocks as far as the streets. From here starts the beaches walk, about 6 km beside the sea to As Catedrais. It is easy, takes a couple of hours and ends at As Catedrais, so you can arrive on foot, at low tide, instead of looking for parking. What to see in Rinlo The port is in the A Areosa inlet, one of the few natural shelters on this coast, and has medieval origins. The houses are terraced, with gabled roofs and narrow streets sheltered from the wind; many kept fishing gear on the ground floor. In the early 20th century the tongues of sea between the rocks were used to build cetáreas, natural tanks for raising lobster and spider crab; they can still be seen beside the village. At the top, an indiano house with a lookout served as a lighthouse: it was the first on the Cantabrian coast installed on private property. Rinlo is also a place to eat. The dish is lobster rice, made at A Cofradía, at the port since 1992, and at Porto de Rinlo, in Praza de Santa Catalina. In summer the village celebrates the Festa do Percebe (goose barnacle festival). The beaches walk From Rinlo westwards, the path follows the coast between coves, sands and slate cliffs to As Catedrais, about 6 km according to the Parador de Ribadeo. Along the way are beaches such as Os Castros, the widest in Ribadeo, and Esteiro, among the most family-friendly according to Turismo de Ribadeo. It is linear: to return, the Ferrol–Xixón line train has halts at Esteiro, Os Castros and Rinlo, or leave a car at each end. If you have energy left, the Camino Natural Ruta del Cantábrico links the town of Ribadeo with this whole coast. Time your departure to reach As Catedrais an hour before low tide, and remember that at Easter and from 1 July to 30 September you need authorisation to go down to the sands. The paths above are open. With a geologist The Concello organises the Xeoruta dos Ollos, which leaves from Praza de Santa Catarina in Rinlo: three hours and 5 km to understand the "ollos" and micro-folds of this coast, free and with limited places. It is among the free geo-walks. - **Free Geo-walks with a Geologist Around As Catedrais, Rinlo and the Ría** (45 min · All ages; low difficulty · Free): Turismo de Ribadeo organises five free guided geo-walks (georrutas) along the municipality's coast, to understand why this coast has arches, "eyes" and folds in the rock. They last from 45 minutes to three and a half hours, are of low difficulty and take 20 people at most. They are booked through the Turismo de Ribadeo reservations centre, on its website. The five routes Xeoruta dos Arcos. The short one: 45 minutes and 1.5 km along As Catedrais to understand how the arches formed and why they keep changing. It leaves from the tourist information point on the beach. Mareas Vivas nas Catedrais. With a professional geologist, on spring-tide days, when the sea recedes furthest. It explains the formation of the arches and why the largest concentration of arches on the peninsula is here. The duration depends on the tide; it leaves from the same information point. Xeoruta dos Ollos. Three hours and 5 km from Praza de Santa Catarina, in Rinlo, to see the "ollos" (eyes) and micro-folds of this coast. Xeoruta dos Pregues. Three hours and 4 km along the hinge of a great fold that runs from the Ría de Foz to that of Ribadeo, formed in the collision of supercontinents. It leaves from the A Areosa recreation area, in Piñeira. Xeoruta da Ría. Three and a half hours and 6.5 km on the origin and evolution of the Ría de Ribadeo and its biodiversity. It leaves from the Ribadeo tourist office. How to book All are free and are requested on Turismo de Ribadeo's online reservation, linked from its website; the days with places appear there. If the route goes down to the As Catedrais sands at Easter or from 1 July to 30 September, bear in mind that the Xunta authorisation is still compulsory. The Xunta has its own free guided visit service for the natural monument, with official guides and groups of up to 25, which is requested together with the authorisation. Who it is for The Arcos one is good for anyone already on the beach who wants to know what they are looking at, also with children. The three-hour ones call for a desire to walk and listen, and suit curious teenagers and those returning to Ribadeo who already know As Catedrais. Wear shoes that grip on rock, and bring water and a layer for the wind. If you do the Ollos one, have lunch booked in Rinlo: it starts and ends there, and A Cofradía is in the same port. - **Surf Lessons at A Rapadoira Beach in Foz and Coto in Barreiros** (2 h · From age 7 and able to swim; beginners and improvers · Desde 35 € per person and 2-hour lesson): If you want to learn to surf for a few days in Ribadeo, a school with a website and published prices is Gamus Surf, from Maremasma, which gives lessons on two beaches to the west: Coto, in Barreiros, and A Rapadoira, in Foz. A two-hour lesson costs €35 with board and wetsuit, and is for over-7s who can swim. What the lesson is like There are two levels. The beginner lesson is almost all practice: on the sand you learn the parts of the board, paddling and how to stand up, and the rest of the time you are in the water with the instructor until you catch your first wave. The improvement level, for those who already stand up, works on types of waves, currents and manoeuvres, and adds video analysis. Each day the school chooses the beach with the waves best suited to each level. Four people are needed to form a group; if you don't reach that, you are put together with other students. It includes public liability and accident insurance. Prices and booking One two-hour lesson, €35; two, €65; three, €90; five, €130; ten, €230. Passes can't be combined across successive purchases. There are summer courses by days or weeks and a year-round school. Book on the Maremasma website or on 613 092 462; before the activity they ask you to sign an authorisation form. If it's not a wave day The same company runs guided kayak routes on the Ría de Foz, a special protection area for birds: two hours, 3.5 km and €35, with no previous experience needed and with marine biologists. On the Ría de Ribadeo we haven't found an active kayak school with its own website. Closer to the town, Turismo de Ribadeo points to Os Castros as its best surfing beach, on the stretch of coast between Rinlo and As Catedrais. To sleep near the western beaches, Mi Norte, in A Devesa, lies between Ribadeo and As Catedrais. ## Dónde comer - **A Cofradía de Rinlo** (Restaurant, Rinlo, €€€). Qué pedir: the soupy seafood rice with lobster or spiny lobster, for two; if you are hungry, the seafood grill platter - **Porto de Rinlo Restaurant** (Restaurant, Rinlo, €€€). Qué pedir: the soupy rice with lobster, spiny lobster, prawns and clams; or octopus with turnip greens and a portion of razor clams - **La Solana Restaurant** (Restaurant, Ribadeo). Qué pedir: the soupy rice with lobster, the goose barnacles or a turbot; at the bar, something to nibble ## By car: Town on Foot, Beaches by Car Ribadeo is explored on foot, but As Catedrais, Rinlo and the western beaches are outside the town, and the car is the practical choice. The A-8 passes above with a direct exit to the beach, number 516, and along the N-634 it is about 10 minutes. In summer, Turismo de Ribadeo warns that parking around the beach is difficult: the Bus Praia from Ribadeo station saves you looking for a space and its ticket counts as authorisation. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–140 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Parador de Ribadeo** (Hotel): A manor house facing the ría The Parador occupies a Galician casona (manor house) at the mouth of the Eo, two minutes from the centre of Ribadeo and beside the N-640, which skirts the ría. From the rooms with views and from the dining room you see the whole ría and, on the other bank, the Asturian villages of Figueras and Castropol. The decoration is nautical in style. Rooms and services There are three types: standard double, with views of the inner courtyard; superior double, with sea views; and suite, also with sea views. If you come for the landscape, ask for the superior. It has a lift, free wifi, room service, laundry and breakfast in the room. The outdoor parking is free and there is a paid garage. Pets are allowed: Paradores asks you to check its conditions before booking. The restaurant Galician seafaring cooking with fish and seafood from the Cantabrian Sea, and dishes such as empanada, lacón (cured pork shoulder), soupy rice with lobster or Cebreiro ice cream, with the ría in front. For As Catedrais The beach is about ten kilometres away. If you stay here, at reception they give you the access pass for the days when the Xunta requires authorisation, so you don't depend on the website's quota. The Parador also suggests the Ruta de los Miradores, of 11.5 km, via the chapel of San Miguel, O Cargadoiro and the Illa Pancha lighthouse, and the boat trip on the ría leaves from the port, a walk away. - **Hotel Rolle** (Small hotel, desde 60 € / night): The Rolle is a small hotel in an old mansion on Rúa Ingeniero Schulz, a quiet street between the marina and the pedestrian streets of the centre of Ribadeo. The port is about a hundred metres away and the municipal park next door. The house grew out of a traditional restaurant in the town and was restored with exposed stone and wood. On the balconies it keeps the cast-iron railings from the Sargadelos period, of the 18th and 19th centuries, and each room is named after a district or corner of Ribadeo. Double beds and street-facing windows All the rooms are doubles with a double bed, and all, with their own bathroom, face the street; the hotel says they are soundproofed. They have air conditioning and individual heating, a 26-inch television, free wifi and cable connection, a fridge and a safe at no charge. The bathrooms have a hydromassage shower and hairdryer. The furniture is modern within the old structure. There is a lift to the rooms. If you are travelling with children and need two beds or an extra one, the website doesn't cover it: ask before booking. Nor does it say anything about pets or the hotel's own parking. Breakfast, in the café downstairs Breakfast is included in all rates and served in the hotel café, which during the day also offers raciones, tapas and pinchos. For lunch or dinner at a more leisurely pace, La Solana is in the port area, a few minutes' walk away. Four price seasons The 2026 rates, with breakfast and VAT, are by season. The double costs €80 in low season; €95 in mid season, from 19 June to 9 July, 1 to 19 September, on the Pilar long weekend and on some days in December; €130 in high season, from 2 to 6 April, 10 to 31 July and 23 to 31 August; and €150 from 1 to 22 August. Occupied by one person, it drops to €60 in low season; in the others it costs the same as the double. The hotel asks you to call 982 120 670 for the direct booking price, and it has a rate for sales reps from Monday to Thursday. If you cancel up to three days before arrival there is no charge; after that, or if you don't show up, they charge the first night. They accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro. As Catedrais with a direct booking The hotel guarantees access to the As Catedrais beach to those who book directly with it, on the days when the Xunta requires authorisation: Easter and from 1 July to 30 September. The beach is a little over ten kilometres by car; in the town, on foot, you have the port, the Blue Trail and the old town with the Torre dos Moreno. - **Hotel Mi Norte** (Small hotel, desde 78 € / night): A hotel of films in the countryside Mi Norte is in A Devesa, in the rural surroundings of Ribadeo, between the town and As Catedrais, also near Rinlo port. It opened in 2004 and presents itself as Spain's first cinema-themed hotel: each of its thirteen rooms is decorated after a film, from All About My Mother or Breakfast at Tiffany's to Out of Africa, and in the garden house are the suites The Blue Lagoon, The Great Wednesday and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Film professionals worked on the decoration: designers, directors of photography and decorators. Rooms and prices There are eight doubles with a double bed, two with two beds and three suites; some admit an extra bed or sofa bed, and there is a cot. All are exterior, with heating, full bathroom, television and internet, and some have a terrace. In low season the double costs €78 for one person and €80 for two, or €85 and €90 with a terrace. In high season (July, 1 to 15 September and Easter), the double for two costs €99, or €119 with a terrace, and in August, Christmas and New Year's the rates rise from €140. The extra beds are for under-12s. Breakfast is paid separately, €12. What to know There is no 24-hour reception: you must arrive before 20:00. If you book with them they give you a free pass for As Catedrais, useful at Easter and in summer. For dinner, Rinlo is nearby, with A Cofradía at the port. - **Illa Pancha Lighthouse** (Apartment): The old lighthouse of the estuary Illa Pancha is the islet that marks the entrance to the Ribadeo estuary, about 2 km from the centre of the town, joined to the coast by a bridge. The old lighthouse, a square-plan building, was built in 1857 and worked until 1983, when the new black-and-white striped tower was built next to it. The island was closed to the public from 1984 until the 2013 state plan to turn lighthouses into accommodation allowed this one to open. Inside there are two different apartments, each for four people and with its own garden area. They have a double bedroom with television, a living room with a double sofa bed, a spacious bathroom and a full open-plan kitchen: fridge, microwave, induction hob, coffee machine, juicer and toaster. There is free wifi, a safe, private parking and local guides. What it is like to spend the night By day the island is not only yours. The accommodation has a bar with a large terrace over the mouth of the estuary, open also to people who are not staying there, from 12:00 to 19:30, and it is a stopping point for people walking out to the lighthouse. When the bar closes, the islet is far quieter. In spring and summer the water of the estuary is calm; in autumn and winter what you hear is the sea breaking on the rocks, and it is a good season for birdwatching, because the estuary is a stopover and wintering area. It is a comfortable place for a family or two couples: the living room becomes a second double bed. There is no restaurant outside; you have the kitchen, a menu of products that they leave in the fridge if you ask for it, and a picnic made to order for days out. Bear in mind that washing the kitchenware is up to you. Pets are not allowed. Booking and surroundings You book on its own website's engine, which does not publish a fixed rate: the price appears when you choose dates. To redeem gift cards or resolve queries, call or write. With only two apartments, summer and long weekends fill up well in advance. The As Catedrais beaches are about 8 km away, Rinlo 4 and the FEVE station, in the centre of Ribadeo, 2. From the door sets off the Blue Trail to the harbour and As Aceas, and for the As Catedrais beach at low tide you will need the car. ## As a family: Low Tide, Boats and a Train with Children With children, Ribadeo works by the tide: As Catedrais beach at low tide is an outing in itself, and when the water rises there are short boat trips, a tourist train and a lighthouse. ### What works best As Catedrais at low tide, with shoes that grip; no pushchair, because you go down by stairs The boat trip on the ría, 30 minutes and €7, for any age The boat to As Catedrais, from age 3: €20 for ages 3 to 10 The tourist train in July and August: €4 for ages 4 to 12, free up to 3 The Blue Trail to the Illa Pancha lighthouse, flat and short Surfing from age 7 with Gamus Surf, in Foz or Barreiros ### Sleep Hotel Mi Norte, with extra beds for under-12s and a cot Parador de Ribadeo, with ría views and free parking ### Eat In Rinlo, rice dishes to share; Porto de Rinlo also has meats and salads ### Keep in mind The Xunta does not recommend that minors visit As Catedrais without an adult Don't go near the base of the arches or the caves with them Esteiro and As Illas are Ribadeo's most family-friendly beaches for swimming ### Qué hacer as a family - As Catedrais Beach at Low Tide, with the Xunta's Free Authorisation - Boat to As Catedrais Beach from Ribadeo Port - Boat Trip on the Ría de Ribadeo, Under the Puente de los Santos - From the Illa Pancha Lighthouse to the As Aceas Mill on the Blue Trail - Ribadeo's Historic Centre, the Torre dos Moreno and the Street of the Indianos - Rinlo and the Beaches Walk to As Catedrais - Free Geo-walks with a Geologist Around As Catedrais, Rinlo and the Ría - Surf Lessons at A Rapadoira Beach in Foz and Coto in Barreiros ## Consejos ### Tide table first Choose the day and time by low tide, and then book. ### Sleep in Ribadeo in summer Your accommodation gives you the pass for As Catedrais. ### No pushchair on the beach You go down steps; carry the baby in a sling. ### Lunch in Rinlo, by phone Neither restaurant takes online bookings. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How much does it cost to visit As Catedrais beach? Nothing. Entry and the Xunta's guided visits are free. ### When do you need a permit for As Catedrais? At Easter and from 1 July to 30 September, at ascatedrais.xunta.gal and up to 30 days ahead. ### What do I do if no permits are left? Sleep in Ribadeo and ask for the pass from your accommodation, or go by Bus Praia or taxi. ### Can you see As Catedrais at high tide? From the paths above and from the sea, by boat. The sand is under water. ### Can you go with a dog? To the paths, yes, on a lead. They cannot go down to the sand at Easter or from 15 May to 15 September. ### How many days do you need? One is enough; with a night you pick the best low tide and add the boat and the Senda Azul.