Porto Do Son: Harbor, Coast and Maritime Culture

Porto Do Son reveals itself through its maritime culture, coastal landscape and protected wetlands. The fishing harbor lies at the inner end of the Ría Muros and Noia and marks the maritime boundary between the Rías Baixas and the Rías Altas. When planning your trip, you can choose different focuses: fishing and local history, coastal paths or birdwatching.

Harbor and Maritime Culture

Small traditional boats from Porto Do Son harvest shellfish and fish for octopus using traps. At the Porto Do Son fish market, octopus bearing the “Polbo en Lonxa” quality seal plays an important role in auctions. The seal guarantees the quality and origin of the product from one of the six fish markets in the Ría Muros and Noia. Fishing-related topics therefore range from the work of the boats to the auctioning of octopus. The Club Náutico de Porto Do Son also promotes water sports, including sport fishing.

The Museo Marea is an ethnographic space. It focuses on the objects and stories of Porto Do Son’s people, as well as the maritime culture of other places along the Ría. Its exhibitions cover fishing gear, shipwrecks in the region, women’s maritime occupations, and the salt and canning industries. Museo Marea also serves as a tourist information office; check before your visit whether this service is available on your date.

A walk through the fishing villages of Porto Do Son and Portosín takes in some former salting plants, including the one on the islet of Punta Anguieira and those belonging to the Ferrer and Lestón families. Former salt processing stands alongside fishing and the canning industry as another aspect of the maritime economy.

History, Coast and Nature

Castro de Baroña is a fortified Iron Age settlement that was inhabited from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD and is designated an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). Its history therefore extends further back than the more recent history of fishing and maritime occupations.

At Praia das Furnas, natural pools have formed through wind and water erosion of the slate. An accessible promenade allows visitors to walk along the beach’s entire length. The Senda litoral connects the coast of Porto Do Son from north to south for around 30 km. While the promenade runs along the entire length of the beach, the Senda litoral describes a north–south route along the coast.

The Xuño and Muro wetland complex is included in the Natura 2000 network and forms part of the “Complexo Húmido de Corrubedo” Site of Community Importance (SCI). There are two birdwatching hides near the Xuño and Muro lagoons.

Choosing Your Travel Interests

Porto Do Son is one of four ports on the Ría where the Camino de Santiago route through the Rías Muros and Noia begins. This means that, alongside coastal and nature-related activities, the Camino de Santiago is another travel interest to consider. When looking for a hotel, you can use your travel focus as a starting point: the harbor, fish market, Museo Marea and former salting plants offer maritime culture; Praia das Furnas and the Senda litoral offer different ways to experience the coast; and the lagoons are a good place to focus on birdwatching.

Discover more destinations: Nebra, A Cruz, Portosin, Mazaricos, Monfero, Ambroa, Ordes, Ribeira

View the broader travel overview: Coruña.