Dolmen of Dombate

Cabana de Bergantiños

Expressions such as the cathedral or the Sistine Chapel of Galician megalithic art reflect the importance that this monument located in the Bergantiños region has within the archaeological heritage of this community. Since a decade ago it has been protected inside a building erected to preserve especially its valuable paintings. Its interpretation centre also has a life-size replica of the interior of the vault so that visitors can see what is hidden inside the enormous stones that inspired poets such as Eduardo Pondal. Excavations in the area have shown that the current dolmen was built on top of an older structure.

Dolmen of Axeitos

Ribeira

Another of the most famous dolmens in Galicia is located in the parish of Oleiros (Ribeira). Also known as Pedra do Mouro, the one in Axeitos is one of the best preserved megalithic monuments of this type in the whole of the Peninsula and is framed by a tumulus of about 30 metres in diameter. More than half a dozen slabs covered by another large stone form its vault, which is about 2 metres high. Located in a wooded area, it is a must for those who go to the Barbanza region.

Pedra da Arca

Malpica

The huge slab that covered this dolmen located in the municipality of Malpica was split in half using explosives several decades ago. The two fragments remain fallen on the vertical slabs that originally supported them, but this does not prevent us from imagining the majesty of this construction erected at the height of the megalithic culture.

Casiña dos Mouros and Casota do Foxo

Muíños

These two dolmens are located in the necropolis of As Maus de Salas, next to the waters of the Salas reservoir. In fact, the Casiña da Moura had to be moved from its original location to avoid being affected by the rising waters. Both in this case and in the neighbouring Casota do Foxo, its chambers are more than two metres high and are formed by seven orthostats (large stone blocks placed vertically) which hold another huge stone.

Pedra da Arca and Pedra Cuberta

Vimianzo

The size of its slabs and the diameter of the mámoa make the Pedra da Arca dolmen one of the largest in Galicia. The upper slab alone weighs around 12 tons. It also stands out for the remains of engravings and paintings that can be seen inside. It is located in a municipality, Vimianzo, which is especially rich in megalithic heritage and where it has designed a specific route to show its main points of interest, such as the Pedra Cuberta dolmen, which was already studied 90 years ago because of the paintings in its corridor.

Mámoas of Guidoiro Areoso

A Illa de Arousa

The small islet of Guidoiro Areoso stands out because, despite its small size and the fact that it is mostly made up of sand, it houses several archaeological remains. Specialists have identified at least five mámoas (tombs formed by a dolmen covered by a mound of dirt) and have carried out several excavations to try to find out the extent of these structures. It is believed that at the time of its construction the site formed part of a peninsula and was not as exposed to the action of the tides as it is today. The changes in the currents of the estuary in the last decade threaten its conservation.

Mámoa do Rei

Vilaboa

Situated in the heart of the natural park of Lake Castiñeiras, the Mámoa do Rei is the main monument of the megalithic complex of A Chan de Castiñeiras, one of the most important in Galicia and which is located in the lands of the Pontevedra municipalities of Vilaboa and Marín. A tumulus measuring 30 by 20 metres with a dolmen in its centre forms the Mámoa do Rei, which was restored at the beginning of this millennium. During the excavations carried out in the area, several anthropomorphic idols were found and inside the dolmen’s vault there are several figures engraved in the stone. 

Dolmen of Cabaleiros

Tordoia

As in many other cases, in past centuries a legendary origin was attributed to the spectacular dolmen located in the parish of Cabaleiros, in the municipality of Tordoia, A Coruña. The inhabitants of the place transmitted from generation to generation the history of a “moura” that had been seen weaving inside this structure formed by seven stones covered by a large slab of more than 12 square meters, hence it was popularly known as the House of the Moura. This dolmen was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1975.

Because that is one of the best characteristics of O Carreirón. The protected area can only be accessed through a single point: the roundabout at the entrance to the Illa de Arousa from the bridge connecting it to the municipality of Vilanova. The only road leads to two campsites and ends at a small roundabout and a paid parking lot. From there, the route can only be done on foot.

And it’s worth it. Following the route marked with vertical wooden signs, hikers will first find the largest beach in the park, that of Xastelas. There one can find all the necessary amenities to spend a quiet family day at the beach: chiringuitos or beach bars, toilets and a promenade will delight those who want to enjoy the good weather and sunbathe. The water is especially calm in this area of ​​Galicia, since the beach is far into the Arousa estuary, facing Cambados. At low tide, this shallow area of the estuary allows bathers to walk dozens of meters into the sea before water covers them.

The natural spectacle begins when turning at Xastelas. From this point and surrounding the entire peninsula that makes up O Carreirón are countless inlets, small beaches and rocky areas going in and out of the sea, giving visitors multiple bathing options. The beaches of Os Espiños, Dente de Can, Lontreira, Os Petóns … the best option is to stroll down the footpath and stop at whichever you prefer. Or at several, because the journey is short and easily done in an hour’s journey.

It is advisable to keep an eye on the fauna, both at the foot of the sea (where, in the late afternoon, it is common to see a spectacle of fish jumping out of the water and birds, consequently, preparing for the hunt) and at the dunes inland (where it is easy to see good-sized lizards, rabbits and different types of birds). It is also very nice, especially when traveling with children, to observe the peculiar shapes of the surrounding rocks. Some have names that are very easy to understand at first sight, such as Con do Crocodilo (crocodile rock), Con do Fuciño do Porco (pig snout rock) or Tres Pés (three feet rock).

In the interior is the O Carreirón lagoon, very shallow and just over a square kilometre in size. On it migratory birds nest and rest, and can be seen from watchtowers built for this precise purpose. It is a key point of the Birds’ Special Protection International Area and Arousa’s complex intertidal area.