Burela: Coastal Landscape, Nature and History

At Cabo Burela, a monolith bears the inscription “Unha punta, unha pedra, un pobo”, as well as a compass rose and the coordinates of the site. Burela de Cabo was the seat of the ruling power, symbolised by its tower.

Other places: Barreiros, Estelo, Ribadeo, Meirengos, Saa, Samos, Airoá and Goiriz.

History

The Casa Torre, or Casa Fuerte, of Burela de Cabo dates from the 15th century and was originally a fortified seat of power connected with the settlement and the harbour economy. As a former Casa Torre, it was a defensive tower and, at the same time, a residence of the ruling family. In the building, also known as Casa del Escudo, only the coat of arms remains from the former Casa Torre.

Burela de Cabo had a chapel called Santa Catalina, which was closed for worship at the end of the 18th century. The place name “A Capela” has survived to this day. In the 16th century, a watchtower stood at Cabo Burela and served to warn of danger.

Cabo Burela also had a castro, a type of settlement characteristic of the Iron Age. The Torques de Burela was found in the castro. The area of Burela de Cabo and Calle Pascual Veiga preserve traces of a traditional rural setting, now intermingled with newer urban buildings. The Pasadiñas River once flowed from Burela de Cabo to the harbour and passed beneath the main road under a stone bridge whose remains are still visible.

Nature

The Igrexa de Coeda is a natural cave of great beauty and geological uniqueness. Known as a “church” or “sea altar”, the cave has a “dome” supported by four arches, through which the waters of the Cantabrian Sea enter. It lies in the Perdouro geological zone, which has been declared an area of international geological interest.

O Xiringote is one of the few blowholes in granite rocks known worldwide. In the rocky area of Cabo Burela, the waves break with particular force during the overwintering period. The municipality offers guided and interpreted ornithological routes at Cabo Burela and in its surroundings, introducing visitors to the observation and identification of various seabird species and the endemic cliff flora.

Paths

The “Mar e Barro” route can be completed on foot, by bicycle or in a motorised vehicle and includes 13 marked stops. It is 7.87 km long, follows a linear route and is generally of low difficulty. Individual sections on the way to the Igrexa de Coeda are moderately difficult because of the terrain. A large part of the route runs along a paved seafront promenade and is accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs.

In the surroundings of Burela de Cabo, the Ruta Circular de Burela is approximately 16 km long and has a moderate level of difficulty. The route leads to the Miradoiro Monte Castelo viewpoint, which offers panoramic views of the Cantabrian coast.

The Sendero Azul Ruta del Litoral Burelés passes a few metres from the castro at Cabo Burela. In the surroundings of Burela de Cabo, this trail can be walked or cycled.

Surroundings

In the surroundings of Burela de Cabo, Playa de A Marosa is suitable for surfing because of its waves and has parking, a recreational area with a children’s playground, showers and seasonal lifeguard supervision. A walk through the Área Geológica de A Marosa offers the opportunity to explore the morphology of the area.

In the surroundings of Burela de Cabo lies the museum ship Barco Museo Boniteiro ‘Reina del Carmen’, a traditional wooden fishing vessel from the Cantabrian Sea that was converted into an ethnographic museum in 2000.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lugo.