Catedrales ( A Natural Stone Arches), Galician Coast, Spain

Catedrais Beach translates as 'Beach of the Cathedrals'. It is the touristic name of Praia de Aguas Santas (in Galician language: 'Beach of the Holy Waters'). The Spanish beach is located in the Ribadeo municipality, in the province of Lugo (Galicia), on the Cantabric coast, and it lies about ten kilometers to the west from the town of Ribadeo. Its name is derived from the formations of its cliffs. It has been declared a Natural Monument by the regional Ministry for the Environment of the Xunta de Galicia.

The characteristic features of the beach are its natural arches and caves, which can be seen only in low tide. During high tide, the beach appears small, but still suitable for swimming. During low tide the size of its cliffs and sea caves is more apparent, ranging from small cracks on the rock to big caves whose roofs have collapsed due to the erosion of the waves. During low tide, there is access to a sand deposit delimited by a rocky wall made from slate and schist forming 30 meters arches resembling cathedral flying buttresses, large caves, sand corridors between rocky blocks, and other geologic features. Particularly low tides create access to nearby beaches through the sand extension. As the coast stretch is almost horizontal, the water covers the beach again very quickly. 

 

 

As the waters recede, a vista of natural arches, cliffs, and sea caves are revealed. The arches themselves reach 90 feet in height, while deep, eroded caves stretch back into the cliffside. Connecting all these features are sandy patches formed by the schist and slate of the rocks themselves. Playa de Catedrales has become a popular destination for those who feel a more holy kinship with nature, or seek to experience a touch of the divine in a new, unexpected setting.

 

Catedrales is so popular that you have to reserve your entry before you visit and best time to visit Beach of the Cathedrals is during August.

 

The fantastical name Praia das Catedrais (Cathedral Beach) does do it justice. The way the rocks dissolve over time turns them into surprising and extraordinary shapes that resemble the great architectural works of humankind. Arches and bridges that seem to defy gravity in the most precarious ways. Vaulted caves and mazes of stone pillars that stubbornly hold onto their foundations against the odds. It is a beach that is not so much for sun bathing or swimming. Rather, it is a photographer’s paradise with many different angles and perspectives. They are in continuous change in accordance with time, tide, and season. And it is more. It is an adventure playground for those who love to explore a natural beach with all its hidden corners and secret unknowns. Playa de las Catedrales is perfect for families, explorers, nature lovers.