Fisterra Voyage Tips and guide

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Fisterra or Finisterre means "land's end" and is in Galicia near the northwest tip of Spain. The name refers both to the rugged headland and the nearby village, which had a population of 4700 in 2021. In modern times it's become a three-day extension and alternative finishing point for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail.

"Finisterre. Southwest 3 or 4. Occasional rain. Moderate or poor. Sole . . . "

Finisterre is the rocky headland taken as the boundary between the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic. Many English speakers first learned the name as a sea area in the BBC Radio shipping forecast, which follows a strict pattern and is recited in a way that became a litany in their maritime subconscious. The forecast sea area is now called Fitzroy for the founder of the Meteorological Office, while the headland is known by its Galician name of Fisterra. It remains a dangerous coast, the Costa da Morte that has claimed many ships and lives.

Fisterra town is on the sheltered east side of the peninsula, a small fishing village of narrow streets. Four km south is the cape with its lighthouse and marker of, um, of what exactly? It's not the most westerly point in mainland Europe, that's Capo da Roca west of Lisbon. It's not the last mainland sunset, which in mid-summer reflects latitude not longitude, so in June Hammerfest is bathed in evening light long after nightfall in Fisterra. Like its namesake Land's End in England, Fisterra needed to invent itself as a destination, and what it came up with was pilgrimage, cashing in on the fame of Santiago.

The major pilgrimage was the "Camino" to Santiago, and from the Middle Ages a few ventured further to see this fabled "end of the world" and visit its shrines. However these were not tourists, but believers in the creed that in the afterlife they must suffer hellfire in Purgatory until cleansed of their sins. An "indulgence" bought you time off, and was obtained by acts such as a pilgrimage, fasting and self-flagellation, reciting prayers, or making a donation. The Santiago pilgrimage was very highly rated but Fisterra scored low, though no-one ever came back from the afterlife to verify or diss these claims.

Purgatory is still Roman Catholic doctrine but other branches of Christianity don't buy it, and modern pilgrims prefer to emphasise the spiritual journey that accompanies the physical. In this sense, Fisterra is a three day extension or wind-down lap after Santiago, which can feel over-touristed and far from spiritual. Anything that draws visitors onward to under-explored parts of Galicia is surely worth an indulgence.

42.9056-9.26261 Visitor information is available online or at the south end of Praza da Constitución, the town's humdrum main square. This is also the place to get your Camino certificate signed off. It's open March-Oct daily 12:00-19:00.

By road from Santiago de Compostela take AC-441 west via Burdeogas, 82 km.

A twisty winding alternative is via Serra de Outes and the coast. Monbus follows this route five times a day, taking 2 hr 45 min from Santiago.

From A Coruña is 108 km via AG-55. Arriva Galicia buses take 2 hours via Carballo. There's five M-F and two Sa Su, most of which terminate in town but one continues to the cape.

Walk. From town to the cape is 4 km and the road has a sidewalk.

Taxis in town are Roberto (+34 67 048 7187), Ismael Montero Lago (+34 66 686 2373) and Francisco Marcote (+34 65 998 3629).

• 42.9213-9.27091 San Martiño de Duio is a baroque church of 1707 off the road into Fisterra village.
• Fort of San Carlos, Rúa Alfredo Saralegui 5 (50 m south of harbour), ☏ +34 60 096 5809. Tu-Sa 11:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Su 11:00-14:00. A small fort built from 1757 along with two others to defend the broad bay, rather than specifically Fisterra. It's been restored as a fisherman's museum. (updated Feb 2025)
• Bon Suceso is a Baroque chapel of 1743 in village centre. It's seldom open.
• 42.9014-9.26392 Santa María das Areas was built with local granite in the late 12th century, modified down the years in multiple styles. Around 1340 it acquired the icon of Santo Cristo de Finisterre. It's south end of the village at Rúa Alcalde Fernández 14.
• Hermitage of San Guillerme overlooks the cape road 500 m south of the village. The ruin is scrappy and the access path is overgrown. "Holy Stones" further west towards the cliffs are just natural outcrops amidst a tangle of gorse.
• The final marker or El último mojón is a Camino waymark placed somewhat arbitrarily 100 m short of the lighthouse. All that can be said of it with confidence is that it is indeed 0.00 km away from El último mojón.
• 42.8824-9.27193 Fisterra Lighthouse was built in 1853 and remains operational, no interior access. The light has a range of 42.6 km but as it's 143 m above sea level it's often shrouded in fog, and shipwrecks continued. In 1888 a foghorn was added, which in Spanish and Galician is called vaca, a cow.
• "The boot" is a bronze statue affixed to the rocks beyond the lighthouse, symbolic of a pilgrim. It's become a modern ritual to abandon hiking boots and other apparel around here, like love-locks on a bridge. It's unsightly and some people ritualistically burn their kit, in a region that has suffered disastrous wildfires. Police will fine those they catch, but they really ought to cancel offenders' Camino completion certificates and re-impose the appropriate spell in Purgatory.

• Beaches are mostly on the east side, and include O Rostro, Arnela, Langosteira, Ribeira and Corveiro. Mar de Fóra beach is west, exposed to the Atlantic, and usually too rough for swimming.
• Scuba diving: Buceo Finisterre on the harbour pier offer lessons, kit hire and organised dives.
• Semana Santa is Holy Week, the run up to Easter, with religious events here as in the rest of Spain.

There are three small supermarkets in town centre and one in Escaselas 1 km north.

A dozen places along the harbour cater to day-trippers.

O' fragón stands out from the crowd. It's at Lugar San Martiño de Arriba 22, 500 m inland from Escaselas beach.

Half a dozen bars by the harbour.

Galicia is a wine-growing region, producing mostly white and crisp like Portuguese wine.

• El Campo is a motorhome park north edge of town, €11 per night.
• 42.9068-9.26651 Albergue Mar de Fora, Rúa Potiña 14, ☏ +34 64 826 3639, [email protected]. Simple central hostel. (updated Feb 2025)
• 42.9101-9.26312 Hostel Albergue Oceanus, Av da Coruña 33, ☏ +34 60 982 1302, [email protected]. Basic place but clean with helpful owner. (updated Feb 2025)
• Albergue La Espiral is at Rúa Fonte Vella 19. Warm welcoming place, no alcohol.
• 42.9041-9.26283 Albergue Finistellae, Rúa Manuel Lago Pais 7, ☏ +34 63 782 1296, [email protected]. Simple clean hostel open April-Oct. (updated Feb 2025)
• Porto Real Hotel, Rúa Real 27 (facing harbour), ☏ +34 63 693 7624. Great reviews for this smart comfy place. B&B double €140. (updated Feb 2025)
• 42.9077-9.26314 Albergue de Peregrinos Fisterra, Rua Real 2, ☏ +34 98 174 0781, [email protected]. Spartan municipal hostel open April-Oct, kitchen closes early, one night max and you have to be out by 8 next morning (updated Feb 2025)
• Insula Finisterrae Hotel 500 m west of town has quality accommodation but several have found the staff hostile.
• Hotel El Semáforo, Cabo Fisterra Road (by cape lighthouse), ☏ +34 98 111 0210. This was the cape lighthouse keepers' dwelling, now an upmarket hotel and restaurant. Mostly good reviews. B&B double €150. (updated Feb 2025)

As of Feb 2025, Fisterra and its sole approach road have 4G from Vodafone and 5G from Masmovil, Movistar and Orange.

• Muros is a similar but far less touristy harbour to the south.
• Santiago de Compostela is a must-see for its old city centre, not just the cathedral.