A Guarda
Camino Portugues
A Guarda is a working fishing port that takes justified pride in serving the freshest catch-of-the-day seafood in Galicia. The waterfront restaurants specialize in whatever the boats brought in that morning, and a meal here is one of the culinary highlights of the Coastal route.
The harbor itself is compact and busy, with fishermen mending nets and offloading their catch in the early hours. The town climbs steeply from the waterfront, and the streets have a no-nonsense character that reflects a place still genuinely tied to the sea rather than tourism.
A Guarda's most important landmark is the mountain peak to the south, the Monte de Santa Trega. The hike to the summit takes about an hour and the reward is twofold: panoramic views over the Minho estuary and the Atlantic, and one of the best-preserved Iron Age Celtic hillforts (castros) in Galicia. The circular stone foundations of some 40 reconstructed dwellings spread across the hillside, and a small museum on site provides context. The settlement dates to at least the 1st century BC, though some evidence suggests earlier habitation. At the top sits a small chapel, and on clear days you can see north along the entire stretch of coast you're about to walk.
Leave A Guarda along the Rúa Puerto Rico, passing the municipal albergue. The arrows are poor here and the best way is to keep an eye out for a sign indicating the way to Playa Area Granda, a left turn off the Rúa Puerto Rico. Follow this road all the way to the sea and turn right. Ahead is a small beach, followed by a curve in the road, and then a slightly larger beach. This is the Area Grande.
Accommodation in A Guarda.
| Albergue de peregrinos de A Guarda 10€ 36 |
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| Albergue O Peirao 16-18€ 16 Booking.com |
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