Coto da Filloa

About this heritage

Ten kilometers from Boiro is the A Figueira viewpoint, also known as Coto da Filloa. The word "coto" in this case refers to the highest part of a hill, which generally has a conical shape and gives it greater verticality. This viewpoint is located in the place called A Figueira and belongs to the parish of Cures (Santo André).

From here, you get a panoramic view of the Ría de Arousa, with the perfectly aligned batea polygons. Straight ahead, you can see Vilagarcía de Arousa, with A Illa de Arousa in the middle of the estuary, and closing the southern part, the O Grove peninsula and the small rocky island of Pombeiro, where the waves crash. Protecting the estuary is the island of Sálvora with the islets of Noro, Vionta, and Herboso forming a unique landscape. On days of greater visibility, you can also see the Ons islands to the south, as well as the Cíes archipelago and even Monte Santa Trega, which rises at the mouth of the Miño River forming the border with Portugal. In this place, we can also enjoy the presence of wild horses.

Very close to this site is the "Ruta de las mámoas," formed by about 30 funerary monuments dating back thousands of years. This location would have been an optimal place to watch over the territory, orient oneself, and defend their families.

To learn more

The A Figueira viewpoint, also called Coto da Filloa, is located at the top of a hill, a few kilometers from Boiro. This site, belonging to the parish of Cures (Santo André), offers impressive panoramic views of the Ría de Arousa.

Another element close to the parish of Cures is the Ruta das mámoas or megalithic route, referring to a necropolis that forms a natural transit path. This allows crossing the interior of the O Barbanza mountain range following what was about 6000 years ago a ritual itinerary with more than 30 mámoas. These funerary mounds were used to bury several people, regardless of sex or age, along with their belongings, tools, and ornaments. It seems they sought to create landmarks to impose the presence of the group that built them in areas where more people would pass, as the O Barbanza mountain range is the natural passage area to cross the peninsula.

The Coto da Filloa or A Filloa viewpoint is one of the viewpoints that can be observed from the sea while undertaking The Sea Route of Arousa and Ulla River. It is a unique maritime and river itinerary that commemorates the arrival in Galicia, by sea, of the body of the Apostle Santiago after his martyrdom in Jerusalem around the year 44. This route is known as the Translatio and constitutes the only maritime Via Crucis in the world.

To know it better

Boiro is a coastal municipality located in the comarca of O Barbanza, in the province of A Coruña. This municipality of the Galician Rías Baixas, nestled in the Ría de Arousa, has a wide variety of beaches such as Carragueiros and Barraña. Likewise, one of the most popular coastal visits in the area is Cabo de Cruz and the Barraña cove. Additionally, the municipality of Boiro is close to places like A Pobra do Caramiñal, Rianxo, and Ribeira.

In the Boiro parish of Cures is the village of A Figueira. Here you can enjoy nature and a spectacular panoramic view thanks to the Coto da Filloa or A Figueira viewpoint. This place is surrounded by rocks and shrubs and offers views of the entire Ría de Arousa.

Near the viewpoint, the famous mámoas stand out, funerary monuments from thousands of years ago. They correspond to the Megalithic era, a stage between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. In the municipality of Boiro, there are different remains that confirm the presence of ancient civilizations, and part of the vestiges of that time are these funerary elements.

The Boiro Town Hall promotes different routes so visitors have the opportunity to enjoy these ancient monuments and the wonderful views offered by the Coto da Filloa or A Figueira viewpoint. Also, it is worth noting that during the time these settlements were inhabited, this viewpoint would have been used as a lookout point to defend against various attacks and to orient themselves.