Curota Viewpoint

About this heritage

Curota is a mountain with an altitude of 596 meters that belongs to the southern sector of the Barbanza Mountain Range (Sierra del Barbanza) in the municipality of Pobra do Caramiñal in the province of Coruña.

From this point, one can see the Vigo, Pontevedra, Arousa, and Muros-Noia estuaries and the Ons Islands, Sálvora Island, and a little further down, the Cíes Islands and even the Santa Trega Mountain in A Guarda. Curota has a set of unique viewpoints, among them, the one in Curotiña, which is 512 meters away.

Given the beauty of this enclave, it is not surprising that Valle-Inclán surrendered to its charms. He became such a regular visitor that they named another of the nearby viewpoints after him: "Valle-Inclán viewpoint." It has a height of 368 meters; it is included in three hiking routes and is accessible for those with reduced mobility and adapted for people with visual disabilities.

Near the viewpoint of Curota, visitors can observe both horses and wild cows in their natural habitat, which provides an exceptional ecological and tourist interest for those nature lovers.

The itinerary "Route of the Sea of Arousa and the Ulla River" of the Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago) runs through the Arousa estuary. A unique maritime-fluvial itinerary to commemorate the arrival by sea to Galicia of the remains of the Saint James the Apostle (Saint James the Great) after his martyrdom in Jerusalem in 44 BC.

To learn more

A Curota is a mountain 596 meters high, located in the municipality of Pobra do Caramiñal in the Barbanza region.

The viewpoint of Curotiña is on a peak of 512 meters, making a point of exceptional visibility of the Southern Estuaries (Rias Baixas). From this enclave on a clear day, one can see the entire coastline between Cabo Finisterre and Santa Trega Mount, located on the Galician-Portuguese border. Therefore, visitors can enjoy the Arousa, Pontevedra, Vigo, Muros, and Noia estuaries. In turn, this environment offers the best scenic views from the mainland to observe the Galician Atlantic Islands, namely, Sálvora, Arousa, A Toxa, Cortegada, Ons, and Cíes.

The mountains of Curota is full of rivers and streams; among them, one finds the San Xoán and Barbanza Rivers, which together form the Pedras River. The latter joins the sea on the southern side, over the Arousa estuary. Because of the steep slope of the hillsides at some points, on both sides, waterfalls (fervenzas) have arisen of considerable height, which have molded stunning landscapes. Unfortunately, now, its access is not conditioned to receive a massive amount of tourism.

In the southern valley of Curota are the natural pools of the Pedras River, formed by the river in the rocks over the years and ideal for bathing. They make up one of the most emblematic natural pools in Galicia, due both to their quantity - about ten different places to dip and swim - and their quality since, in some cases, there are small waterfalls between the pools.

To know it better

The municipality of Pobra do Caramiñal in Coruña has a mountain 596 meters high called Curota, where there are two viewpoints known as Curota and Curotiña. They declared Curotiña a Natural Site of National Interest in 1933 because of its panoramic view of the Galician west coast and its peculiar landscape. From both viewpoints, anyone can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the Southern Estuaries (Rías Baixas), including Arousa, Muros and Noia, Pontevedra and Vigo, and a little further Sálvora, A Toxa, Cortegada, Ons, and Cíes Islands.

The novelist and poet Ramón del Valle-Inclán, one of the best known Galician writers in Spanish literature, spent part of his life in Pobra do Caramiñal. At a time of no roads, Valle-Inclán used to climb Curota Mountain to enjoy and get inspiration from the views offered by its viewpoint and the mountain itself. Currently, a statue of him reminds us of his excursions.

Pobra do Caramiñal is a municipality on the coast of the province of A Coruña in the Barbanza Region. The word "Caramiñal" comes from a plant, the Caramiñal, easily found on the Galician coast but currently less present in this land.