Praia De San Cosme De Barreiros(Playa de Barreiros)

Located in the municipality of Barreiros, Playas de Barreiros – also sometimes called Playa de San Cosme de Barreiros – is an 8-kilometers-long beach area that has nine beaches with light brown sand, rocky outcrops, many nearby large rock formations, a nearby breakwater, and sand dunes.  The names of these nine beaches include Praia de Anguieira, Praia do Altar, Playa de San Bartolo, Playa de Acantilado-Remior, Playa de Coto, Praia de Fontela-Balea, Playa de Longara, Playa de A Pasada, and Playa De Arealonga.  Punta da Anguieira is the westernmost part of this beach area, while Playa De Arealonga is the easternmost part.  Playa de Coto, Playa de Fontela-Balea, and Playa de Longara have been awarded a Blue Flag for cleanliness.   

Please note that Playa De Arealonga should not be confused with another separate beach with a similar-sounding name – this beach is also called Praia de Arealonga and it is located in the nearby municipality of Foz.

Although Playas de Barreiros does not have lifeguards, some of its family-friendly beaches have amenities such as boat ramps, restrooms, a playground, nearby walking trails, benches, a grassy recreational area, concessions stands, and picnic tables.

Playas de Barreiros offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodysurfing, paddleboarding, boogie boarding, boating, picnicking, jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and wildlife watching. 

The water here is ideal for beginner swimmers because the water at some of the beaches here usually offers manageable waves.  Punta da Anguieira and Playa de Altar are particularly known to have calmer water conditions.  If you like surfing, Playa de Fontela-Balea and Playa de Longara offer great surfing waves.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, or canoe here, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves. 

If you like beachcombing, you can comb Playa de Barreiros for an interesting object locally called “biteres” – biteres is actually the rocky part of a sea snail species named astrea rugosa and it often washes up here.  Playa de San Bartolo, Playa de Acantilado-Remior, and Playa de Coto are known to have large amounts of biteres.  Locals say that you can have good luck if you find and keep one of these.  There are many interesting geological formations around Playas de Barreiros, including unique-shaped cliffs and rock formations that visitors can explore.  

If you like birdwatching, you can see many kinds of birds in the eastern part of Playas de Barreiros – Punta da Anguieira, Playa de Altar, Playa de San Bartolo are great birdwatching sites.  If you like taking pictures with excellent views, Playas de Barreiros Lugo offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Cantabrian Sea and the Galician shoreline.

Playa de A Pasada has a wheelchair-friendly ramp for visitors with disabilities.  In addition, Playa de Arealonga has reserved parking spaces for visitors with disabilities.

Getting to the beaches of Playa de Barreiros is easy – they are easily accessible from a nearby road named LU-P-0610. There are multiple free street parking spaces and multiple small free parking lots near the beaches.

The beaches in Playas de Barreiros and the surrounding areas host a variety of interesting events and festivals including an international sandcastle-building competition and the Festival of San Bartolo, which is organized in a nearby chapel.  In addition, there are many stories about how the beaches here received their name. Playa de Altar received its name because of a nearby rock formation that was used as a sacrificial altar earlier.  In addition, Playa de Bartolo received its name because of a nearby chapel of the Christian saint Bartolo. 

There are many great attractions near Playas de Barreiros.  Ria de Foz is an estuary that is a popular bird watching site and it is home to many kinds of seasonal and migratory birds.  In addition, this estuary is also a popular site for many watersports including kitesurfing, windsurfing, boating, and surfing.  Castro de Fazouro is a Roman-era historic fortress that was built between 1st and 3rd century AD.  This fort offers a unique insight into local history.  Paseo Maritimo de Foz is a waterfront walkway that offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the northern Spanish shoreline and the Cantabrian Sea.  Playa de Las Catedrales is an extremely popular beach that has a wide variety of interesting geological formations including rock arches, cliffs, and sea caves.  This beach offers a variety of activities including swimming, wildlife watching, rockhounding, and beachcombing.  If you are looking for another attraction near this beach, Eido Dorado is a small nearby museum that offers many interesting exhibitions made by the artist Celso Dorado with recycled materials.  This museum has a drawing and painting exhibition and it also has a rock garden and a zen garden.

If you get hungry, there are many great local restaurants near Playas de Barreiros.  Restaurante A Ribeira has a homely ambiance and is known for serving excellent dishes including seafood, meat dishes, paellas, Galician-style empanadas, and desserts.  Yenka is another restaurant that offers amazing Galician-style dishes including local seafood, croquetas, salads, and raxo a la gallega.  Le Bistrot Solarena offers a variety of great dishes including steaks, seafood, pork ribs, asador de carne, burgers, and pizzas.  Pulperia Mario is known for serving delicious seafood and meat dishes including pork shoulders, calamari, octopus, and ham.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, A Xoina Pizzeria is known for serving excellent pizzas and it also offers pastas, salads, burgers sandwiches, and Latin American dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Playas de Barreiros, there are many great nearby options.  The 4-Star O Cabazo is a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a gym, a restaurant, and a terrace.  The 4-Star Parador de Ribadeo is another upscale hotel that is also a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities, including a garden terrace, a restaurant, and a bar.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Oca Playa de Foz Hotel & Spa that offers many amenities including a spa, a restaurant, and a pool.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Casa do Merlo, which offers many amenities including a garden, a porch, a terrace, a library, a games room, a bar, and complimentary breakfast.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the Hotel Refugio O Castro offers a restaurant and a terrace.