Porto do Son

Porto do Son is a coastal municipality on the western side of the "Sierra de Barbanza" (mountain range). It overlooks the "Ria de Muros y Noia" (bay of Muros) and includes towns like Portosin. The Porto do Son municipality is approximately 23km long by 6km wide and it is around 45km from Santiago de Compostela. It makes up a beautiful section of the Galician coast and is popular with vacationers in the summer period.

This page is a portal to several more specific guides to the Porto do Son area and its many features and attractions. Each of these mini-guides can be reached by selecting one of the link buttons to the right.

The photo, right, shows a view towards Porto do Son with the hilltop of Monte Louro in the distance. This mountain is on the opposite side of the ria (bay) of "Noia de Muros".

Porto do Son - A bit of everything

For the tourist looking for beauty and beaches the Porto do Son stretch of coast is a must. One of its main towns, Porto Sin, attracts many visitors, particularly to its Nautical club which has tranformed this seaside region into one of the most important marinas in Galicia for water sports and related activities. It has also increased the price of real estate along this stretch of coastline with many apartments being owned by wealthy summer visitors from other parts of Spain.

Despite this, the area also attracts people wishing to see a genuine Galician working fishing village, again in the form of "Porto Sin's" original old town.

If you like your panoramic views, then a trip to "A Atalaia" and "Fonforron" will afford spectacular vistas of Galicia's rouged and beach scattered Atlantic coastline. These are two of the many mirradors (viewing points) that you will find scattered across Galicia. All offer spectacular elevated views of the region's stunning seascapes and landscapes.

Pictured below, the harbour at the coastal town of "Porto Sin" (within the "Porto do Son" conurbation) on the mouth of the Muros-Noia bay with the private yacht club and Marina to the right (July 2002).

The geography of Porto do Son

The population of Porto do Son is around 11000, but this is spread throughout many small villages scattered along the coast. These include, Xuno, Barona (notable for its Castro ruins and large campsite), Queiruga (with a fabulous golden sanded beach), Goians, Nebre, Ribasiera, Minorto, Noal and many more. Beaches in the Porto do Son area include, Aguieire, Subigrexas, Arealonga (with one of Galicia's top surf clubs), Caaveiro and Fonforron, to name but a few.

A couple of highlights

In "Xuno" you will see a picturesque part of the Galician countryside still featuring living echoes of its past including a Roman bridge and old settlement. Just on the outskirts of Porto do Son town (behind the surf club) you will see the remains of a complex medieval irrigation system with a network of channels and water management systems.

In "Barona" the remains of an ancient Celtic tribal dwelling can still be seen (castros), now preserved for visitors, but the overwhelming impression of this district is shaped by the scenic views. Yellow-white beaches are constantly overlooked by forests of pine and eucalyptus climbing their way up mountainous slopes and nature, in its truest sense, really does abound.

Many of the towns and villages in this area have fiestas and celebrations. In fact you will find it hard to miss them in July and August. Queiruga has a big festival on a hill top adjacent to its large beach at the end of July and other events like Celtic fairs take place during the summer months.

Porto do Son link portal

Below are some internal links to more Galicia Guide pages describing the Porto do Son municipality and its attractions to the tourist.

Please explore the website and find out more about this fascinating region of Spain.

The Castro of Barona is made up of the ruins of an ancient Celtic hillfort. It is free to visit, but requires a bit of excersize. To find out more, hit the link.
The Castro of Barona 2 Some history and detail about this monument of Galician history.

Porto do Son fiestas Select the text to the left to find out about some of this principalities many festivals, fiestas and celebrations. These fiestas take place throughout the year, so there is a good chance that you can catch one, irrespective of when you visit this region.
Porto Beaches A list of some of the popular beaches along the Porto do Son coast.