Want to know what the Galician village of Combarro looks like on a gray, rainy day in the low season? The answer is: authentic.
Why do I recommend visiting Combarro at times of the year other than July and August?
You just have to take a look at the photos and tell me what "you don't miss" in them.
A word to the wise is enough. 😉
But there are other reasons:
- You can easily find parking.
- You can eat at the restaurant you fancy the most (and in peace).
- You get the chance to chat with the locals without them being stressed out by a packed shop or a 10-meter queue at the bar door.
- Galicia wouldn't be Galicia without a bit of mist and drizzle, don't you think?
So, fancy coming along for a visit to Combarro in late September?
What to see in Combarro
Combarro is a small fishing village that you could walk across in less than an hour.
But if you really stop to soak up every detail, you can spend hours here without getting bored:
- Balconies overflowing with flowers.
- Endless stone walls.
- Hórreos looking out over the sea.
- Cruceiros on (almost) every corner…
Plus, you'll find several information boards throughout the village written in Galician, Spanish, English…
I recommend keeping an eye out for them. In the absence of a flesh-and-blood guide, they are the perfect tool to dive into Combarro's history.
For example? Here are some of the curiosities I learned:
Hórreos
These traditional Galician structures were usually used to store grain.
However, the hórreos of Combarro are special.
Why's that?
Because instead of standing next to farmhouses, they served as fish dryers for the village fishermen.
That's why most of them (though not all) sit right on the coastline, giving Combarro's seaside skyline that unique character.
Cruceiros
A cruceiro is a religious sculpture featuring a granite column topped with a cross and, sometimes, figures like a Christ, a Virgin, or both.
They are usually placed in squares or crossroads, and in Combarro you'll find up to 7 of them, almost all with the Virgin facing the sea and Christ facing inland (one of them, at Padrón beach, faces the exact opposite way).
Beach and coast
One of the most spectacular views of Combarro is looking at its hórreos from the sand.
You can see them in peak season (I imagine taking a dip at Padrón beach must be a real treat for the senses) or enjoy them while strolling along the shore off-season.
Here I saw the traps (nasas) used to catch octopus for centuries for the first time:
Curious, right?
Where to Eat
When we arrived in Combarro it was already 3 in the afternoon and we were getting hungry.
We thought it would be tough to get a table at a place with such great reviews like O Bocoi restaurant, but we only had to wait 5 minutes to sit in the dining room with views of the Pontevedra estuary.
The food was fantastic (clams in sauce and pulpo a feira).
But you know what?
The dolphins leaping in the sea right next to the window were the perfect finishing touch to the meal.
I'm sure you can eat amazingly well at many other restaurants in Combarro too. But I can wholeheartedly recommend O Bocoi from personal experience. 😉
Where to park
If you visit Combarro in your own vehicle and during low season, you can find free parallel parking along the main street that runs through the town or in the port area.
I've marked the areas where I saw (plenty of) available parking on the map at the bottom of the page.
Visiting in high season? Then… good luck! 🙂
Where to stay near Combarro
There are plenty of hotel deals in and around Combarro.
But I can't speak about any of them first-hand because the day we visited the town we were on a road trip from Pontevedra to Cangas del Morrazo.
Interested in those places to stay? Here's a quick overview:
Where to stay in Pontevedra
The night before, we stayed at Teresa's attic in central Pontevedra (via Airbnb).
It's a very small but 100% functional apartment just a few steps from downtown Pontevedra. I only recommend it for 2 people who plan to spend little time inside the apartment (due to its size).
However, if you only need it to sleep, take a shower, and have a coffee before heading out, this is your place. 🙂
Where to stay in Cangas del Morrazo
We decided to spend 3 days in Cangas on a “workation” (that is, working and vacationing at the same time—easier said than done, believe me 😉).
For this, we chose Casa Rural la Garita.
It's a gorgeous, super comfy B&B with free parking on the eastern edge of Cangas, right where the beach ends.
From there to the port where you take the boats to Vigo or the Cíes Islands, it's a 35-40 minute walk along the promenade, but it saves you having to drive and look for parking in downtown Cangas (a nightmare even in low season).
The best part about the house is that it has just a few rooms (so it's super quiet) and a spacious living room overlooking the estuary, where we took the opportunity to get some remote work done.
Useful links
- Hotel deals in and around Combarro.
- Casa Rural la Garita.
- Flight deals to Vigo and Santiago: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo, and Vueling.
- 5% discount when booking your adventure travel insurance with IATI.
If you're traveling around Galicia, you might also like:
- Complete hiking route through the Cíes Islands.
- Route along the Costa da Vela and Cabo do Home.
- Ponte Maceira, on the Camino from Santiago to Finisterre.
Map
Now tell me, when do you think is the best time to visit Combarro?
Let me know in the comments. 🙂