Thanks to its numerous hórreos, many of them aligned with the coast, Combarro has become one of the most picturesque, beautiful and curious villages in all of Galicia. Don't you know what hórreos are? Do you want to know what to see and do in Combarro ? Or why there are also a lot of cruceiros in the village?
It must be said that this small Galician town, which is located in the Pontevedra estuary, has always been closely linked to the sea, but it was in recent decades and especially in recent years that it exploded in terms of tourism: there are many hórreos spread throughout Galicia but here, close to the sea and so concentrated, they create an irresistible mix 🙂
What to see in Combarro in one day: route through the village of the granaries
In Combarro the hórreos are also known as “palleiras” since in the beginning the roofs were made of straw. What makes them so characteristic is not only their large number (there are apparently about 60 spread throughout the town ), but also the fact that most of them are located next to the sea (or rather the Ría de Pontevedra), so the postcard of the town is absolutely unique and peculiar.
Being the unmistakable symbol of the town, many of these old granaries have been preserved and restored to be used as a draw in restaurants and shops on the main street A Rúa do mar . A clear example of how a small fishing village with barely 1,500 inhabitants has reinvented itself, transforming something as traditional as the granaries into one of the most famous images of Galicia.
Don't think that the only thing to do in Combarro is to stroll among its granaries: the town itself is fabulous. Although it is small, its historic centre with its stone streets and typical houses, its squares and super photogenic corners, the souvenir shops where they invite you to a few shots of local liquor, small restaurants where you can enjoy the spectacular Galician cuisine , its port and its beach...
Let's see everything to visit in Combarro:
1. Walk along the Rúa do Mar
As we mentioned earlier, all the action is concentrated on the main street, A Rúa do mar . This street starts at the wide Praza Peirao da Chousa , which acts as a link between the historic centre and the port, and ends at the Praza da Fonte .
It is about 300 meters dotted with stone and wood granaries, restaurants full of flower boxes and souvenir shops. Probably the most condensed 300 meters of our trip through Galicia XD
In all the shops they sell bottles of homemade liqueur and if you like it, you have to try (and buy) the chocolate and cherry one: it's delicious! And it's not expensive: for 8€ you get a great souvenir to taste Combarro even from your home (there are many more flavours, but we really love that one).
2. Route of cruises
If you dare to leave this street, the cruceiros will be the ones that will capture your attention. The cruceiros (stone crucifixes) are another very typical element of Galicia: it is rare to find a town that does not have at least one, and they range from the simplest to the most elaborate (for example, we were amazed by the Cruceiro do Hío).
In Combarro, the most notable are the Cruceiro in Plaza de San Roque and at the other end, the Cruceiro in Plaza de la Fuente and the Cruceiro in Playa de Padrón .
Fun fact: some say that the large number of crosses in Combarro is due to the fact that the town was frequented by meigas (witches in Galician). In fact, you will soon see them… although not in the flesh: you will see dolls, statuettes and souvenirs inspired by these powerful women.
3. Padrón Beach
Go to the viewing point that is right next to Padrón Beach : from here you will have one of the best panoramic views of the town. In short, it is another of the best things to do in Combarro. If you visit it at low tide, you can take a walk along the same estuary and admire the granaries from a different perspective.
And if you want to have an even more special perspective and stuff yourself with mussels, take a boat trip along the Pontevedra Estuary (with mussel tasting and Galician wine!). Reserve your place here .
4. Craft shops (with a surprise)
Go up to the second floor of the O Funil craft shop and enjoy the wonderful views from the balcony. The two girls in the shop invited us up, and if that wasn't enough, they offered us some shots of liquor! Although we didn't buy anything (they didn't pressure us to buy anything) there are a lot of nice things and those liquors, wow, are perfect souvenirs.
5. Excursion to Tambo Island
Excursions to islands with white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters seem unique to the Caribbean or Southeast Asia, but you should know that just 15 minutes by boat from Combarro there is a small island with great natural, historical and environmental value .
In addition to its beaches, its trails and its eucalyptus forests , you can also see an old lighthouse, the ruins of a monastery and other ancient buildings that reveal the passage of different peoples, including, mind you... pirates! Although its last inhabitants were members of the army, and this island was used for military purposes until very recently.
The best thing is that you can sign up for this excursion to Tambo Island from Combarro , which includes the boat and a 3-hour guided walking tour of the island.
Tips for visiting Combarro
Before you embark on your trip, take a look at these recommendations, which will surely help you plan your visit:
→ Avoid weekends, especially in summer
If you can, don't visit Combarro on a weekend, and better if you do it in the low season. What did we do? We went on a Saturday at the end of July at midday, and we did a great job! So we had to share the main street with a lot of people, not to mention the parking lot. Even so, we think it's an essential stop on any trip through Galicia. Whether you go on a Tuesday in December or a Saturday in July 😉
→ Where to eat in Combarro?
The O Bocoi restaurant is, without a doubt, the most recommended. We had planned to eat some tapas there, but as we had not booked, we were left wanting. Losers!
Luckily, there is no shortage of restaurants in the village and we ended up sitting on the interior terrace of O Peirao de Rial and the truth is that we ate very well. We tried a rice with scallops and prawns for 2, a corn and scallop pie and some squid. With drinks and bread we paid about €60 (there were 4 of us).
→ Where to stay in Combarro?
We visited the town for a few hours and did not stay there. But if you fancy staying overnight in Combarro, a place with very good reviews is Casa Noelmar (with parking!). However, we think there are better places to spend the night (the Playa de la Lanzada area has magical sunsets and is not too far away. That would be our recommendation).
→ Where to park for free in Combarro?
We doubt you'll go on a day with more people than when we went XD so you'll most likely find parking in the port area (there's a VERY large free parking area and another paid parking area... and it's quite expensive).
We walked around a couple of times and it was full, so we returned to the main road that links Pontevedra with Sanxenxo and crosses Combarro at the top, where parking is allowed. Luckily we found a spot there.
→ Final tip: find out about the tides
When we went the first time, the tide was low and we were able to walk along the beach area. The good thing about this is that you can take photos of the granaries and see them in all their splendour from below. Although at high tide, as we saw from other photos, the town has an even more special touch… and when we returned, we saw it first hand (much better at high tide hehe).
These are our recommendations and suggestions for how to spend a day in Combarro . Although the truth is… you can visit the whole town in a couple of hours, as it is very small. If you stay for lunch, allow half a day for the visit. We hope that you like this little town, which, by the way, was declared a site of cultural interest as a Historic Site, as much as we do (we are sure that you do).
