San Cibrao

How long to stay?

An afternoon is enough. At 70.1 kilometres from Ribadeo and only 11.3 from Burela, you may well arrive here by midday. That's a good thing: the sea museum, the chapel in the old part of the village, the walk to the lighthouse and a look at the islands of Os Farallóns fill an afternoon. One pilgrim called San Cibrao one of his favourite places on all the Caminos. And tomorrow, with 29.2 kilometres to Viveiro, a long stage awaits, one more reason to finish early here.

San Cibrao in Ninja numbers

• 70.1 kilometres are behind you, according to Camino Ninja, since the start in Ribadeo, 11.3 of them from Burela.
• 29.2 kilometres remain, according to Camino Ninja, to Viveiro, and 201.9 to Ferrol.
• 1931 is when the village school that now houses the sea museum was built.
• Since 1985 San Cibrao has celebrated the Festa da Maruxaina.

Arriving: from Burela across the bay

From Burela a well-waymarked path leads you via A Rueta, O Madeiro and Pedrosa to San Cibrao. The village belongs to the municipality of Cervo and the parish of Santa María de Lieiro. Part of it lies on a peninsula surrounded by the Cantabrian Sea, with fine sandy beaches sheltered from the wind.

In brief: caravels, whales, aluminium

In the High Middle Ages caravels were built in the harbour of San Cibrao, and to this day the village has one of the last traditional boatbuilding workshops in the north of the province of Lugo. At the old harbour, which the locals call Porto de Arriba, the whaling boats arrived centuries ago. Like Rinlo, Foz and Burela, San Cibrao too sent whalers out from the Middle Ages until the 18th century.

Today the area depends in part on industry: in San Cibrao stands an aluminium smelter owned by Alcoa. Its electrolysis stood idle for about two years from January 2022; in April 2026 it was running fully again.

The Maruxaina

Off San Cibrao lie three rocky islands, Os Farallóns. There, according to legend, the Maruxaina lives in a palace under the water: sometimes a mermaid with long blonde hair who lures sailors with her singing, sometimes a bony witch, sometimes a friendly old woman who warns of storms. For decades she was blamed for shipwrecks.

Since 1985 San Cibrao has put her on trial on the second Saturday of August. At night the people, dressed like the seamen of earlier times, walk to the sea with candles and lanterns and blow horns and conch shells so as not to hear her singing. Then they bring the figure ashore and hold a people's court in the village square. Usually she is acquitted, and there is celebrating until morning, with queimada and music. The festival is designated a festival of tourist interest in Galicia.

Sea and legend: what to see

Everything important in San Cibrao lies close together and close to the path.

• Museo Provincial do Mar: The sea museum of the province of Lugo lies right on the path, in a village school of 1931. In four halls it shows ship mechanics, fishing and whaling with an old fishing boat, marine fauna with shells, corals and fossils, and navigation with sea charts, anchors and knots. It arose from a teacher's collection, compact, vivid, and admission is free.
• Capela de San Cibrao: The small chapel in the old part of the village, Porto de Arriba, about 440 metres off the route, is considered the village's first Christian place of worship. Its ground plan goes back to the 11th century, and it was last rebuilt in the 18th century. Its oldest piece is a baptismal font dated to between the 8th and 9th century. We don't know the opening times.
• Monumento á Maruxaina: On the rocks at the beach of O Torno, about 190 metres from the path, the bronze mermaid has sat since August 2006, looking out to sea. O Torno is the village's largest beach, with dunes. From here you see the islands where the legend places her palace.
• Faro de Punta Atalaia: The lighthouse was built in 1860 and altered after 1920; next to it stands a modern tower of 1979, about 14 metres high. A quiet walk leads to the viewpoint. From there you see Os Farallóns, three pyramid-shaped rocky islands, O Pe, A Baixa and A Sombriza, together about nine hectares.

Honestly

• There is no pilgrim albergue here. San Cibrao has a hostal, a pension, holiday apartments and a campsite. The next albergue on the way is in Viveiro.
• Industry is close. In San Cibrao stands a large aluminium smelter. The idyll has a backyard.
• Tomorrow will be long. It is 29.2 kilometres to Viveiro. One woman pilgrim took almost ten hours for it.
• You may only see the chapel from outside. We found no opening times.

Where pilgrims sleep

There is no pilgrim albergue in San Cibrao, and along the whole Camino del Mar no public one. If you stay the night here, you sleep in the hostal, the pension, a holiday apartment or on the campsite. The first albergue on the Camino del Mar awaits tomorrow in Viveiro: the Oli Vita Hostel.

Ninja tips

• Go to the museum before you look for a bed. It lies right on the path and costs nothing.
• Walk to the lighthouse in the evening. From Punta Atalaia you see the Farallóns in the last light.
• Shop for tomorrow. The stage to Viveiro is long.
• Look at the paper cliffs. At Morás, about eight kilometres beyond San Cibrao, the path passes granite walls that look like crumpled paper.

When it rains

The Museo Provincial do Mar is your rain plan: from October to May it is open Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11 to 14 and from 16 to 19; from June to September Tuesday to Saturday from 11 to 14 and from 17 to 20, Sundays and public holidays from 10 to 15. On Mondays it is closed. Admission free (as of November 2026).

Onward: to Viveiro

Beyond San Cibrao it goes via O Castelo and A Barxa to Morás. At kilometre 78.3 there, right on the path, lie the Cantís de Papel, granite cliffs folded by wind and sea; at the harbour of Morás the old ramp recalls the whaling station that operated here until 1977. Then follow Portocelo with the Faro de Roncadoira, Faro and Celeiro, until after 29.2 kilometres according to Camino Ninja you reach Viveiro, the first town on the way with a pilgrim albergue. You stay on the Camino del Mar, which meets the Camino Inglés in Ferrol.

Deep dive: The mermaid on trial

A short read, in case you want to learn more about San Cibrao. About two minutes' reading.

Three islands off the harbour

When you look out to sea from the lighthouse of Punta Atalaia, you see three rocks. They are called O Pe, A Baixa and A Sombriza, together Os Farallóns. For sailors such rocks were always a danger. And where there is danger, stories arise.

Who is the Maruxaina?

The story of San Cibrao is about a woman who lives under these islands in a palace. When she is in a good mood, she is a beautiful blonde mermaid who bewitches sailors with her singing. When she is in a bad mood, she is a witch with sunken eyes. Some also tell of a friendly old woman who warns the fishermen of the storm. On rainy, windy winter days she is said to be seen above the island of Sombriza. And when a boat did not come back, people long said: that was the Maruxaina.

A trial with queimada

Since 1985 San Cibrao has brought her ashore every year. On the second Saturday in August the people, in old seamen's clothes, walk to the sea at night, with only candles and lanterns, and blow horns so as not to hear her singing. Then she is put on trial. If she is convicted, she is burned. Usually, though, she is acquitted, and then the village celebrates until morning. Since 2006 she has also sat in bronze on the rocks of O Torno. When you walk past her, greet her. Tomorrow you carry on along this coast, and a little goodwill from the lady of the Farallóns can't hurt.