Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain

Las Catedrales (Galicia)

The Praia das Catedrais is one of the most photographed beaches of Spain's Atlantic north coast, on the boundary between Lugo and Asturias, famous for its 30 metre stone arches that the Cantabrian sea has carved into the cliffs over millennia. The underwater dive site extends below and around the arches, accessible at the lowest tides as a shore dive or by small boat from Ribadeo. Depths are modest, between 6 and 18 metres, and the seascape mirrors the architectural drama of the surface, with flooded arches, sand-floored canyons and low-lit chambers. Marine life follows the cool Cantabrian Atlantic pattern: ballan wrasse, European seabass, conger eels, common octopus, large lobster and a fringe of brown algae and kelp on the upper rocks. The site is exposed to swell and tides are sharp, so dives are planned around slack and only in summer calm windows. Visibility averages 6 to 10 metres.