Nuestra Señora de la Barca Pilgrimage

The joyful celebration of age-old traditions.

This is one of Galicia’s most famous pilgrimages. It has been held since the 14th century in this fishing village on the Costa de la Muerte coast, and unites fishermen’s devotion to the Virgin Mary and other pre-Christian traditions such as the worship of stones. The procession to the Virgen de la Barca Shrine and its mythical rocks attracts crowds of people every first Sunday after 8 September. On this day, as well as sampling the caldereta (fish stew), typical of the region, participants pretend to “dance” with the Abalar Stone – this means they try and move it to make their wishes come true. According to tradition, only the innocesnt and those free from sin can manage this. Another custom is that of passing underneath the Cadrís Stone, which is supposed to have curative powers.