Santiago de Compostela Advice Please!

I didn't have a car while I was in Galicia so I'm not familiar with the places you're writing about. However, it may help you to go to ViaMichelin.com and ask for routes from Santiago de Compostela to a few other places in Galicia. Be sure to include Pontevedra. When each map appears, zoom in and you'll probably see some roads outlined in green. Those are the road ViaMichelin considers especially scenic.

Of the places you mentioned I’ve only been to Muxia and it’s about 40 miles from Santiago. It is nice for a visit with a rocky coast and a chapel and lighthouse. The waterfall, I assume Caldeira do Rio Castro, is near the town of Agar and the falls appear to be close to the Capela De Santo Eutel, 15124 O Castro. Looking at google maps street view, rural hardly begins to describe the roads you need to take to get there. I’m not certain the road has a number. You could stop at the waterfall either before or after Muxia. If it isn’t that waterfall, I’m not certain which you’re referring to. Fisterra is 14 miles from Muxia, 37 miles from Santiago, and the roads you’ll need to take appear to be in good repair. So yes, you should be able to visit all three in a day on your own. I’d visit the waterfall between the two towns. The numbered roads are 2-lane with a 50kph (30mph) limit. The more rural roads are barely 2-lanes wide or narrower.

I drove around this area last summer a bit. We rented a car and went to Fisterra and the Finisterre lighthouse at "the end of the world" and then to Muxia.
The town of Fisterra is OK but nothing special. Nice beach. The lighthouse at Finisterre is worth visiting. The views from the rocky cliff behind the lighthouse really gives you a sense of what was truly believed to be where the world ended for many centuries...it's quite dramatic since this is also the finishing point for many pilgrims who walk the Camino de Santiago, which was what I had just completed. You'll probably see quite a few bewildered and exhausted pilgrims sitting and staring at the water in various states of emotion.
The town of Muxia is a pretty typical Spanish beach town with modernish buildings and a beach with gorgeous, turquoise water. The chapel and rocky coastline are quite beautiful.
Driving around this area is very easy, the roads are well-maintained, and if you have a GPS then navigation is not a problem. We rented out car from the airport which is not at all far from town...about a 10-15 minute drive depending on traffic.
You can see most everything in Santiago in a 1 1/2 days. Quite a few things in town have very specific hours so make sure to plan accordingly.

The only place we visited was Castro de Barona. We really enjoyed this stop and spent maybe an hour walking through the ruins. It’s not very big, but the ruins are really quite amazing.

I just looked and there is another waterfall near Fisterra; Fervenza do Ezaro. It appears to be a short drive from Fisterra, also off a very rural road (DP-2308).

Thanks for your comments folks. Looking at the waterfalls, they are pretty but we have seen many waterfalls more impressive - so we’ll skip driving to them for this holiday.

Appreciate all the feedback!

Hi from Spain,
My biggest regret from my five weeks along the north coast of Spain, is not getting into the area NW of Santiago.

For me watefalls are very nice, but megalithic tombs get my heart beating. Who ever put these standing stones upright (menhirs) or built the dolems, must have been pretty clever and motivated.

Stonehenge in England is the most famous, but the rings and burial chambers exist all over. But 99% of the time you have to be searching for them. The NW of Satiago is supposed to be lttered with them.

Consider searching for a couple. They will normally take you to special spots. These people put their monuments in soecial locations.

And Santiago is really a two day city and a one pony show.

Wayne iNES