Getting to and from Ferrol

How long do you need in Ferrol?

I’m never good at answering this question for two reasons: I love Spain’s smaller towns that receive less hype than the big tourist destinations, and I like to travel with a car and use places like this as a base to explore the region.

A day is enough to see Ferrol if you’re just passing through, but 3 – 4 days would give you a chance to explore the surrounding areas too (see below for some fun places nearby).

Where to stay in Ferrol

What to eat

Food is generally excellent here, whether you’re looking for traditional Galician, Spanish or international food (I’ve eaten great Japanese here 😉).

🐙 ❌ The region is extremely well known for octopus (pulpo in Spanish) but I can’t offer any recommendations as I don’t eat it myself. I’ve read too many accounts and of course, have watched My Octopus Teacher, so I just can’t.

There are plenty of other incredible seafood options though including my favourite, razor clams.

🫑 Pimientos de Padrón come from this region and for me, they’re something to order and inhale. I absolutely adore these peppers covered in salt. Do be warned that while most are not spicy in any way, every now and again, there will be one spicy one that will take you by delicious surprise. They’re a perfect snack, treat or meal. There’s a festival to these little beauties in Herbon (in the Padrón region) in early August.

🥟 Empanadas – more of a flat pasty with a savoury filling, empanadas are a delicious and easy snack.

🥮 Tarta de Santiago – a traditional almond based cake.

🧀 Queixo De Tetilla (Tetilla Cheese) – boob cheese 😉. It’s delicious and well worth trying.

What to do in Ferrol

My three favourite things to do in Ferrol all involve walking (unsurprisingly). I LOVE LOVE LOVE all the interesting street art here, and I also really enjoy how different Ferrol feels to so many Spanish cities, a gentle stroll through the city centre admiring the buildings is a delight. And to top it all off, a walk around the port, chatting away, fixing all of life’s woes, is one of my favourite things ever.

Street art and Las Meninas de Canido

While you’ll find street art everywhere, the Canido District is somewhere you won’t want to miss. Every September since 2008, the district hosts an street art festival, in which artists (local and not) are invited to add their interpretation of Velázquez’s famous painting, Las Meninas.

The festival was founded by local artist Eduardo Hermida, originally as a personal creative protest against the urban decay in Ferrol’s Canido District. It has since become one of Galicia’s most famous street art scenes.

Ferrol City Centre (Barrio de A Magadalena)

Ferrol isn’t big but it’s city centre has a few nice spots and I definitely enjoy strolling through here, stopping for a coffee or a caña (small beer) whenever I feel like it.

The district is made up of a grid of pedestrianised streets intersected by non-pedestrianised roads with a plaza at either end, and one in the middle. Hardly surprising that a) it’s sometimes called ‘the chocolate bar’, and b) it was designed by military men in the 18th century.

This part of town is a true delight to meander through, particularly if you’re more used to the narrow, winding streets of southern Spain. Up here in the north, in Ferrol, you find tall imposing buildings, with glassed-in balconies (galerías) in various states of repair – from the elegant and clearly loved to the abandoned and forgotten, the beauty is all around. 

Unlike in the south of Spain, life here doesn’t take place on the streets, in the terraces and plazas, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a lively café scene here, it’s just a bit more indoorsy as the weather isn’t quite as compliant as it is in the south.

The plazas

Praza de Armas – it’s nice to walk by here and acknowledge the imposing town hall and see the happy kids playing on the plaza.

Praza de Amboage & Plaza de España – the tourist information is on the Plaza de España. I don’t love this plaza, it doesn’t really call out to me but you will probably find yourself walking across it multiple times when you’re in town.

📧 Let me know if you like it and why.

😱 Franco was born in Ferrol and the statue of him was only removed in 2002 from the Plaza de España – I share this because it’s historically interesting, obviously not because I like fascists. The city, during his rule, was known as El Ferrol del Caudillo (Ferrol of the Leader).

Praza da Constitución sits together with Alameda de Suanzes, the Cantón de Molins (where you’ll find the Monumento a la Música Tradicional Ferrolana)

What else to check out in Ferrol

Post office – while you’re here, pop your head inside to admire the lovely ceiling in this historic building

Espazo +60 Afundación Ferrol – sometimes hosts interesting exhibitions

Jardines de Herrera, & Parque Raiña Sofía – two pleasant parks to enjoy a walk in. Parque Raiña Sofía is home to peacocks and a permanently closed water-science museum 😭.

Ferrol port & dock

Ferrol’s port was once the beating heart of Spain’s naval shipbuilding world and today, while the city maintains its naval school and ship building industry, this small dock is a delightful place to take a walk and enjoy the breezy air.

I honestly don’t care at all about the naval history of the city but I adore this dock. Strolling along here, as I said above, is one of my favourite things to do in Ferrol.

📸 Stop for a photo with the Ferrol letters (first photo in this guide), watch the fishermen, and if you’re lucky, you’ll spot marine life – there are plenty of 🐟 and I’ve even seen 🪼 and 🐬 here.

⛴️ In summer there’s a passenger boat service running between here and Murgados as well as boat tours.

🍻 There are pleasant bars and cafés along here, I really like Restaurante A Maruxaina for a beer and a snack.

🛝 There’s a kids’ playground, and if you fancy a view over the whole port, I highly recommend you head up to the Baluarte de San Juan/Xoán.

+ the fish market, Pescadería modernista de Rodolfo Ucha is nearby if you want to buy fresh fish to cook for yourself

+ the official start to the Camino Inglés is right here at Paseo da, P.º Mariña, s/n

Museums

There are three museums in Ferrol, I haven’t actually visited any yet, one I keep meaning to, and the other two, I really am unlikely to visit 😉. I’m sure you can work out which one I’ll be visiting.

Naval Museum and the Naval Construction Museum are located in the same place on Rúa dos Irmandiños, the latter in an old prison building.

Museo de Historia Natural de Ferrol – a little out of town, this is a delightful free museum with signs in Galego and QR codes for Castellano/English

+ Castelo de San Felipe – just outside of town is the Castelo de San Felipe, one of a number guarding the entrance to the ría before you get to Ferrol

Beautiful beaches

Technically, Ferrol is just inland on the Ría (estuary) but in town is the Playa do Caranza, and from the beach you can see the ship yards, which is somehow kind of fun too.

It might be a bit of a stretch to claim that the small city beach is truly beautiful but it’s still a lot of fun to head there for a morning stroll or a proper city beach day with everyone else when the sun comes out. My photos of the city beach aren’t great so above is a photo of a beach about thirty minutes outside of Ferrol instead.

Three interesting Ferrol festivals to keep in mind

Las Pepitas

This is a festival dedicated to adoring women through music. In the Praza do Amboaxe, the women of Ferrol (known as ‘Pepitas’) are serenaded by musical groups and choirs, who have first travelled around the city to sing beneath their windows. I was there for this festival in 2026 and joined the crowds on the plaza to watch the singing.

🗓️ Mid March

San Juan

On San Juan’s eve, find the traditional bonfires (luminarias) – you’ll be able to simply follow the smell of fire and roasting sardines. Most bonfires are in Esteiro, one of the older neighbourhoods of the city.  

🗓️ Late June (23/24)

Battle of Brión

This is quite a fun one – commemorating the defeat of the English troops who attempted to take the city in 1800. It includes a hike of 12km and events by the Castelo de San Felipe.

🗓️ Late August (the closest Sunday to 25th)

Day trip adventures nearby

There’s an awful lot to do nearby Ferrol. In my opinion, it’s best to have a car as it gives the most freedom. Here are a few fabulous adventures to get you excited:

Nearby towns

A Coruña – also easily reached by public transport or by car, the highlight of this gorgeous city is the famous, Tower of Hercules, the Roman lighthouse that stands proudly over the city (photo above, left).

Santiago de Compostela – easily reached by foot (think camino, not quick walk), car, bus or train, Santiago is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring (photo above, right)

Betanzos – a beautifully preserved medieval village (also on the camino)

Xubia – part of the Camino Inglés, there’s a lovely walk option here, the paseo maritimo de Xuvia and you can also visit the CIMIX museum/mill interpretation centre on the river.

By the way, be sure to greet the ‘river sharks’ here – I am absolutely convinced these are baby sharks and refuse to be told they’re not 🦈 (photo on left above)

Murgardos – a drive away for most of the year or a boat ride away in summer, this is a cute little town with a lovely secluded beach and a nice promenade for a walk. The main reason to visit is not one I’m a fan of: the Fiesta del Pulpo, (Octopus Festival), held in early July. Pulpo a la Mugardesa is a popular stew cooked at this time and many tourists flock to enjoy the food, music and markets. (photo on right, above)

Nature fun

Fragas do Eume – one of my favourite places in all of Spain, this forest is immense and beautiful and you could spend years having fun with hiking here amongst the oak and birch trees. (photo above on left)

Beaches – Galicia has more beaches than Andalucía so I don’t need to give you names of beaches because they’re all just stunning. Simply look at the map, hop in the car or figure out a bus route to a small town and bam, beach.

Fervenza de Belelle – this waterfall is spectacular, look out for the mirador nearby too

Estaca de Bares (Punto máis septentrional da Península Ibérica) – the northernmost point of all of Spain is just 1hr15 from Ferrol and it’s a really beautiful spot for a walk and then day at the beach (photo above on the right)

Loiba – apparently the most beautiful bench in the world (or the bench with the most beautiful views). I haven’t been because there are plenty of other benches with magnificent views too but I bet it’s a delight.

O Porto de Espasante – a truly magnificent place to hike a little, visit the old castro, and the beaches. Be warned that during the festival in Ortigueira, it’s impossible to get a table to eat here without a reservation. And yes, I’m speaking from hungry experience.