Finisterre -it’s raining cats and dogs- should I just sleep in?

[SFHoneybee]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

 

[Stuart Lennon]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

Maybe too late - but...it's only water. The wonderful scenery that you have enjoyed is a consequence of the rain. Embrace it! (Or go for a cup of hot chocolate ️)

 

[SFHoneybee]

I think I’m doing a hot chocolate… I’m on the 4th floor of San Martin Pinario… I can hear the rain coming down something crazy… I’ll stay in SDC and I’ll get wet… it’s only water… but I’ll have a guaranteed beautiful lunch…thanks!

 

[MickMac]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

I have walked Camino over last ten years since 2013 over eleven times Finisterre is the most disappointing small town I have walked too in my opinion. Over commercialised , Tourist trap , Dirty and badly developed, with a nice beach.
The Camino to Muxia and Finisterre is a beautiful walk but preferred Muxia, Sorry each to their own.

 

[SFHoneybee]

I have walked Camino over last ten years since 2013 over eleven times Finisterre is the most disappointing small town I have walked too in my opinion. Over commercialised , Tourist trap , Dirty and badly developed, with a nice beach.
The Camino to Muxia and Finisterre is a beautiful walk but preferred Muxia, Sorry each to their own.

I kept looking at stuff on Finisterre… and they say “shops…really?!?- I understand that it’s main income for the town IS Tourism… but how many “shops” can a person see? I looked at lots of ppls posted photos… it looks pretty small too… I live along the California coast.. it might be different if I was Hiking there— but a bus tour— just isn’t that exciting.., I’ll cut my loses at $40 today…and go out snd get wet in SDC and enjoy a beautiful lunch (worth getting wet for at Mercado Glacia or LUME if I can get in.)
Thank You for your honest feedback…

 

[Walkerooni]

Finisterre is a soulless place with no vibe at all. Skip it. Go to Muxia.

 

[SFHoneybee]

Finisterre is a soulless place with no vibe at all. Skip it. Go to Muxia.

Great feedback… thx!

 

[LdnWalker]

There’s a weather front coming through today and tomorrow and it’s not just normal Galician rain. I’ve walked out to the lighthouse in Finisterre in the rain. We couldn’t see anything scenic the whole bus ride there as it rained so hard. While it was an experience, I’d save a trip out to Finisterre or Muxia for good weather. Enjoy your downtime in Santiago!

 

[woody66]

I have walked Camino over last ten years since 2013 over eleven times Finisterre is the most disappointing small town I have walked too in my opinion. Over commercialised , Tourist trap , Dirty and badly developed, with a nice beach.
The Camino to Muxia and Finisterre is a beautiful walk but preferred Muxia, Sorry each to their own.

Finisterre is a soulless place with no vibe at all. Skip it. Go to Muxia.

Hi !
I felt exactly the same when i got there three weeks ago! It was raining ,cold and pretty empty (everyone in cafe's and bars )

That made it even bleaker and more disappointing!

In a video to my kids i said that it was like Margate on a bad day and if this was what people rave about they must come from a really awful place !

I then walked to Cabo Finisterre in the fog and arrived at the lighthouse where i stayed the night ;which didn't appear until i was about 50 metres from it! (kinda took the end of the World away)
Got up the next morning and the fog was thicker.

I walked back to Finisterre and after two days of disappointment the SUN came out and all was right with the World again .


The walk to Lires and onto Muxia was lovely and i enjoyed those last days.
Arrived at Muxia just as they let of fireworks to start the last festival of the year!
Buen Camino
Woody

 

[Anhalter]

Been in Fisterra 3 times, twice after a camino and just recently with my wife and dog during a holiday in Spain. All times i had a great experience and met great people. I agree the harbour area is not the most inviting place (and might be a tourist trap) but there are plenty of other nice things about the little town. But then, i had luck with the weather every time and usually spent the night there.
If you don't feel it, you don't have any obligation to go there. Plenty of nice things to do as well in Santiago.

 

[SFHoneybee]

There’s a weather front coming through today and tomorrow and it’s not just normal Galician rain. I’ve walked out to the lighthouse in Finisterre in the rain. We couldn’t see anything scenic the whole bus ride there as it rained so hard. While it was an experience, I’d save a trip out to Finisterre or Muxia for good weather. Enjoy your downtime in Santiago!

Thank you… I figured it was just going to be a bus ride…and as strong as the rain was this morning… I was worried about the bus getting stuck in mud too

 

[RJM]

Finisterre and Muxia are nice to walk to but not a must do otherwise. If the weather was nice I'd say it's worth the bus ride, but honestly not worth it during a Galician monsoon.

 

[SFHoneybee]

Finisterre and Muxia are nice to walk to but not a must do otherwise. If the weather was nice I'd say it's worth the bus ride, but honestly not worth it during a Galician monsoon.

Your view seems like it’s in the majority.Thanks.

 

[SFHoneybee]

Been in Fisterra 3 times, twice after a camino and just recently with my wife and dog during a holiday in Spain. All times i had a great experience and met great people. I agree the harbour area is not the most inviting place (and might be a tourist trap) but there are plenty of other nice things about the little town. But then, i had luck with the weather every time and usually spent the night there.
If you don't feel it, you don't have any obligation to go there. Plenty of nice things to do as well in Santiago.

Thanks…. I knew doing my Camino now-mid-October… would have me “open to potentially some rainy days… and I was ready to be flexible”

 

[J Willhaus]

Enjoyed the fish market viewing platform in Finesterre. There is also a small castle that is now a museum.

I also like Muxia better as a place to unwind and feel at peace after a Camino. Love to watch the waves roll in and out on the point.

 

[t2andreo]

If you have time, wait it out. If you do not, tough it out.

Try not to get cold and wet. Hot and wet is okay. The human body is amazingly drip-dry.

At present, there is a weather pattern over the Atlantic that is holding a bubble of low pressure over NW Spain. Consult weather forecasts before planning.

Contracting bronchitis aside, being wet is a normal thing. Put everything in your rucskack in a bin bag for double protection, then use a rain cover or hiking poncho. Accept that you will get drenched. You, and your clothing will dry out. I have walked 35 days from SJPdP to Santiago and had 29 days of rain one year.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[JoeF]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

I for one was not impressed with the sunset at Finisterre. As you say, you see beautiful sunsets all the time but going to Finisterre only fulfilled my desire to see what it is all about and also the end of the Camino. I went there by bus after I completed my Camino Frances in Santiago, but that was more because I did not have the luxury of time, so walking was not an option for me. On the other hand, I loved Muxia. I had just three days left, I spent 2 days in Finisterre and 1 day in Muxia which I would anyday change those stay durations the other way had I known earlier.

 

[SFHoneybee]

If you have time, wait it out. If you do not, tough it out.

Try not to get cold and wet. Hot and wet is okay. The human body is amazingly drip-dry.

At present, there is a weather pattern over the Atlantic that is holding a bubble of low pressure over NW Spain. Consult weather forecasts before planning.

Contracting bronchitis aside, being wet is a normal thing. Put everything in your rucskack in a bin bag for double protection, then use a rain cover or hiking poncho. Accept that you will get drenched. You, and your clothing will dry out. I have walked 35 days from SJPdP to Santiago and had 29 days of rain one year.

Hope this helps.

Tom

It sounds like you’ve got lot of experience Tom…. I just hustled inside— there was a very quick downpour a few minutes ago…
-Its October—it’s gonna rain… thx!

 

[t2andreo]

Yup, hiding inside works too! I have done that.

 

[MarkyD]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

It's very windy and raining heavy here in Madrid if that's any consolation! After the extension to the long hot summer, it's been a blessing to be honest.

I think Finisterre has its charm too, not least for being the birthplace of the inventor, Alexander Finisterre, of the Spanish version of table football ("futbolín") that originally had a perspex top to stop the ball flying out.

I was lucky to witness a majestic sunset and then watch a canny seagull have it away with my tied socks flung into the air at some point. Someone had told me it was some kind of a tradition to burn something, but as that was not allowed at the time, I thought a sock fling to the west might be an acceptable alternative. The seagull thought otherwise...

 

[Gerard Griffin]

Muxia is a far nicer town, but the beach and the sunset in Finisterre ... Long before Santiago, this is where mysterious pagans came to see the end of the world and to take a shell for the journey home. A powerful, magical place

 

[David Tallan]

I didn't find Finisterre so bad as it is being painted in some of the comments here. Sure there are shops. There are also shops in Santiago. Shops are not surprising in a tourist destination or anywhere people have made an effort to reach. Many people want to bring something home to remember the place by, especially if they have made a great effort to get there.

There are also nice beaches, an old fortress by the harbour which is now a museum to the local fishing industry (there are guided tours of the museum in Spanish and the guide was quite a character when I went this July) and, of course, the lighthouse and km 0.000 marker on the cape where many watch the sunset from.

 

[Beeman]

Finisterre is a soulless place with no vibe at all. Skip it. Go to Muxia.

Could not have said it better

 

[NYSE]

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

I walked 15 miles today in the pouring rain. It was pouring when I walked out the door this morning and poured for four straight hours. After days of it, I’m starting to get used to it ( not really). Hopefully, tomorrow brings a bit better weather, just a bit.

 

[trecile]

When the weather is good I highly recommend the sunset boat your that takes you out near the lighthouse.

 

[Rita Flower]

Finistere is such an interesting place. As stated in a previous comment - it has been a pilgrimage destination since pre Christian times. For me Finistere has a particular energy that feels incredibly clear and crystalline but can also feel a little cold and daunting. Muxia is definitely ‘cozier’.
My first time there (in June 2007) was sublime, my second time (in November 2022) was more challenging but equally rewarding in other ways.
The bus trip back to Santiago is a delight as it goes along coast road for most of the way. However, I would always give Finistere more time than a quick bus tour. Definitely save it for another Camino hopefully when the weather is warmer.
Some pics from November 2022

 

[dbier]

OTOH, Muxia in good weather is amazing. I took Monbus out, and back the next morning (1 Oct).

I think skipping the tour was a good idea. Go back in clear weather to either spot, and overnight if you can.

 

[WendyOz]

I hope the monastery didn’t sustain any damage from the water, such a beautiful building and timber furniture. Hope your lunch in SdC was lovely

Glacian Rains are here. I’m at the San Martin Pinario— love it here— but if you know it- the hallway before the dinner hall flooded last night—I live along the California coast and see beautiful sunsets all the time… I bought a bus ticket to a Finisterre tour today… everything thing I keep seeing saying 1) small fishing village with “shops”, 2) eat seafood, 3) great sunsets— I’m thinking I’d rather toss away the $40 for the buss tour than —1) but stuck out on a bus tour for 8-9 hours… getting wet..2) if there IS absolutely something I’d miss there—maybe it gives me reason to come back? Quick thought-ideas? I’ve got 1 hour to decide… 6:50am SDC time-

stary

 

[Caligal]

I think I’m doing a hot chocolate… I’m on the 4th floor of San Martin Pinario… I can hear the rain coming down something crazy… I’ll stay in SDC and I’ll get wet… it’s only water… but I’ll have a guaranteed beautiful lunch…thanks!

You in my opinion made a very wise decision! I walked to Finisterre October 2019. I swear it was raining down,up, horizontally, and diagonally. it didnt actually rain in Finisterre but it was wet, dark and dreary. Save Finisterre and Muxia for your next camino!