Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park Park

Address: Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park (Parque Natural das Dunas de Corrubedo), Galicia, Spain

Website: https://www.parquedascorrubedo.com/ (regional information may vary)

Hours: Park areas accessible daily dawn-dusk; visitor center hours may vary seasonally

Admission: Park entry free; small fees for parking or visitor center programs may apply

The Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park (Parque Natural de Corrubedo) is a coastal protected area on Galicia’s Ría de Arousa in northwest Spain, designated as a natural park in the early 1990s. It conserves a prominent mobile dune system together with adjacent wetlands and shoreline habitats.

The park’s standout feature is a large moving sand dune that rises to about 20 metres in places and shifts over time along the coast. Behind the dune lie the shallow freshwater and brackish lagoons of Carregal and Vixán, areas important for migratory and resident waterbirds, while rocky headlands and beaches border the seaward side. Visitors walk boardwalks and paths to view the dune, lagoons and coastal scenery.

The area received protected status to conserve the interaction of dune dynamics, lagoon habitats and coastal biodiversity, and to manage visitor access along sensitive shorelines. Conservation measures balance public access with habitat protection for birds and plant communities.

The park lies on the western shore of the Ría de Arousa near the town of Ribeira in the province of A Coruña, Galicia. It is reached by regional roads from nearby coastal towns and forms part of Galicia’s network of coastal natural areas.

• Protected status: Designated as a protected natural park in the early 1990s, it protects a coastal dune system, shallow lagoons and salt marshes on the Ría de Arousa.

What to See#

• Mobile dune: A large moving coastal dune that forms the park’s most conspicuous feature and reaches roughly 20 metres in height in places.
• Lagunas de Carregal e Vixán: The freshwater and brackish lagoons of Carregal and Vixán, which sit landward of the dune and support wetland birdlife and salt-tolerant vegetation.
• Corrubedo lighthouse: A coastal lighthouse at Punta de Corrubedo that marks the seaward edge of the park and serves as a local landmark for visits and views.

The park is located near Riveira and Laxe in A Coruña province. Drive via the AG-11 and local roads; parking is provided at several access points. Regional bus services reach nearby towns, but a car is the most convenient option for reaching the park’s different trailheads.

• Walk the wooden boardwalks to the dune systems early in the morning to see migratory birds and avoid the midday heat.
• Visit the Interpretive Centre at Carrasqueira for exhibits on dune formation and local wildlife.
• Bring binoculars for observing tern and wader colonies on nearby stretches of coast.