landmark
Tower of Hercules
The world's oldest working Roman lighthouse, standing guard over the Atlantic in A Coruna for nearly 2,000 years.
18 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeSpainGalicia
Ferrol
Galicia, Spain · Europe
About Ferrol
Ferrol is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Narón, 43km from Cabo Ortegal.
Ferrol is in Galicia, Spain, with about 67,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Narón, about 4 km away.
Ferrol (Galician: [feˈrɔl] , Spanish: [feˈrol] ) is a city in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in Spain, located in the Rías Altas, in the vicinity of Strabo's Cape Nerium (modern-day Cape Prior). With a population of 64,358 as of 2024, Ferrol is the 7th-largest city in Galicia. WithRead more
Eume to the south and Ortegal to the north, Ferrol forms the comarca of Ferrolterra.
Around a hundred years ago, and earlier, the harbour, with its depth, capacity and overall safety, had few equals in Europe; its entrance was very narrow, commanded by forts, and could even be shut by a boom.
Ferrol has been a major naval shipbuilding centre for most of its history, being the capital of the Spanish Navy's Maritime Department of the North since the time of the early Bourbons. In the 17th century, Ferrol held the largest arsenal in Europe. Today, the city contains several major shipbuilding yards belonging to the state-owned Navantia Group.
Ferrol was the birthplace of the dictator Francisco Franco in 1892. The municipality was officially named after him as "El Ferrol del Caudillo" from September 1938 to December 1982. It was also the birthplace of the founder of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Pablo Iglesias, in 1850.
Ferrol is one of the starting points of the English Way of the Camino de Santiago. Due to the modern requirement that pilgrims must travel 100 km (approx. 62 mi) by foot in order to be officially recognised, the city is a preferential starting point for those traversing the English Way.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ferrol?
Within an hour or so of Ferrol: Tower of Hercules (18 km), San Andrés de Teixido (32 km), Cabo Ortegal (43 km).
Where is Ferrol?
Ferrol is in Galicia, Spain, about 4 km from Narón.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 66,799
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Galicia
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 43.4845, -8.2329
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Ferrol
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
San Andrés de Teixido
Clifftop pilgrimage hamlet on the Serra da Capelada, home of the Galician saying 'who doesn't go alive, goes dead': souls are said to return as animals to visit the shrine. The coastal road in passes some of Europe's highest sea cliffs.
32 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Cabo Ortegal
Towering serpentine sea-cliffs and offshore rock needles where the Cantabrian Sea meets the Atlantic, one of Galicia's most savage viewpoints.
43 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Ferrol
- 43 kmCabo OrtegalTowering serpentine sea-cliffs and offshore rock needles where the Cantabrian Sea meets the Atlantic, one of Galicia's most savage viewpoints.
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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