Local overview
Pontedeume is a municipality in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain, It borders the municipalities of Miño, Cabañas, A Capela, Villarmaior and Monfero, located between the cities of La Coruña (38 km) and Ferrol (18 km) and near Betanzos (26 km) and Puentes de García Rodríguez (31 km).
The town was founded ex novo by the town charter of Alfonso X the Wise in 1270, and is one of the few Galician towns that has preserved its old historic center. Its streets and squares retain many traditional elements such as arcades, houses with wooden balconies and glass galleries, public fountains and numerous monumental buildings. All this, together with the rich landscape and nature of the surroundings, led to the Eume River region being declared a Historic Site and Picturesque Place in 1971. The town is located on the English Way path of the Camino de Santiago.
The town's emblem is the Eume River, which flows through the town and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. At this point, the estuary is formed, an area where strong tidal fluctuations occur.
The patron saint festivities in honor of Santiago are celebrated in September. The 8th is the feast day of Our Lady of Virtues or of Soto, and the 10th is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, patron saint and co-patron saint of the town, respectively.
