The Rías Altas

Title: The Rías Altas
Teaser: A ria is a submerged valley (yes, like a fjord), almost always an estuary. They are found all over the world, but are especially common in Galicia in the north-west of Spain, where most of the towns and cities are clustered on their banks. Galician rías are divided into two areas, the Rías Baixas, lower rias, on the west-facing Atlantic coasts of Pontevedra and La Coruña, and the Rías Altas, upper rias, on the north-facing Cantabrian coasts of La Coruña and Lugo. Here is a guest article by Jakob Jelling, telling you about the Rías Altas and why they are important.
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Body of text: The Rias Altas in Spain are part of a group of larger formations spread along the coast of Galicia, conformed by the Rias Altas and the Rias Bajas. The Rias are originally glaciated estuaries originating when sea levels rise, though they they can also be created by other geographical factors. The rias in Galicia were formed after the Ice Age after the sea level rose and gave shape to numerous several indentations or estuaries throughout the coast in this area.

The Rias, in Galicia, are considered to be among the main fishing areas in the world. Due to their nature, the rias or estuaries contain very peculiar ecosystems which often contain important amount of fish. This way, it is easy to imagine the importance of the fishing industry to this region and the way it gives shape to the traditions and landscapes visitors could meet, which, most of the times, are very beautiful and picturesque.

There are rias in several other regions of the world as well as near by the Galician ones in such a way that, per example, it is possible to find rias in Norway known as fjords, in Scotland known as lochs, and in Brittany known as abers. Although all of these rias have many aspects in common, they often also contain some characteristics which differentiate from each other and cause them to be unique.

The Rias Altas in Galicia are conformed by a group of several rias among which we can name the Ria de Ribadeo, the Ria de Ortigueira, and the Ria de Veveiro. The Rias Altas can be found in the area which goes from La Coruña to Ribadeo, within the northern coast of Galicia.

Besides their natural beauty and the sea related landscapes this area offers, it also has several other interesting attractions. While visiting the Rias Altas, tourists could meet interesting towns, full of antique constructions and charming areas as well as many different entertainment related spots from where to choose. This way, the rias are one of the most interesting destinations tourists could find in Galicia and one of the most peculiar and picturesque ones as well.
Author's biography: Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com. Please visit http://www.eurotomic.com/spain.php if you're planning a trip to Spain.
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