At a southern bend in the great Arousa estuary it rises the island of La Toja (To Toxa). The healing and revitalizing properties of its waters have made this small island an internationally renowned spa center.
Today, the island with extensive pine forests, beautiful landscapes and semi-deserted beaches, is an incomparable place of rest. All kinds of people come to it, but especially those who suffer from some kind of ailment. Next, we are going to talk about it in more detail.
La Toja as a healing spa
Its waters are recommended against arthrosis, rheumatism, asthma, varicose veins, skin diseases and many other clinical conditions.
There is no lack of comforts or distractions, in addition to leaving that place more "healed", the tranquility that is breathed accompanied by playful moments, will make La Toja, a place to which we will almost certainly want to return:
- There are quiet and cozy hotels.
- Spa.
- Sauna and underwater showers.
- Casino.
- Golf course.
- Tennis and paddle courts.
- And many more facilities.
You can also practice some water sports and fishing. And if you are wondering, how do you travel to the island, we will tell you that there is a great centenary bridge that connects La Toja with El Grove, a town on the mainland, near Cambados and only 32 kilometers from Pontevedra.
What towns to visit if you are on the island?
If you are spending this next vacation for a few days on the island of La Toja, and you want to take a getaway, cross the bridge that we have talked about in the previous point and visit places close to it, you should know how close you are Combarro, Cambados, Pontevedra, Santiago, Mount Santa Tecla, Valenca do Minho (Portugal), etc. All of them are wonderful places to stay for a few days and enjoy its many pleasures, including gastronomy.
Gastronomic delights of the area
If there is something good and rich in Galicia, there are two things: the great variety of fish, both blue and white and shellfish.
- Sardines, horse mackerel, mackerel, sole and turbot, sea bass, etc. The great variety and quality of Galician fish mean that the restaurants in O Grove prepare the freshest and richest fish stews and grills in the area.
- And seafood, you can have the pleasure of savoring oysters, shredding crabs or spider crabs or savoring the sea in barnacles and cockles.
If you like these two types of food, you cannot stop trying them on the Galician coast.
What to visit in O Grove
Through O Grove you can visit:
- The chapel on the island of La Toja: Built in the hermitage dedicated to San Caralampio and the Virgen del Carmen, it has conserved its cult since the XNUMXth century, being one of the most unique in all of Galicia. It is covered in scallop shells and sits right in the center of the island. Its interior is modest and with a certain marine air. Small but with a special charm.
- The Museo da Salga built in several different spaces. One of them is located outdoors and in which the salting process of the fish that was followed at the end of the XNUMXth century and during the XNUMXth century is explained. This is located in Puntas Moreiras, very close to the aquarium. The main nave of this museum houses a permanent ethnographic exhibition on the arts of fishing and the maritime history of O Grove. So if you like the world of the sea and everything related to fishing, you should not miss it.
- The multiple protected spaces in the area: the Natura 2000 Network (protection of autochthonous species), the Natural Area under general protection of the Umia-O Grove Intertidal Complex (ecosystem chosen by a great variety of birds to winter or as a rest in their long migrations), A Lanzada, Punta Carreirón and Laguna A Bodeira (limited by reeds to give shelter to the migratory birds that inhabit this place).
- Viewpoints: The one of To Siradella, from where we will see at our feet the Atlantic islands, the stretch of sand that connects the old island of O Grove with the neighboring municipality of Sanxenxo, the rich cove of O Vao and the beach of A Lanzada; The one of With da Hedra, from where we will see part of the islands that make up the National Park: Cíes, Ons and Sálvora. Also some of the best known beaches in the region such as A Lanzada, Area da Cruz, Raeiros ...
- All the more than 50 works of sculpture that are scattered through different streets of the town.
If you have decided that the island of La Toja is your destination this summer, do not forget to visit the nearby towns: they will surprise you!