What to see in O Grove

You ask yourself what to see in O Grove because you are thinking of visiting the province of Pontevedra? If so, we congratulate you on your decision, because it is one of the most beautiful in Spain. Its natural beauty is impressive and its heritage of monuments is not far behind.

Specifically, O Grove belongs to the Salnés region and forms a small peninsula at the entrance of the Arosa estuary. It has an area of ​​almost twenty-two square kilometers and is joined to the continent by the isthmus of O Bao. This is a sand deposit about two kilometers long and one kilometer wide created by the Umia River. Seeing this, you can already deduce that it is a particularly beautiful area, but, in addition, as we indicated, it has spectacular monuments. We will talk about all this below in this article about what to see in O Grove.

Historical and monumental heritage

The history of O Grove dates back, at least, to Roman times, as proven by the archaeological site of Adro Vello, which we will discuss below. Already during the Middle Ages, it belonged to the diocese of Compostela. At that time, attacks by Muslims and Normans were frequent, who tried to enter the Arosa estuary, something that English pirates would also do later.

Since 1835 it constitutes a municipality populated by almost eleven thousand inhabitants. And numerous monuments of its rich history have remained. We are going to show you the most notable ones and then tell you about their wonderful nature.

Necropolis of Adro Vello

We have already mentioned this Roman necropolis that you will find in the St. Vincent Parish, Together with the O Carreiro beach. At this site you can see remains from the aforementioned period, but also medieval ones. Specifically, it is made up of the aforementioned cemetery and a Roman salting plant, as well as the remains of a fortification and a church from the Middle Ages.

As a curiosity, we will tell you that it has great relevance in the Jacobean tradition. In this place, the oldest coin of all that have been found was found with the representation of the transfer of the apostle Santiago on one of its sides.

Religious monuments

The set of religious buildings is another of the great attractions to see in O Grove. The church of San Martín It was built in the 16th century, although it was rebuilt in the 18th century. It has a rectangular floor plan with an apse and two interior chapels. Likewise, it is topped by a baroque tower. But one of its most notable elements is the pointed arch in the upper part of which they are located the twelve apostles with the figure of Christ in the center.

For its part, the church of San Vicente It also dates back to the 18th century. It has a rectangular plan with a body covered by a barrel vault and a baroque central tower. As for the decoration, the doors and the balcony of the choir stand out. But, about this church, there is a curious legend that we can't resist telling you. He says that the neighbors wanted to build a building in one place and the stonemasons in another. Thus, they left the stones in one place, but the next day they appeared in the second location. This was considered the saint's will and was built in the latter area.

The religious heritage to see in O Grove is completed by chapels such as San Roque's, which houses the image of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the municipality; that of San Antonio Abad; that of the Virgin of the Tides; that of San Vicente de Mar y that of San Caralampio. The latter, located on the island of La Toja, will surprise you because its façade is completely covered by scallop shells. It is said to be the only one in the world with this distinctive feature.

Civil heritage to see in O Grove

This Pontevedra municipality also offers you spectacular civil monuments. Among them, the building itself stands out. Town Hall, a beautiful mansion topped by battlements. From him comes the modernist route that runs through the town and includes houses such as those of Celestina, the O Sineiro manor and the architectural complex of Plaza de Arriba.

But, one of the most relevant buildings of this style is the Escuredo tower. It was built in 1922 to serve as a home for a family dedicated to salting fish and stands out for its robust appearance and elegant, harmonious lines.

Moreover, the La Toja bridge It was built in 1910 to connect this island with the mainland. It was the first reinforced concrete building to be built in all of Galicia. Precisely, it rests on piles of this material that were placed as palisades and that support thirty-five arches. It is adorned with streetlights and artistic white railings.

Finally, be sure to pay attention, among what to see in O Grove, in its sculptural set. Since 1990, the City Council has organized a kind of international sculpture competition with the uniqueness that the chosen works become part of the municipal heritage.

But they are not the only ones. Others by such prestigious authors as Vilar Lamelas o Lucas Miguez. The first is due to the title Shellfish Family, while the second is responsible for the florean, a popular cartoon character The Lighthouse of Vigo. For its part, the monument to the peasant cart is the work of Rafael Meis Blanco And, even more curious is the set of sailor sculptures of Punta Moreiras, which include a lighthouse, mermaids or a whale tail.

The Grand Hotel of La Toja

We dedicate a separate section to this construction because it is one of the most notable to see in O Grove. The original building was built in 1908 with plans by the Orense architect Daniel Vazquez-Gulias, who designed it following models such as the famous thermal complex of Marienbad, in Germany.

In fact, its function was to serve as accommodation for those who came to the area to take advantage of the thermal waters of its Spa, famous since ancient times. However, the building that you can visit today is due to the renovation carried out in the 1940s. Francisco Javier Sanz Martínez. During it, its beautiful towers were removed, but the original Empire-style staircase was preserved.

The hotel is still active, so if you wish, you can stay there. As a curiosity, we will tell you that it has been recommended for more than a hundred years by the prestigious Michelin guide, at the level of hotels such as, for example, the Ritz in Madrid.

The nature of O Grove

But you don't only have beautiful monuments to see in O Grove. This Pontevedra municipality also stands out for its imposing nature. you have to see the Umia-O Grove intertidal complex. It is one of the most important wetlands in Galicia and serves as a greenhouse for thirteen thousand birds of more than two hundred different species.

Likewise, we recommend that you cross the Arosa estuary in one of the boats that you will find for this purpose. You will get impressive views of the coastline and the punts dedicated to mussel farming. But, above all, we want to advise you on two activities linked to nature to see in O Grove.

Beaches

As happens throughout Galicia, this part of the province of Pontevedra has wonderful beaches. Surely the most famous is that of A Lanzada, which has a length of more than two kilometers and white sands bathed by crystal clear waters. In it you can not only spend a pleasant day, but also get beautiful views of the oms island and the sunsets. As if that were not enough, you have a wooden walkway that crosses the dunes of this ecosystem.

But, as we told you, it is not the only one you can enjoy in the area. O Grove has ten kilometers of small coves and larger sandy beaches. Among all these, we can mention the O Espiño beach, With several campings and picnic areas; Barreiro's, with views of the island of Sálvora; Cinnamon's, located in the middle of a promenade, or the river Large Area, bathed by the Arosa estuary.

Hiking routes, another way to enjoy what to see in O Grove

The other activity that we would like to recommend to you in O Grove is hiking along the many routes and walks it offers. For example, you can walk to the With Black, where by the way you have a small cove. But, above all, it stands out for its virgin landscape.

You can also do the Os Lagarteiros route, which passes through the Siradella massif. This, with its 167 meters high, is the highest point in the municipality. From it you have spectacular views of A Lanzada. Likewise, you can see on this mountain the curious carballera stone, with its unique and striking shapes.

Finally, we recommend as samples of the hiking routes through O Grove the the A Bodeira lagoon and the one that runs along the entire beach Launched. The latter reaches the neighboring municipality of Sanxenjo and it is barely two kilometers long, so it will be quite easy for you.

In conclusion, we have shown you the main what to see in O Grove. But we cannot finish the article without talking to you about the gastronomy of the area, with special importance of seafood and fish. All this without forgetting the empanadas, lacón with turnip greens, octopus, churrasco and other typical products of Galician gastronomy. Come and visit this beautiful town of Galicia and enjoy everything it offers you.