The town of Sanxenxo is situated on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the Rías Baixas, so is considered to be the area’s tourist capital. This town has a lot to offer: good cuisine, beautiful beaches, nature… In today’s article, we want to show you the six short trips that are most worthwhile.
1. Walk through Sanxenxo
Sanxenxo is a small fishing town which is a unique natural space. That’s why the first trip we encourage you to take is one that will help you to get to know this beautiful place. We recommend you first take a walk around the port and along the seafront promenade (paseo marítimo), from where you will be able to see Sanxenxo’s main beach, Silgar beach. Follow the promenade until you reach Portonovo, where you will be able to enjoy the beach and the excellent lookout points that offer you a spectacular view of the ria. The Caneliñas lookout point, where you will also be able to see the A Peixeira monument, is a particular highlight. Finally, venture into the streets of the town and try its traditional cuisine and delicious local wine, to end the day on the most delicious note.
2. Enjoy the A Lanzada beach
The A Lanzada beach is one of Galicia’s most stunning beaches, which is why it has become one of its most visited. The beach stretches two and a half kilometres in length, with white sand and crystal-clear waters worthy of an idyllic landscape.
This beach is very near to Sanxenxo and there are several buses that go there. This is why it’s the starting point of one of the best trips.
We recommend you walk along the entire beach until you reach the Romanesque hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Lanzada, a small Romanesque building dating back to the 12th century which forms part of Galicia’s historic heritage. In addition, we advise you visit the archaeological remains of an ancient fort and the tower of a castle that are the mark that different people have left on the area from different eras, including the Vikings, Celts, Phoenicians and Romans.
From the hermitage, you will be able to take in one of the best sunsets of the coast. And, if you are lucky enough to find it open, you will be able to admire its beautiful interior.
3. Try the seafood in O Grove
The town of O Grove is, without a doubt, Galicia’s seafood capital. That’s why this is an ideal place to enjoy a good seafood meal. This is particularly true if you go during its famous seafood festival, which has taken place every October since 1963.
After enjoying O Grove’s delicious seafood and taking a walk around the area, we recommend you take a trip by speedboat or catamaran along the stunning Arousa ria. During the trip, you will be able to see the islands of Sálvora and Areoso and discover the famous mussel farms that float calmly on the ria’s waters. Some trips even allow you to get near to them and try their delicious mussels.
4. Visit the surrounding villages
Near to Sanxenxo, you can find several beautiful and interesting villages, and we encourage you to visit them on day trip that will take no longer than a day.
Firstly, we suggest you go from Sanxenxo to Combarro, a fishing village at the foot of the Pontevedra ria which is famous for its granaries. In its day, this was considered the most beautiful in Spain. Without a doubt, it is worth a closer look.
After a stroll around Combarro, we encourage you to go to Cambados, a town which stands out for its beauty and its numerous Albariño wineries. This town is known as the Albariño Capital and its popular Albariño festival brings together hundreds of people each year.
After visiting Combarro and Cambados, you will be able to return to Sanxenxo at your leisure, a journey of no more than 15 minutes. This is certainly an ideal way to spend the day.
5. Visit the Cíes Islands
The Cíes Islands are a natural paradise that form part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia Maritime – Terrestrial National Park. From Sanxenxo and Portonovo, you have the chance to visit them with the Mar de Ons passenger ship company and you can make your booking on its website.
On this trip, you will be able to enjoy a pleasant journey towards the Cíes Islands, where you will be able to admire the stunning beaches, including Rodas beach, named the best beach in the world by The Guardian newspaper. You will also be able to do various hiking routes where you will have the opportunity to discover its nature and enormous biodiversity. In addition, there is the option of taking a tour with experts on the area who will tell you the history of and interesting facts about the islands.
6. Discover the Island of Ons
The Island of Ons also forms part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia Maritime – Terrestrial National Park, together with the Islands of Cíes, Cortegada and Sálvora.
This small island is the only one that is currently inhabited. Just like Cíes, the beaches and its stunning nature stand out on this island. Once you reach the island, there is the option of taking different tours that will take you to different corners of the island: you will pass the town’s houses, the cliffs and the famous Ons lighthouse.
Both on this island and on the Cíes Islands, you can stay the night and enjoy the islands for longer. However, you do need to book in advance as bookings fill up straight away.
If you would like to travel to Ons from Sanxenxo or Portonovo, you just need to book your trip on our website.
In addition, Mar de Ons customers who visit one of these destinations will enjoy a 10 % discount on second booking using the booking reference from the first trip.
These are the 6 most interesting short trips that you are going to find in the town and its surroundings. However, these are not the only fun plans you can enjoy there. Throughout the year, numerous festivals and one-off events are held that are just as interesting. One of these is the Sanxenxo fireworks evening, which takes place on August 28th, on the day of Saint Ginés, and which ends the celebrations of the patron saint. At Mar de Ons, we offer you the possibility of enjoying this fantastic firework display on board one of our boats.
If you are coming to Sanxenxo, we hope this list gives you some inspiration and you enjoy all of the wonders this town and its surroundings have to offer.
