O Grove

O Grove is a peninsula, and the main town on that peninsula, linked by a tombola and highway to mainland Galicia in northwest Spain. It's a beach resort and in 2024 had a population of 11,000.

The estuaries of the Rías Baixas are dotted by islands, and O Grove is almost one of them, but the tombola of O Vao links it to the mainland. The original name was Ogrobe but the initial "O" got separated and confused with the Galician word for "the". It has a small fishing trade, especially shellfish, and morphed into a beach resort in the 20th century.

A Toxa is an island long connected by bridge to O Grove. In the 19th century it became fashionable for its geo-thermal mud baths, but nowadays you go there to play golf.

Highway AG / VG-41 is a spur off AP-9, the motorway crossing Galicia north-south. This leads onto the tombola road leading into town; it gets congested on fine summer weekends.

Monbus runs hourly from Pontevedra, taking 90 min with multiple stops. They also run three times a day from Santiago de Compostela, taking two hours via Padrón.

🌍 Estación de autobuses is by the harbour in O Grove.

The town is best explored on foot. You need wheels to get around the peninsula and Toxa island, linked by road bridge.

• 🌍 A Siradella is the highest point of the peninsula, with great all-round views.
• 🌍 O Grove Aquarium, C Reboredo, Punta Moreiras, ☏ +34 986 732327. Daily 11:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00. Displaying local species; pricey for what you get. Adult €15, child €12. (updated May 2025)
• Museo das Salgadeiras de Moreiras 200 m north of the aquarium is a small museum about the local fish-curing industry, open Tu-Sa 11:00-14:00, 16:30-19:30.
• 🌍 Ermida da Toxa on Toxa island is a small chapel from the 12th century covered with scallop shells.
• 🌍 Toxa Pequena is an islet east of Toxa, with the smaller Ortigueira between. Nothing there.

• Beaches: lots here and there, but the best is Lanzada, the 3 km Atlantic-facing shore of the tombola.
• Boat trips from the harbour explore other nearby islands such as Sálvora. The bay is dotted with platforms for mussel farming.
• Golf: La Toja Golf is towards the north of Toxa island.

• Mercado Municipal is on Rúa Irmans Otero Goday in O Grove, open M-Sa 08:30-14:00.
• Several supermarkets, such as Eroski Center at Rúa Alcalde Xacobe Barral Otero 8, open M-F 09:00-21:30.

• Half a dozen places near the harbour.

• Several bars along Rua Cruceiro.
• Galician wine is white and crisp similar to Portuguese.

• Hotel Norat Marina is at Rúa Peralto 32.
• Hotel Spa Norat is at Rúa Luis Cassais 22.
• Hotel Maruxia is at Rúa Luis Cassais 14.
• Hostal As Viñas is at Rúa Luis Seoane 38.
• 🌍 Hotel Montemar, Rúa Teniente Dominguez 6, ☏ +34 611 036316. Basic hotel by the bridge to Toxa. (updated May 2025)
• 🌍 Hotel Samar, La Lanzada, ☏ +34 986 738378. Efficient hotel on the tombola beach. B&B double €150. (updated May 2025)
• 🌍 Hotel Spa Atlantico, Lugar de Granxa 15, San Vicente, ☏ +34 986 738061. Pleasant hotel with pool north edge of village. B&B double €110. (updated May 2025)

As of May 2025, O Grove and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from Masmovil, Movistar and Orange.

• Combarro is the largest of the string of villages along the mainland north shore of the Ria.
• Pontevedra the provincial capital has a historic centre.
• Santiago de Compostela to the north has a magnificent medieval old town.