Praia da Lanzada
Introduction
Almost 3 km of white sand open to the Atlantic, between O Grove and Sanxenxo. A beach for surfing, sunset strolls, and legends like the bath of the nine waves.
Description
A Lanzada occupies the isthmus that connects the O Grove peninsula with the mainland. At about 2.7 km, it is one of the longest beaches in Galicia. Its waves make it highly appreciated for surfing, bodyboarding, and windsurfing, and its dunes are part of a protected natural area.
At the southern end, already in Sanxenxo, are the Romanesque hermitage of A Lanzada (12th century), the ruins of a 10th-century defensive tower, and a 'castro' (hillfort) inhabited since the 8th century BC.
On the last weekend of August, the pilgrimage is celebrated, with the famous «baño das nove ondas» (bath of the nine waves): according to tradition, women who wish to have children let nine waves pass at midnight.
- Attention: open sea with strong waves; swim in supervised areas.