MOAñA TRAVEL GUIDE

Why Travel to Moaña?

Moaña is a seafaring town situated on the banks of Vigo Bay, part of the O Morrazo peninsula in the province of Pontevedra, Kingdom of Galicia, Spain. Connected to the city of Vigo by the Rande Bridge, built in commemoration of the famous Battle of Rande that took place in 1702 on the Bay of Vigo, between the Anglo-Dutch and French-Spanish fleets. Moaña is popular for its numerous excellent golden beaches like Xunqueira Beach, Con Beach, Domaio beach, Meira Beach, Praia do Niño Corvo (Raven’s Nest beach), among others, where you can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, or practicing water sports in its crystal-clear waters. Moaña is well-known for being a traditional fishing village, especially for the cultivation of mussels, where you can see traditional Galician Bateas (sustainable mussel farms) scattered in the bay.

What to see & Things to do in Moaña

The best way to get to know Moaña, is by visiting the most popular places of the fishing town and learning about its tradition and heritage. Explore its numerous nature walking trails, learn about the history of the mussel farms, taste the Galician gastronomy of the region and walk its beautiful promenade along the bay. Here are some great examples of things to do and visit during your holiday in this beautiful coastal town:

• Bateas (Mussel Farms): A batea consists of a floating structure made of wood (normally eucalyptus) with huge floats and esparto ropes hanging perpendicular from the batea that sink to the water and where the mussels grow. To avoid the movement of the batea on the sea, they are anchored to the bottom by heavy steel chains. The first one was built in 1945, since then it became the traditional and the most efficient way to cultivate and grow this type of mollusks (mussels mainly but as well oysters and scallops.)
• O Fisgón: This iconic sculpture of what looks like Neptune holding his trident was built in 2009 by the well know Galician sculptor Manuel Varela. It is considered one of the most modern statues that you can see in Moaña. Located in the promenade of Moaña represents the connection of this coastal town with the sea. Nick-named Neptune, confusing with the god of the Sea, but in reality, it is a local fisherman, since in this village centuries ago they use to catch the octopus, fish, etc... on the beach of Xunqueira with a "Fisga", which is a Trident used like a spear, an old technique of fishing art. 
• A Fraga Nature Trail: On this breathtaking nature walking trail of the Galician idyllic forests of Moaña, the journey starts from the wonderful popularly known beach of A Xunqueira following the stream of the Río da Fraga or also called Río dos Ladróns (Thieve’s River) the largest in the municipality. Along this route you will see beautifully lush greenery, small waterfalls, different tree species (oak trees, willows, chestnut trees, eucalyptus, and laurels), and even admire a total of 30 old Galician traditional Muiños (water mills) where the cornflour was made for generations, a few are still in use nowadays.
• Dolmen of Chan de Arquiña & Viewpiont of Domaio: Located on the highest point of the O Morrazo Peninsula (622 m high), on Monte Faro (Mount Faro), this is an important megalithic burial monument more than 5,000 years old. It consists of a polygonal chamber formed by 11 vertical stones and a corridor of 5 vertical stones. A great place to learn about the ancestors that once lived on this land. At the very top of Faro Hill there is a viewpoint with 360 panoramic views to contemplate the beauty on a clear day.
• Moaña Promenade: This promenade is a great recreational and leisure area where you can enjoy a relaxed stroll admiring the views of the bay, different sculptures, beaches, gardens, and visiting the local market square where the festivities and weekly market take place.
• Cross of Paralaia Hill: Located on top of  Paralaia Hill, a must-see for the best panoramic views of the village and the bay of Vigo. The monks of Santiago de Ermelo put the cross here, as they use to sit for hours to prey and gaze out at the spectacular views. A hill of legends and folklore, with a Cova (cave) that is said to have hidden treasures protected by the magical Mouras that can only be found on the night of San Juan (St. John´s Day), there are many more tales of this cave that you should come and discover!
• Interceltic Festival of Morrazo: Every August they celebrate the Celtic music festival bring people from all over the Celtic music world.  Here they have some excellent musicians, like the bagpiper Xosé Manuel Budiño or Anxo Lorenzo.

A Village where Professional Athletes are Born!

A village that is also very sport-conscious, with some excellent athletes born here. You will see locals out for runs all the time along the boardwalk. The local rowing club of S.D. Tiran Pereira, has won many awards in rowing competitions. Plus the football (soccer) club CD Moaña has developed in their youth base many excellent professional players, most notably Iago Aspas, that plays for the Real Club Celta de Vigo and the National Spanish Team.

Gastronomy of Moaña

In terms of gastronomy, in Moaña you will taste delicious fresh seafood, the star product of the area are the Mussels, a delicacy of this region farmed and harvested sustainably on the bay of Vigo, and are a Protected Designation of Origin of Mussel of Galicia (DOP Mexillón de Galicia). The best time to visit and taste them is during the Festa do Mexillon in August. Another must taste as well are the clams, cockles, and razor clams dug up from the Xunqueira beach by the local clam diggers. Other seafood and shellfish that can be found in Moaña are; oysters, scallops, percebes, etc... Not forgetting about the Galician meats,  Goat cheese, and the delicious empanada pie, all paired well with the best wines from the Rias Baixas D.O., or even the local IXP Ribeiras do Morrazo wines.

Our food experts have chosen the best tour operators offering tours with food, wine, walking holidays in Moaña. You can check our full list of top food tours to Moaña and top boutique hotels in the sections of the travel to Moaña destination guide.

Population: 19,448 inhabitants (2018)