{"id":17742,"date":"2022-06-23T17:14:28","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T15:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/what-to-see-in-moana-art-routes-beaches-gastronomy-and-much-more\/"},"modified":"2024-07-24T13:23:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T11:23:05","slug":"what-to-see-in-moana-art-routes-beaches-gastronomy-and-much-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/what-to-see-in-moana-art-routes-beaches-gastronomy-and-much-more\/","title":{"rendered":"What to see in Moa\u00f1a: art, routes, beaches, gastronomy and much more."},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a lot to see in Moa\u00f1a<\/strong>. This beautiful town is located north of the Vigo estuary, along with other municipalities geographically nestled in the Morrazo Peninsula. Sometimes it can be overshadowed in travel guides by other towns such as the C\u00edes Islands<\/a>, Cangas de Morrazo<\/strong> or the city of Vigo<\/strong> itself.<\/p>\n

However, Moa\u00f1a<\/strong> is considered one of the most attractive places for tourism in Galicia. It is characterized by an important cultural heritage, beautiful beaches and a wide range of leisure activities.<\/p>\n

If you want to know all the secrets to discover in this small corner of the R\u00edas Baixas, here is a brief summary of everything there is to see in Moa\u00f1a<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

What to see in Moa\u00f1a? Traces of a millenary history<\/h2>\n
\"
Forest trail of the Fraga river, in Moa\u00f1a. This route goes through a total of 30 old water mills, many of them in ruins Image credits:
Counting Stars<\/strong>
<\/a> (CC BY-SA 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like the rest of the Morrazo region, Moa\u00f1a<\/a> has been an important place of transit and human settlement throughout history<\/strong>. The traces of the activity of these ancient civilizations leave as a legacy a number of places of great interest.<\/p>\n

Throughout the length and breadth of the different parishes to see in Moa\u00f1a we find numerous vestiges of what the history of the region has been. The petroglyphs<\/strong> in Montealegre, a Borna, As Cidades, Pozo Garrido, A Escada and Os Remedios are significant. These stone engravings are present in many of the hiking routes that Moa\u00f1a offers to the traveler.<\/p>\n

Particularly interesting is the Fraga River – Monte Faro Hiking Route<\/strong>, which follows the course of the Fraga River. The route, about six kilometers long, ends at the famous Dolmen da Chan da Arqui\u00f1a and the Torre de Meira.<\/p>\n

The Dolmen<\/h2>\n

The dolmen<\/a>, also called m\u00e1moa or medo\u00f1a, is a funerary monument erected more than five thousand years ago. This megalith is one of the most emblematic landmarks to see in Pontevedra, boasting an exceptional state of preservation. It consists of a polygonal chamber formed by 11 vertical stones and an access also limited by rocks, in a grove especially showy in the autumn months.<\/p>\n

During its excavation, a trousseau composed of stone tools and implements and ceramic fragments was also found.<\/p>\n

Ascending a little further along this route you reach the highest point of the Sierra do Morrazo, the Monte Faro de Domaio, with 624 m of altitude <\/strong>. From there you can appreciate some of the best views of the estuary and the C\u00edes Islands.<\/p>\n

We will also be able to follow the trail of the castre\u00f1a culture and the romanization of the region.<\/p>\n

There is a generous amount of these archaeological remains in Moa\u00f1a, such as O Castro, in the parish of San Marti\u00f1o and the Castros de Montealegre in the parish of Domaio. Ruins dating back from the Bronze Age<\/strong> to our present era, in which numerous different cultures and peoples established their populations throughout history in what we now know as the municipality of Moa\u00f1a.<\/p>\n

Moa\u00f1a in the Middle Ages and Modern Times<\/h2>\n
\"What
Moa\u00f1a, Galicia. Image credits: Alejandro<\/strong> Valderrama Cardenas<\/strong><\/a> (CC BY-SA 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The municipality of Moa\u00f1a<\/strong> is located on the Morrazo Peninsula, which separates the R\u00eda de Vigo from the R\u00eda de Pontevedra.<\/p>\n

This particular situation on the map has much to do in Moa\u00f1a with its history and territorial configuration changes constantly varying until the second half of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n

Moa\u00f1a was for many centuries subordinated to other parishes and concellos. In the Middle Ages it was under the jurisdiction of Iria Flavia and Santiago de Compostela. It was a particularly convulsive period, with continuous Norman attacks that caused radical population losses throughout the peninsula.<\/p>\n

From the late Middle Ages onwards, the coastal defenses were reinforced and a small demographic explosion took place, coinciding with the construction of symbolic Christian temples, such as the Church of San Marti\u00f1o, from the 12th century<\/strong>with its characteristic Latin cross floor plan, or the one at San Xo\u00e1n de Tir\u00e1n<\/strong>The Church of Santa Eulalia, from the first half of the thirteenth century, two of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in the area, as well as the later Church of Santa Eulalia is framed in the Baroque prototype.<\/p>\n

The gold of Rande<\/h2>\n

The great landowners in the High and Late Middle Ages were noble families whose power extended well into the Modern Age. After the discovery of America, the entire region and its ports took on special relevance in the transport of gold and other riches from the New World to the hands of the conquerors and traders.<\/p>\n

In the 17th century, the cultivation of corn was introduced in the region, with almost all of the farmland being used to produce this cereal and dotting the landscape with the typical water mills that can still be seen today, in places such as the waterfall of A Poza da Moura.<\/p>\n

Rande Beach<\/strong> witnessed in October 1702 an important battle between the English and Dutch navy and the Franco-Spanish troops in the framework of the War of Succession<\/strong>. The Battle of Vigo, also known as the Battle of Vigo and about which so much has been written, resulted in a Spanish defeat and the loss of a great deal of treasure.<\/p>\n

Nowadays, one of the most fun and culturally inspired things to see in Moa\u00f1a are the reenactments that eventually commemorate the battle, organized between Moa\u00f1a and Redondela<\/strong>. An elaborate staging with actors dressed in period costumes and the Rande Bridge in the background, a symbol of our Contemporary Age, who knows if guarding precious sunken galleons full of gold.<\/p>\n

Moa\u00f1a at present: the sea as the main axis<\/h2>\n
\"Domaio,
Coastline of the parish of Domaio, Moa\u00f1a; in the background the city of Vigo. Image credits:
alexvc26<\/a>
<\/strong> (CC BY-SA 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the 19th century, everything related to the parishes and their administration in Moa\u00f1a<\/strong> underwent a radical change.<\/p>\n

Meira, Moa\u00f1a and Domaio were under the command of Cangas do Morrazo<\/strong>, but in 1836 the Municipality of Meira was created. Later, in 1874, the capital was changed. What we know today as the City Council of Moa\u00f1a was born, to which the parish of the Virgen del Carmen was incorporated in 1955.<\/p>\n

With the construction of different ports and roads, during the 20th century Moa\u00f1a experienced an economic explosion, constantly revolving around the sea. Along with a small agricultural and livestock smallholding, the main industry has always been fishing and its by-products.<\/p>\n

Social movements have been one of the hallmarks of the region in recent decades as a result of the continued growth of the shipping and fishing industry.<\/p>\n

The tourism sector<\/h2>\n

The tourism sector was greatly boosted in the second half of the 20th century.<\/p>\n

Resources are beginning to be exploited in this field, taking advantage of the attractiveness of the whole area. Tourist complexes such as A Fraga<\/strong>, the Domaio golf course and three marinas are beginning to be built. Special attention is paid to the care of the beaches and the blue flag is awarded to Praia do Con and A Xunqueira.<\/p>\n

\"Moa\u00f1a:
Sculpture O Fisg\u00f3n, Moa\u00f1a. Image credits:
Bicicleando<\/a>
<\/strong> (CC BY-SA 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The hotel industry and rural tourism are also promoted. What were originally private houses, some of them abandoned, have been reinvented as rural houses. Moa\u00f1a currently has dozens of these rural lodgings and its offer is increasingly wider and of higher quality.<\/p>\n

The Concello de Moa\u00f1a informs about accommodations<\/a> on its website, among which the 4-star Hotel Bienestar<\/a> stands out.<\/p>\n

Since 2009<\/strong>, the sculpture O Fisg\u00f3n has stood defiantly. A heartfelt tribute to the sea and one of the most modern works to see in Moa\u00f1a. O Fisg\u00f3n – or Neptune, popularly – presides over the breakwater in front of Moa\u00f1a’s promenade. An exhibition of culture and art in the open air that summarizes the relationship of this town with the ocean.<\/p>\n

The best beaches to see in Moa\u00f1a<\/h2>\n
\"

Beach and garden of A Xunqueira. Image credits:
Bicicleando<\/strong>
<\/a> (CC BY-SA 2.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The beaches of Moa\u00f1a<\/strong>, in Pontevedra, extend along the entire southern coast of the municipality.<\/p>\n

From the Rande Bridge to the confines of Cangas do Morrazo there are endless beaches, narrow and open at the ends and wide in the central part of the town. Bathed by the waters of the Vigo estuary<\/strong>, these beaches are cool and the sea conditions are usually calm.<\/p>\n

The most important beaches to see in Moa\u00f1a are, perhaps, Playa da Xunqueira and Playa de Meira<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Adjacent to each other, they are two large sandy areas that form an urban beach and are covered at high tide. They are both surrounded by trees and parks, with several restaurants near the beach, they have all the services. Undoubtedly, a good plan for a day at the beach in Moa\u00f1a.<\/p>\n

All sizes<\/h2>\n

The entire coastline alternates between small beaches and coves and beaches with wide sandy areas.<\/p>\n

Among the first ones, we can find Playa do Ni\u00f1o Corvo<\/strong>, in Tiran, Playa do Porto<\/strong>, in Domaio. Near the marina is the Playa do Muelle beach<\/strong>. Also the small Playa O Con<\/strong>, with blue flag and fully equipped.<\/p>\n

In the second group are larger beaches such as Canabal Beach<\/strong>, very quiet, Borna Beach<\/strong>, with a nudist part or San Bartolomeu Beach<\/strong>, where a large number of shellfish gatherers are usually found.<\/p>\n

How to see everything there is to see in Moa\u00f1a<\/h2>\n

The best way to get to know the municipality is to take a walk along the various hiking tra<\/strong> ils that run throughout the geography of Morrazo.<\/p>\n

When planning your trip, you may prefer to spend more than one day to discover all the secrets of the different parishes. And, in addition to advise you to see Moa\u00f1a up close, you should know that there is also much to see near Moa\u00f1a.<\/p>\n

The hotels in Moa\u00f1a<\/strong> and its rural houses offer the traveler a wide range of lodging possibilities to spend the night in the town and its surroundings. In addition, Moa\u00f1a is part of the metropolitan area of Vigo, so communications with the city center and other services are guaranteed.<\/p>\n

Regarding gastronomic tourism in Moa\u00f1a<\/strong>, the restaurants of Moa\u00f1a and the neighboring towns offer an offer that adapts to all budgets and satisfies the most demanding palates.<\/p>\n

Fresh and natural products from the estuary, seafood, Galician meats and the best wines of the area meet in a wide range of restaurants.<\/p>\n

Moa\u00f1a is a party<\/h2>\n

If you want to visit the town on the days of its patron saint festivities, do not miss the festivities of the Virgen del Carmen<\/strong> and San Marti\u00f1o.<\/p>\n

They are commemorated on July 16 and November 11, respectively. All kinds of religious and secular celebrations, including maritime processions, are held in honor of the Virgin of the sailors.<\/p>\n

In addition to the festivities of Carmen and San Marti\u00f1o, Moa\u00f1a celebrates the different festivals of each parish.<\/p>\n

It is worth mentioning the Pilgrimage of San Lorenzo and Santa B\u00e1rbara<\/strong>, from August 10 to 12 in the parish of Domaio. Also the particular Galician carnival, O Entroido<\/strong>, which is always celebrated a week after the traditional one. There, travelers will be surprised to find themselves part of a festival overflowing with joy, music and life.<\/p>\n

In order to preserve the festivities and not lose contact with the traditions of these lands, cultural associations play a very important role. With enormous dedication, generally altruistic, these cultural associations protect Galician culture. The famous Interceltic Festival<\/a>, which has been held for more than 35 years, is today one of the most important folk music festivals in the world.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you want more information about all that Moa\u00f1a has to offer, go to the Tourist Office<\/strong>, in the same square of the Town Hall.<\/p>\n

Domingo Villar’s literary footprint, a new incentive to visit Moa\u00f1a<\/h2>\n

The (now forever) last novel by Domingo Villar<\/a> is set in different enclaves of Moa\u00f1a. The sadly deceased Galician writer was inspired by the village of Morrazo and placed there much of the plot of “O \u00daltimo Barco.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Domingo Villar, in 2019, next to Nabia’s ship at the Vigo dock. Photo by RICARDO GROBAS for Faro de Vigo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The protagonist of the novel takes “the last boat” of the Regular Line Moa\u00f1a-Vigo-Moa\u00f1a. The ship is called “Pirata de C\u00edes”, one of the ships of the Pirates of Nabia fleet. The protagonist lives in the parish of Tir\u00e1n, located between Moa\u00f1a and Cangas. Also protagonist is the Igrexa de San Xo\u00e1n de Tiran, the beaches, the pier of Moa\u00f1a, or the “Mirador da Mona”.<\/p>\n

“The small parish church of Tiran occupied the center of a hill, a platform over the sea with a paved floor that closed a wall half a meter high”. (Domingo Villa, O \u00daltimo Barco, Editorial Galaxia<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Discover it: There’s a lot to see in Moa\u00f1a<\/h2>\n

\"Borna<\/p>\n

Moa\u00f1a is welcoming and seafaring<\/strong>, cheerful, full of history and present, of nature and culture.<\/p>\n

Although it does not usually appear among the most requested destinations by tourists, there is much to experience, much to admire and much to see in Moa\u00f1a. We are waiting for you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is a lot to see in Moa\u00f1a. This beautiful town is located north of the Vigo estuary, along with other municipalities geographically nestled in the Morrazo Peninsula. Sometimes it can be overshadowed in travel guides by other towns such as the C\u00edes Islands, Cangas de Morrazo or the city of Vigo itself. However, Moa\u00f1a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[148],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17742"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18952,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17742\/revisions\/18952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.piratasdenabia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}