Information about Sanxenxo
Sanxenxo is the tourist heart of the Salnés region and enjoys a great reputation as a summer resort, a holiday destination par excellence. It is a charming coastal village bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, with a privileged location that provides enviable weather conditions and an environment of beautiful beaches. It is known for its easy access, its beautiful natural landscapes as well as the culinary offer of the Galician tradition. The Juan Carlos I Marina is a must-see for all water sports enthusiasts and a further attraction for the interest of sailors.
What to see and do in Sanxenxo
The beaches
The first thing to highlight of this town so used as a holiday destination are its essential beaches. The most important is Lanzada which has the largest extension of the area and has 2,500 meters of white sand, one of the most emblematic of Galicia. You can also enjoy Lapa, with an intense swell that often invites you to practice different water sports there. The Pragueira, meanwhile, offers great scenery and features a small cove nearby called Bascuas.
The church of San Xinés
This building was moved to Sanxenxo in 1670 and is of an architectural style known as sailor, typical of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The plan of the building is rectangular and two chapels emerge from it, the chapel of San José from 1688 and the chapel of the Purification from 1710. On the façade you can see the Virgin of Carmen with a halo in the shape of a scallop.
The sculpture Aviador Piñeiro
The aviator is the name given to José Piñeiro González, the first aviator in Galicia, who was born in Sanxenxo. There are two statues that pay homage to this popular character made by Alfonso Vilar, one from 1970 and the other from 2002. This aviator was so amazed the first time he saw the feats that could be done with a light aircraft that he sold all his businesses and moved to France to learn the profession. When he returned to Sanxenxo he dedicated himself to make his incredible exhibitions flying over the beaches, he caused a great impact among the inhabitants and was a media phenomenon at the time.
The Juan Carlos I Marina
To fully enjoy nautical activities there is no better place than Sanxenxo. Its Marina Juan Carlos I is equipped with all kinds of services and is one of the best equipped of the entire peninsula, a real benchmark. the area has the right conditions for this type of sport and several sailing tournaments are held here every year. In addition, you can go surfing, diving, canoeing… any thorn in your side with water activities can be removed in this place.
Spas and thermal baths
Galician waters have a great reputation in the curative sense and there are several areas that have thermal waters and spas. Sanxenxo conserves a great tradition in this sense, since from the Celtic baths to the Roman baths different forms of use of the waters can be appreciated in the town. Nowadays there are many thermal hotels or spas that offer these services and they are an important tourist attraction.
Gastronomy
As a seaside town Sanxenxo has a great culture around fish and seafood, as well as an exceptional product quality. In this town you can find different options to taste it, from its fish markets and food markets to the restaurants with a great traditional culinary offer, located in exceptional places. Wine is also an important element to understand the gastronomy of this area and there is a Rías Baixas Wine Route that runs through this area. It is essential to taste a bottle of wine with a Denomination of Origin with any meal.
The New Parish Temple
The New Parish Church is a religious construction that began to be built in 1965 and was not finished until 1976. It has a hexagonal floor plan that is covered by a roof in the shape of a stepped pyramid. It is a very interesting church to contemplate architecturally and is rooted in the culture of the place, since the funds to create it came from different donations from groups and also from the yacht club.
