O Grove is a small town and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia. It is on a peninsula on the Atlantic ocean and has a population of about 11,000 people.
The many beaches and cooling sea breezes make it a very popular spot for summer vacations with many Spaniards.
Enjoying the water and seafood are the two main and best things to do in O Grove. One activity that combines both of these pleasures are the boat tours on offer. We took one which cruised the local muscle farming activities and served limitless amounts of muscles and white wine during the tour. The tour on the calm estuary waters, plus the food and wine made for an excellent afternoon.
The biggest event of the year in O Grove is Fiesta del Marisco or Seafood festival which, as the name suggests, celebrates the amazing seafood in the area. The festival is held around the first week of October and is becoming more and more popular each year. There are a range of activities over a week, but the highlight for foodies is the food pavilion.
Each day dozens and dozens of restaurants and chefs prepare samples of amazing seafood prepared in a variety of ways. Many dishes are served in ceramic bowls with the town name and logo on it, which make a nice souvenir of your visit. It was definitely one of the best food events I’ve been to and well worth checking out if you can.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat when the festival isn’t on, give Restaurante Taberna Lavandeiro a try.
“My tip for O Grove is don’t attempt a cruise and visit to the festival on the same day. Allow a day for each.”
If you are spending time in this part of Spain, then O Grove is definitely worth visiting, along with the nearby town of Cambados.
The town is just over an hours drive from Santiago de Compostela making it a good day trip destination.
From Pontevedra it is about a 40 minute drive.
The nearest railway station is in Vilagarcía de Arousa where you can connect from Santiago de Compostela and A Coruna in the north and Pontevedra and Vigo in the south.
A taxi fare from Vilagarcía de Arousa train station is going to cost around 40 Euros