A Guarda (also known as La Guardia) is a coastal town at the very southern tip of the Atlantic part of Spain just across the river border with Caminha, Portugal and is a stopping point on the Camino Portuguese Coastal route via Vigo.
The town was once a tiny fishing village which has now been designated a European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) by the European Commission in recognition of its proposal for sustainable tourism. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and presided by the Miño River and the Monte de Santa Tecla hill fort, the town of A Guarda is famous for its lobsters as you will see from the multi-coloured boats that bob up and down on the waters in front of the small harbour.
So, let’s take a look at the things to see and do in 24 hours in A Guarda.
A Guarda Celtic Settlement
A Guarda’s Celtic settlement, which dates from between 600 and 200 BC, is on the slopes of Monte de Santa Tecla, a stunning mountain to hike up in its own right. This settlement is one of the most important sites in Galician hill-fort culture. The hill is also home to the shrine of the saint of the same name, as well as a via Crucis marked by monuments. It is also the venue for all the most important pilgrimages and festivities which take place in the town.
The settlement comprises of remains of about a hundred round stone houses which are all enclosed by a stone wall running the perimeter of the site. A couple of the stone houses have been restored, complete with thatched rooves, to give you an idea of what they looked like when they were inhabited.
If you walk to the top of the hill close to the settlement, there is a church and an archaeological museum containing finds from the site.
View from the Monte de Santa Tecla over the Ria and estuary below are another good reason to visit the Celtic Settlement.
Religious Buildings
There are several religious buildings in A Guarda, namely the Iglesia de Santa Maria, the Convento de San Benito and the Capilla de Santa Trega, the latter being both very small and very old.
Civic structures of architectural interest include the Casa de Torres and the Casas Indianas, as well as the Monumento O Marinrio. (This depicts the making and repair of fishing nets.) The Road of Crosses adjacent to the Castro above the town is also popular with visitors.
Beaches
Finding a beach in A Guarda is never a problem with the district having half a dozen prime examples within a couple of kilometres of the main town. Area Grande is only a short walk from the town centre as is Fedorento and O Carreiro. Other beaches require a short car journey of 2 or 3 kilometres. The beaches in this area tend to have fine white sand.
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