Baiona (or Bayona in Spanish) is a town 20 km south of Vigo in Galicia, Spain. It's a tourist town with a medieval historical centre by the outlet of the Vigo Bay. Its population of just over 12,000 (2018) rises to around 45,000 in the summer with tourists. Since it is on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago, 30,000 hikers also visit every year.

Understand

Baiona is a small town in the south part of Vigo Ría. Other than tourism the major economic activities revolve around fishing.

History

Baiona has had many names in its history: Stuciana, Abóriga, Balcagia, and Erizana.

Baiona was the first place in Europe to hear the news about the discovery of America. On March 1, 1493, Caravel La Pinta arrived in Baiona commanded by Martín Alonso Pinzón. This caravel was part of first Columbus' voyage to America.

Get in

By plane

The closest airport is Vigo airport (30 km). Other options are Santiago de Compostela (129 km) or Porto in Portugal (160 km).

By train

The closest train station is in Vigo. Then you will need a bus to get Baiona.

By bus

There are buses every 30 minutes from Vigo on weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays there are buses every hour. The company providing this service is called ATSA and the buses are red.

By car

AP-57 motorway ends in Baiona. It is connected to AP-9 from A Coruña and A-52 from Ourense.

Get around

You can go for a walk along the seafront promenade (paseo marítimo) that will take you less than 1 hour from Paseo Pinzón (on west) to Ladeira beach (on east).

There is a taxi stand at the port (5 minutes walking from town hall).

See

• Caravel La Pinta, Elduayen street. There is a replica of Caravel La Pinta with the same size than the real one, it has a small museum inside. ~€1. 
• Ex-collegiate church (Ex-colexiata Santa María de Baiona), Santa Liberata square. The biggest church of Baiona built in the 13th century. 

Montereal castle

• Monterreal Castle (Conde de Gondomar - Earl Gondomar - Castle), Jesús Valverde avenue. It is on a peninsula called Monte Boi. Nowadays it is an expensive hotel of the chain Paradores de España. Tickets to go for a walk through walls are €1 per person. 
• Monte Boi peninsula. A nice walk around castle walls. It is free. 
• Virgin of the Rock (Virxe da Rocha), Virxe da Rocha road. A monument 15 metres tall done by Antonio Palacios. A nice viewpoint to see the town and bay. 
• Parador of Baiona. (updated Sep 2020)
• Monte Real Yacht Club Baiona. The yacht club, founded in 1965, is next to the Parador. The club is host to international regattas and home to a sailing school, bringing maritime tourists to the city. (updated Sep 2020)

Beaches

There are six beaches in Baiona:

• A Barbeira. Inside Monterreal Castle premises but with free access. 
• A Concheira. At the beginning of Monte Boi walk. This is a beach with shells fragments instead of sand. 
• A Ladeira. At the town entrance coming from Vigo, is the biggest one. 
• Os Frades. In the middle of Monte Boi walk, it is the smallest one. Like A Concheira is a shell beach. 
• A Riberia. In the entrance of Monterreal Castle. 
• Santa Marta. At the beginning of another small peninsula with a small chapel on the top. 

Do

• Arrival party (Festa da Arribada). Every year the caravel La Pinta arrival is commemorated with a medieval party. A lot of people come to the town and pass the whole day drinking and eating in the streets. It is celebrated in a weekend close to 1st of March. 
• Beaches. In the summer season enjoy any of the beaches. 
• Walk. Go for a walk around Monte Boi peninsula. 

Buy

• Clothes, Elduayen street. There are a lot of shops opened on Sundays and bank days thinking in the tourists. They are usually quite expensive. 

Eat

• O Refuxio D'Antón, Ventura Misa street. Tapas. €5-10. 
• O Mosquito, Elduayen street, ☏ 34 986355036. Rice with lobster. €15-20. 
• Rocamar, Baredo, ☏ 34 986357323. Seafood. 2 km away from town centre. €30-50. 
• O'Rizon, 46 Calle Areas, Baiona, Galicia, Spain. Very good! 

Drink

• Cafes. There are a lot of cafes, specially in Elduayen street where you could enjoy the terrace. 
• Night. Town centre is plenty of pubs that are opened till 03:00 and two big discotheques that close later: Villa Rosa (in an old building for the early 20th century) and Basic. 

Sleep

• O Escondidiño, Río da Veiga street, ☏ 34 986358205. Cheap hotel 5 minutes from the town centre. €35. 
• Parador de Baiona, Jesús Valverde avenue, ☏ 34 986355000. The best hotel of the town in Monterreal Castle. Within the official Spanish category of Paradores of Spain (hotels with a historical and architectural value), Baiona is a good example of well-preserved history. Surrounded by a stone wall, on a small peninsula, the old hotel and restaurant overlooks the entrance of the Rias Baixas and the Cies Islands. €100-200. 
• Camping Bayona Playa, Ladeira beach, ☏ 34 986350035. Wood bungalows at Ladeira beach. €30-50. 

Connect

• Internet. There is no free wifi in Baiona, but there are several bars and cafes which provides free Internet to their clients. 

Go next

• Cíes Islands (Illas Cíes). During the summer seasons there are boats to Cíes Islands, a natural paradise with nice beaches. ~€15. 
• Santa Tecla (A Guarda). 20 km at south of Baiona you can get A Guarda through a beautiful coastal road. There you can go to the mountain called Santa Tecla where you can find a celtic fort (castro). From the top of the mountain you can also see the Miño river estuary which separates Spain and Portugal.