636km (394 miles) NW of Madrid, 32km (20 miles) W of Pontevedra, 73km (45 miles) S of Santiago de Compostela
A summer resort and fishing village with some 8km (5 miles) of beaches of varying quality, El Grove is on a peninsula west of Pontevedra. It juts into the Ría de Arousa, a large inlet at the mouth of the Ulla River. The village has become more commercial than many visitors would like, but it is still renowned for its fine cuisine. A shellfish festival is held here every October.
La Toja (A Toxa in Galician), an island linked to El Grove by bridge, is a famous spa and the most fashionable resort in Galicia, known for its sports and leisure activities. The casino and the golf course are both very popular. The island is covered with pine trees and surrounded by some of the finest scenery in Spain.
La Toja first became known for health-giving properties when, according to legend, the owner of a sick donkey left it on the island to die. The donkey recovered, and its cure was attributed to the waters of an island spring.
