Poseidón Thalassotherapy

About this heritage

Poseidon emerged as a consequence of a heritage rehabilitation project and environmental evaluation of the Baiona cetarea, which began in 2014 to redevelop, in a first instance, a public area into a solarium.

In 2018, the installation of elements was completed, converting the ancient cetarea into a natural spa. It currently has pressurized water systems, high-pressure jets for cervical massages and water cascades in a 300 m2 plunge pool which fills with water.

The cetarea’s restoration and rehabilitation, came second in the category of “Best of seaside” of the prestigious prizes “The best Top 100 Destinations”, awarded by the international organization Green Destinations.

This cetaria was built at the beginning of the 20th century and is located next to the Baiona’s breakwater. The granite and rectangular construction is 300 m2 in perimeter and was used to store lobsters from the town’s fishing businesses.

The cetarea was abandoned in the 1970’s.

The cetarea is ideally situated, given its privileged views of the Estelas and Cies islands, as well as the view of Monteferro, in the neighbouring town of Nigran. A stroll along the Monte Boi promenade can also be enjoyed. The course is barely two kilometres long and borders the Monterreal fortress.

To learn more

Baiona’s thalassotherapy pool, dates back to the end of the 19thcentury, given that the excellent properties of iodine enriched water, thanks to the abundance of algae which the force of the seawater deposits on the Concheira beach, were already widely known back then. The action of the force of the waves shred the algae, causing them to decompose, adding to the dissolution elements of proven therapeutic properties.

Doctor Cordero and Mr. Ordoñez envisioned a business opportunity and decided to set up a small spa with 20 portable cabins.

The first thalassotherapy spa in Baiona was built on the popular Concheira beach in 1896. This was a wooden building which rested on stone pillars, so as to allow the high tides to freely flow beneath.

There was an interior room with 12 marble baths, each providing a choice of temperatures and option of with or without algae, although the general demand was with algae. Preparation entailed the daily collection of algae from the beach and subsequent boiling thereof to extract the iodine. The seawater was then heated and then blended with the liquid derived from the algae.

Heading toward the Baiona bay stands the Torre de la Tenaza, which was erected during the reigning of the Catholic Monarchy during the 15th century, which served as a dungeon and an ammunition dump.

Legend has it that Pedro Madruga ordered the construction of a special cell with a small entryway and that, after locking the Bishop of Tui therein, instructed he be well fed so that he would gain weight, to the extent that he would not be able to exit the small door.

Further along is the Doca, name given to the large breakwater which protects the port from storms in Baiona.

Just behind the breakwater is the Monterreal Yacht Club, one of the most important yacht clubs in Spain. Throughout its 50 years of history, various editions of Lymington-Bayona, several European and world championships and numerous Match Race regattas have been held here.

To know it better

Baiona is today’s the first Galician town to have a free natural seawater pool and cascading waters. The town, which is located in the province of Pontevedra, has enhanced the ancient cetarea, converting into a leisure zone for its inhabitants, as well as for tourists.

A cetarea is a natural nursery habitat adjacent to the sea which lodges marine life and, given this cetarea’s advantage point of location on Monte Boi, a thalassotherapy pool with cascading waters has been designed. What’s more, we are all aware of the therapeutic, as well as relaxing and wellbeing effect that seawater has on our bodies.

The project, denominated Poseidon, began in 2014 and four years later, the suitable elements were installed, converting this ancient lobster cetaria into a natural paradise.