Playa Areas Gordas

The atmosphere is open, bright and shaped by the Atlantic. Areas Gordas is larger than Nosa Senora but more contained than the long A Lanzada strand. Visitors use it for swimming when conditions allow, walks across the firm sand and easy access to the nearby headland.

Summer brings families and coastal walkers. The shore can feel peaceful early or late in the day, while midday activity grows around the main access. Wind and waves are regular features, so the beach should be approached as an open coast rather than a protected bay.

Areas Gordas is a 250-metre open beach beside the A Lanzada headland in Sanxenxo. Despite a name that suggests coarse material, it has fine white sand. Its tombolo shape and position beside the chapel point place it within the A Lanzada coastal system.

The chapel of Nosa Senora da Lanzada is the strongest local landmark. It stands on the granite point immediately south, above a site with archaeological remains and centuries of maritime tradition. The short walk from the beach to the chapel opens wide views along the coast.

A Lapa continues north, while Foxos lies beyond the headland to the south. Noalla provides the inland parish setting, and the road towards O Grove follows the narrow coastal corridor behind the dunes. These links make it part of a broader A Lanzada visit.

The beach forms a curved tombolo of fine pale sand with dune vegetation behind it. Its open western aspect brings broad views towards Ons and the Atlantic, while the chapel headland closes the southern end with a strong granite profile.

At low tide, the strand expands around the rocky point. Higher water reduces the dry margin and places more emphasis on the dunes behind. Visitors should avoid trampling fenced or fragile vegetation.

Wind moves freely across the low landscape and can alter the sea quickly. Waves may be moderate or stronger depending on swell direction. Areas Gordas combines a natural beach, a historic headland and the beginning of the long A Lanzada shoreline in one compact and visually coherent setting.