There are Galician beaches that hardly need an introduction, and one of them is in the municipality of Nigrán, in the province of Pontevedra.
Playa América (America Beach) is a long sandy beach located on the southern bank of the Vigo Estuary. It is in the eastern part of the Bay of Bayona. With about 1,300 metres long it is the second largest beach in Nigrán, after Patos Beach (1,440 metres).
The coast of America Beach is bordered by the Monte Lourido peninsula to the south and by the Panjón beach to the north. Sometimes it may seem that Panjón and América are the same beach, but they are divided by a small river, called Muiños, and they are part of two different parishes: Panjón is part of the parish of the same name, while America Beach is part of the parish of San Pedro de la Ramallosa. Above these lines, the Monteferro peninsula seen from Playa América.
Without a doubt, America Beach is one of the most famous beaches for tourists who come to the Rías Bajas (Low Estuaries) every summer. Its views are spectacular and the quality of its sand is very good.
The European Blue Flag has been flying here for decades, which indicates the good conditions of this beach and the services it offers. In addition to sunbathing, America Beach is a good place for recreation in summer, even at night, since there is a wide variety of restaurants and cafes in its vicinity.
In winter the beach is quieter, as shown in these photos I took there on January 12th, although when the sun is shining, many people from the surrounding area come to this jewel of sand to walk and, for the more daring, even surf or go for a swim.
In the past, this beach was called Lourido or Area Loura (Blonde Sand, in Galician), which describes the golden colour of this beautiful stretch of coast. Its current name has a curious origin.
As Eduardo Rolland explained a few years ago in Vigoe.es, in 1927 a Galician emigrant who returned from Argentina, Manuel Lemos, founded a hotel establishment next to this beach, called Hotel Playa América, a name designed to attract tourism.
In the following years, the beach began to be urbanized, with the construction of some of the oldest chalets that are still there today. And that is how the name "Playa América" became popular.
As a note for maritime lighthouse enthusiasts, from this beach you can see two beacons clearly: the Cabezo de San Juan, in Bayona Bay, and the closest in this photo, and the Serralleiras Islets lighthouse, in the Estelas Islands, which is the one we see in the background.
This is a place that I have a great affection for, as I have spent many good times there since my earliest childhood. If you want to enjoy a good beach, here is one that is truly beautiful at any time of the year.
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