The Cistercian monastery of A Armenteira is located in the parish of the same name, in the municipality of Meis. It was founded in 1149 by Ero, an abbot of the old monastery.

One afternoon, Ero was strolling around A Armenteira and came to a clear water spring. There, he heard the song of a little bird, which was so pleasant and melodious that Ero sat there staring at it until he fell asleep. Some 300 years had passed when he awoke; then, he returned to his monastery, but could not recognise it, as now had a large gate. He did not know the monks living there; they listened to his story and exclaimed in amazement:

‘¡Nunca tan gran maravilla
como Deus por este fez
polo rogo de sa madre
Virgen santa de gran prez!’

The battle between the Spanish and English fleets took place in the coastal inlet Ría de Vigo on 23 October 1702. The first fleet had the purpose of unloading its goods of gold, silver and exotic products from India, but, reduced by its constant confrontations with the Dutch and English armies, had to stop at the Ría de Vigo to take a rest from their long voyage. However, the English troops learned that the Spanish galleons sailing these waters were hiding a great treasure and attacked them.

Despite the efforts of the Spanish fleet, admiral Rooke and his fleet were victorious and took part of the booty. However, many of the galleons sank in the Ría de Vigo and, therefore, the treasure was lost.

This invaluable treasure now lies under the water of the Ría de Vigo, near San Simón Island.

In Galicia, it is believed that the souls of the dead wander and show themselves.

A deeply rooted belief in our land is related to the visits of the souls to announce the death of an acquaintance, neighbour or relative. The Santa Compaña or Estadea, which are ghosts or souls in pain, would appear to anyone wandering along lost paths and roads. They would leave their graves to announce the death of someone, entering their house or throwing a stone at their roof. In fact, this belief is so widespread that everyone in Galicia believe in the Santa Compaña and its creepy apparitions.

These souls walk barefoot in two rows, with cold hands and covered in shrouds. Each of them carries a light, but it is invisible; only a faint smell of wax and a light wind announce the procession of spectres is passing by. Leading the group is the largest spectre, the Estadea. Sometimes a passer-by can see a relative in the coffin, who will soon die. 

Late at night, the person who finds the procession may be forced to follow it, carrying a cross and a cauldron. This victim could only be freed if she or he hands over the cross and the cauldron to another person who happen to witness the procession, who may then accompany the spectres.

This is one of the oldest legends in the municipality of Sanxenxo. It is related to fertility rites or cults and takes place in A Lanzada Chapel and at the beach of the same name. The place name, A Lanzada, is linked to the act of casting a spell, popularly known as feitizo or meigallo in Galician. First, it was used to invoke a pagan goddess and then, with the passing of time, the Virgin.

The cult to fertility was and still is deeply rooted in our culture. It was one of the major concerns during the pre-industrial period, due to high infant mortality and problems for having healthy children. According to popular belief, a sterile woman who wishes to have children has to go to Nosa Señora de Area or A Lanzada Beach, at midnight on the last Saturday of August in the moonlight and let her belly be touched by nine waves. At the same time, she shall beg the Virgin to save her from the evil eye, the meigallo or feitizo, thus putting an end to her infertility. 

At dawn, after the bath, worshippers enter the chapel and sweep around the altarpiece and apse. Finally, they give offerings consisting of money, cereals, candles or wax figures and watermelons, so as to express their thanks or ask for favours, such as protection for fishermen or treatment for all kinds of nervous illnesses and infertility. 

According to tradition, then, worshippers have to sunbathe on the rock popularly known as Cama da Virxe, whose shape evoke a bed and is situated near the ocean, where water breaks, at the bottom of the chapel. 

The festival of the Virgin of A Lanzada is also held on the same date, the last weekend of August.

Legend has it that the town of Pontevedra, the capital of the province of the same name, may have been founded by Teucro, one of the heroes of the Trojan War.

Teucro, after being repudiated by his father, the King of Salamis, wandered around the world until he reached this land. Here, he decided to establish a settlement named Helenes, and founded a village whose inhabitants are known as Helenes or Hellenes.

It is said that, following the arrival of Teucro, peace was achieved because his followers blocked all approaching ships to avoid the repeated attacks they had unfortunately been used to.

Every year in Redondela, as in many other towns in the province, the day of Corpus Christi is celebrated. However, in this town by the coastal inlet Ría de Vigo, they also commemorate the feat of the young people who defeated the Coca.

The Coca is a dragon-like animal with a snake tail, huge wings and sharp-clawed legs living in seas and rivers.

One day, this kind of dragon appeared in Redondela and began to carry off the prettiest local girls. Then, the inhabitants of Redondela organised a group of twenty-four men, who fought against the dragon and managed to kill it with their swords. Folowing their victory, a large parade took place, with fighters dancing around the dragon and women following the dance, holding the girls in their arms.

This is the origin of the dance of the swords and the dance of the girls, popularly known as penlas, which commemorate the death of the Coca. Therefore, every year the dragon carries two girls in its belly and parades along the streets opening and closing its mouth and shaking its head. As the popular song says: 

‘Outra vez temos a Coca

de ruada en Redondela,

non abrirá moito a boca

para que non fuxan dela’

In Ponte Arnelas, on the border between the towns of Vilanova de Arousa and Ribadumia, you will find the Ponte dos Padriños (bridge of the godfathers), built in the Middle Ages and restored in the 16th century. Its name comes from the fertility rite and prenatal baptism that may have been once practised here.

Legend has it that a woman, who was unable to complete her pregnancy, decided to go to the bridge accompanied by another person in order to prevent any animal or person from crossing it after midnight. Almost at dawn, the woman asked the first man who crossed the bridge to pour water from the Umia River over her belly, a sort of ‘belly baptism’ as a fertility rite.

Then, the woman invited the man who performed the fertility rite, and godfather-to-be, to have lunch. Afterwards, she, the godfather-to-be and all the people accompanying them threw the dirty crockery from the bridge and over their heads.

Nine months later, a child was born and this man officially became his godfather. The child was named Alberto after the stone statue with the image of St Albert standing on the cross on the bridge.

Later on, many women came to Ponte Arnelas to perform this fertility rite, and the newborn were given the name of Alberta or Alberto

According to legend, one cold and rainy winter night, a pilgrim arrived exhausted at the entrance to Sobroso Castle after having climbed the slope of Landín Hill in the village of Mondariz. The lord of the castle, Don Fiz Sarmiento, welcomed him and fed him, and, considering his poor condition, asked him to stay for a few days to rest before walking on. However, Don Fiz Sarmiento had to leave the castle because the Catholic Monarchs had asked for help to expel the Moors from Granada and, in his absence, Floralba, his wife, took care of the pilgrim.

While he was away, the pilgrim and Floralba fell in love, and they decided to run away.

When Don Fiz Sarmiento returned to Sobroso Castle and realised what had happened, he was so angry that ordered to take all of Floralba's belongings and burn them, and even forbade her name to be spoken. Then, he locked himself in the keep of the castle to mourn his loss.

One evening, someone knocked at the castle’s gate, it was Floralba begging for forgiveness and asking for shelter because the pilgrim had been attacked by a beast and died after falling into a well. However, he turned her down and did not allow her to enter. That moonlit night, Floralba fell dead at the gate of the castle. When Don Fiz was informed of her death, he picked up her body, climbed to the top of the keep, threw it down the hillside and ordered not to touch it.

As the corpses of the pilgrim and Floralba were not buried in holy ground, their souls were victims of a curse. Thus, at full moon, Floralba's ghost can still be seen wandering around Sobroso Castle, begging for someone to open the door, and on cold, rainy winter nights, the pilgrim's ghost appears at the bottom of Landín Hill heading towards the castle

During Saint John's Eve, water has miraculous properties: it cures and gives everything you ask for. Thus, it is collected and poured into a bowl. 

In the town of Cambados, people with the evil eye take a bath in Bexán spring. 

Those with skin diseases are cured by immersing themselves nine times in the Miño River, after hanging their old clothes on a tree.

In the village of O Rosal, a bonfire is lit on the bridge over the Tamuxe River. At midnight, sick people dive nine times into the river while people throw burning pine cones at them in order to purify the water. The meigas (witches) go to the Miño River to pick up demiños or demachiños (little devils) and keep them in boxes or silver needle cases.

Bonfires, also known as lumieiras, lumeiradas or cacharelas in Galician, are the most popular attraction of this night. They are celebrated all over Galicia and represent the so-called lume novo (new fire), which helps to give strength to the sun and bring life. Jumping over the bonfire brings good luck and fortune.

In the village of Silleda, young girls in their marriageable age jump over the fire in order to get married in the same year.

In the town of Marín, they cure the enganido (lack of energy) by burning herbs collected on Saint John's Eve in a bonfire. And all over the province of Pontevedra people jump over the fire saying:

‘Salto por riba 

do lume de San Xoán

pra que non me trabe

nin cobra nin can’