It is located on the Monte Boi peninsula, occupying an area of 18 hectares surrounded by 3 km of crenellated walls that were built between the 11th and 17th centuries, although it has been known as a walled enclosure for more than 2,000 years. 

Centuries before the birth of Christ, the site was inhabited by different peoples, including Celts, Phoenicians and Romans. Already in our era it was occupied by several settlers, suffered many attacks and underwent numerous modifications. The reason for the establishment of the town of Baiona here was a privilege granted by the Catholic Monarchs to defend the coast from corsair raids, as throughout history it suffered numerous attacks, especially by sea, due to its strategic location. 

Some time later, the enclosure became the residence of the military governors of the fortress, among them the Count of Gondomar. It ended up passing into private hands, and in 1963 it was acquired by the Ministry of Information and Tourism to house the "Conde de Gondomar" Parador de Turismo, which has been in operation since 1966. 

Today, the wall still preserves the three towers from which the fortress was protected. At the entrance is the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower), which hid a bell that was used to sound the alarm in the event of enemy attack; to the east is the Torre de la Tenaza, whose task was to defend the port with the fire of the batteries, and, in the easternmost part of the fortress, overlooking the bay, is the Torre del Príncipe, perhaps the oldest, which served as a lighthouse for ships. The latter has three coats of arms (of the Habsburgs, the Sotomaior family and the city) and owes its name to the time when, in 1137, the Portuguese prince Afonso Enriques was imprisoned there. There are numerous legends of love affairs and prisoners in this tower.

You can enter the enclosure and follow the prepared route to visit its walls, from which there are excellent views of Baiona, its bay and the Atlantic sea.

Along the Monte Boi promenade, which surrounds the fortress on the outside, you will come across the first open-air Thalasso opened in Galicia, where the old Cetárea de Serápio, the old lobster hatchery from the 19th century in Monte Boi, used to be. This thalasso is not currently in operation.

The fortress can be visited any day of the year. It is pleasant to watch the splendid sunsets over the estuary, the Cíes Islands and the line of sea along which Baiona stretches. 

NEARBY PLACES OF INTEREST: Ribeira beach, Concheira beach , Barbeira beach, "dos frades" beach, old town of Bayonne, Caravel "La Pinta"