Baiona

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A coastal town in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain, known for its harbour and its historic fortress overlooking the Atlantic
2. A seaside municipality in northwestern Spain's Galicia region, noted for its old castle and its role as a port on the Atlantic coast
3. A small port town on the Atlantic coast of Galicia in northwestern Spain, famous for its fortress and its maritime history

Etymology: Baiona is a coastal town in Galicia, northwest Spain, and its name is older than any of its castles. Its Roman-era form is usually linked to the Latin "Baiona," probably a version of an earlier name, but the precise pre-Roman root is uncertain, and the town is often confused with Bayonne in southwest France, whose name is related but has its own separate history. The town's most celebrated moment came in March 1493. The "Pinta," one of Columbus's three ships, sailed into its harbour after a stormy Atlantic crossing and brought the first news in Europe of his return from the Americas. The arrival is commemorated today by a replica of the ship moored in the bay, and the old town's harbour is still the setting for that story.