Pontevedra Voyage Tips and guide

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Pontevedra is a city in Galicia in northwest Spain, with a population of 83,000 in 2024. Its old town has a fine collection of 16th - 18th century churches, and stands on the Portuguese branch of the pilgrimage route to Santiago. Its name derives from pontem veteram, "old bridge", the Roman structure that was the first to span the river.

Rías are river valleys that flooded about 8000 years ago when sea levels rose and northwest Spain subsided. They riddle the coast of Galicia and they all create the opportunity of a port and the need for a river crossing. The Romans arrived in Pontevedra in the 1st century BC and built the bridge that's now the city's name; there's no evidence of a pre-Roman settlement but it's an obvious site for Celtic dwellings. All the ría ports thrived in the Middle Ages but from the 16th century Pontevedra was outgrown by others such as Vigo, while power and patronage drained away to Madrid. It became a provincial capital in the 19th century and industrialised in a small way.

The original town is on the south bank of the River Lérez. It now spawls in all directions, with the university campus on the north bank.

As elsewhere in this region, Galician is the official language (not just a dialect) and is used here for place names. It's closer to Portuguese than Castilian, the version of Spanish that most foreigners learn. But Spanish is understood by all, and those in the service sector often speak English.

Tourist information is based in Town Hall at the top of Alameda. It's open M-Sa 09:30-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Su 10:00-14:00.

Santiago de Compostela (SCQ ^IATA) 55 km north has the best choice of flights, as it's a major tourist and pilgrimage destination.

Vigo (VGO ^IATA) is closer, 30 km south, with flights from Madrid and Barcelona but little else.

Two trains a day run from Madrid Chamartin, taking 3 hr 40 min via Zamora, Ourense and Vilagarcia, and continue to Vigo Urzaiz. Other connections are available changing at Ourense or Santiago. From Barcelona change in Madrid.

Trains from A Coruña run every hour or two, taking 70 min via Santiago de Compostela and Vilagarcia, and continue to Vigo Urzaiz, another 20 min.

42.4218-8.63591 Pontevedra railway station is 1 km southeast of old town centre. There's a supermarket opposite.

Pontevedra-Universidad is a platform halt 2 km north of the main station, with a footbridge to the university campus west of the river. A Coruña-Vigo trains stop there twice a day.

AP-9 is the motorway transecting Galicia, from Ferrol on the north coast through A Coruña, Santiago, Pontevedra and Vigo to Tui on the border with Portugal. There it becomes A3 and continues to Porto.

Long-distance buses don't call here. Travel via Santiago, then an hourly local bus takes another hour to Pontevedra. The bus station is next to the railway station.

Walk, the old centre is compact and many streets are traffic-restricted.

There are taxi ranks at the bus and railway station, and along Alameda in town.

There are car rental offices by the station, but that's probably best arranged from your arrival airport.

• 42.4308-8.64361 Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina (Church of the Pilgrim Virgin), Praza da Peregrina 5. Built 1778-1792 in a mix of Baroque and Neo-classical, its floor plan is modeled on a scallop, and its font is a Pacific Tridacna clam. It's become a city symbol and is a way station on the Portuguese pilgrimage route to Santiago. (updated Apr 2025)
• Praza da Ferrería is the old town's main square, north of Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina.
• San Francisco is a church and convent built in Gothic style in the 14th century. It's on Praza da Estrela 50 m north of Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina, but seldom open.
• 42.4336-8.64192 Museo Provincial de Pontevedra, Rúa Padre Amoedo Carballo 3, ☏ +34 986 804100. Tu-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su 11:00-14:00. This is Edificio Castelao, the museum's main building, exhibiting the heritage of Galicia from prehistory through to 20th century Galician art. Free. (updated Apr 2025)
• San Bartolomé is south flank of Museo Provincial. It's baroque, built by the Jesuits circa 1700, but rarely open.
• Praza da Leña is an attractive little square crowded with restaurants 50 m west of San Bartolomé.
• Santa Clara is a former church and convent 200 m east of the museum, built from 1339. Since 2023 it's been part of the museum, but is closed.
• Santuario de las Apariciones, Rúa Sor Lucía 3 (50 m south of Parador), ☏ +34 698 185580. 16th century mansion which in 1918 was let to the Dorothean nuns, who created a convent and school. One of the postulant nuns was Sister Lúcia (1907-2005) who as a child in Fátima had seen recurrent visions of the Virgin Mary. In her convent cell here in 1925 she again had a vision, where Mary prescribed various religious observances. Her third vision was in Tuy in 1929, and this time Mary commanded the consecration of Russia. Lúcia's later life was in Coimbra. Fátima became a major pilgrimage destination, and to a smaller extent so did Pontevedra. There's a main chapel, and a smaller one in her cell. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4338-8.64753 Santa María a Maior, Av Santa María 24, ☏ +34 986 866185. Gothic cathedral completed in 1559. Free; tower €5. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4314-8.64714 Santo Domingo was a convent founded in 1282, with the church built from the 1380s. It was confiscated by the state in 1836 and used as a prison, mental asylum and government offices (no, not at the same time) while falling derelict. The ruins are now in the care of Museo Provincial, open (free) M-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:30, Su 11:00-14:00.
• Alameda is the long leafy plaza stretching south from Santo Domingo then turning into Palmeiras Park, especially pleasant at sundown.
• CITA - Centro de Interpretación das Torres Arcebispais - is a little museum set in the old defensive towers in Praza Alonso de Fonseca. It's open Tu-Su 10:00-14:00 and will take most of five minutes to see.

• 42.4356-8.64415 Ponte do Burgo is the oldest bridge spanning the river Lérez, first documented in 1165 when the Roman bridge had fallen into ruin. It was pedestrianised in 2020.
• 42.4377-8.63436 Illa das Esculturas (Isle of Sculptures) is a relaxing park on a river island, open 24 hours.
• 42.4473-8.64657 Marismas do Alba are a wetland nature reserve along the river Gandara, a tributary of the Lérez.
• San Salvador de Lérez is a monastery built in the 10th century and restored in the 16th / 17th centuries. It's 5 km north of city centre and has long been closed.
• 42.4094-8.66828 Pazo de Lourizán is a botanic garden 3 km southwest of town, open daily 10:00-20:00. It was created in 1949 around a grand mansion, which is now a government building and you can't visit.

• Theatre: Teatro Principal is at Rúa Paio Gómez Charino 6.
• Football: Pontevedra CF play soccer in Segunda Federación the fourth tier, at Estadio Municipal de Pasarón (capacity 10,000) 1.5 km northeast of city centre. Head to Santiago for a top tier game.
• BeOne Fitness Centre is on Praza da Constitución.
• Beaches: you need to travel some way out for these. Closest are Lourido and Cabeceira, north bank of the ría outlet.
• El Camino is the collective name for the pilgrimage routes converging on Santiago, with Pontevedra astride the Portuguese route winding up from Lisbon. Many pilgrims nowadays just do the last 100 km, so they start from around Vigo or Tui, reaching Pontevedra midway through a six day hike.

• Festa de San Sebastián is Jan 20.
• Carnival is Mardi Gras, so the date varies with Lent. It centres on King Urco and the foul-mouthed parrot Ravachol.
• Festa do Caldo Galego: yes, even Galician Stew is venerated here, on the second Sunday in March.
• Festa da Romería de San Benitiño de Lérez: at the Benedictine monastery at Lérez, around 21 March and 11 July.
• Festa dos Maios (Mayfest) is the first Sunday in May, celebrating Galicia's Celtic roots.
• Festa de Santiaguiño do Burgo: in late July, this ostensibly venerates the Apostle James, but includes food and sporting events, and "Homage to Senior Citizens".
• Festa da Peregrina: second weekend in August, with a floral tribute to the "Virxe da Peregrina", followed by fireworks, a marathon, a regatta, bands, and artistic displays.
• Festa do Demo in late August is the Festival of the Devil, who chases the children with his pitchfork.
• Feira Franca is first weekend in September, commemorating Pontevedra's medieval heyday.
• Autumn Festival: for one weekend in mid November on Plaza da Perdura, this is about autumn produce such as mushrooms, nuts, and legumes.
• Festa da Virxe do O is Dec 18.

• Mercado Municipal is a covered market on the riverbank 100 m west of Museo Provincial, at Rúa Serra 5. It's open M-Sa 08:00-15:00.
• Galerias Oliva is a shopping centre 50 m west of Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina on Rúa da Oliva, open daily 08:00-22:00.
• A Barca shopping centre is north end of A Barca bridge. Its anchor tenant Carrefour has closed down.
• Vialia shopping centre is within the railway station.

See Galicia#Eat for traditional specialties.

• Il Piccolo is at Virxe do Camiño 16.
• La Ultramar is at Padre Amoedo Carbillo 3.
• Casa Román is at Av Augusto García Sánchez 12.
• Loaira is at Praza da Leña 1.
• Eirado da Leña is at Praza da Leña 3.
• Icewolf is at Dona Tareixa 4.
• Bar Pitillo, Rúa Alta 3, ☏ +34 665 311332. M-Sa 09:00-16:00, 19:00-00:00. Bustling tapas bar with good food. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4334-8.6691 Solla, Av Sineira 7, San Salvador de Poio, ☏ +34 986 872884. Tu-Th & Su 13:30-15:00, F Sa 13:30-15:00, 20:30-22:00. Great dining at this out-of-town Michelin-starred restaurant. (updated Apr 2025)

Galician wines are mostly white and crisp, like Portuguese.

Lots and lots of bars, serving tapas or full meals. In winter they may offer hot chocolate with churros.

• Hotel Boa Vila, Rúa Real 4, ☏ +34 986 105265. Cosy welcoming small hotel in old town centre. B&B double €80. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4286-8.64361 Hotel Madrid, Andrés Mellado 5, ☏ +34 986 865180. Inexpensive, comfortable and central. B&B double €80. (updated Apr 2025)
• Hostal Peregrino, Rúa Otero Pedrayo 8 (100 m south of railway station), ☏ +34 986 858409. Simple friendly place on the pilgrimage route. Double (room only) €65. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4259-8.63752 Hotel Avenida, Av Eduardo Pondal 46, ☏ +34 986 857784. Clean friendly place near the railway and bus stations. B&B double €100. (updated Apr 2025)
• Hotel Virgen del Camino, Rúa da Virxe do Camiño 55 (200 m north of Hotel Avenida), ☏ +34 986 855900. Clean and central. B&B double €80. (updated Apr 2025)

• Casa Maruxa, Av Santa María 12 (off Plaza de Espana), ☏ +34 639 252773. Comfy central place. B&B double €80. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4273-8.64113 Hotel Galicia Palace, Av de Vigo 3, ☏ +34 986 864411. Smart hotel 1 km south of centre. B&B double €150. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4301-8.64314 Hotel Rías Bajas, Daniel de la Sota Valdecilla 7, ☏ +34 986 855100. Simple clean place, grumpy reception. B&B double €140. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.4329-8.64365 Hotel Rúas, Sarmiento 20, ☏ +34 986 846416. Simple hotel, often caters for pilgrims. (updated Apr 2025)
• Apartamentos Dabarca, Rúa dos Palamios 2 (SW corner of Parque das Palmeiras), ☏ +34 986 869723. Spacious apartments. B&B double €90. (updated Apr 2025)

• 42.4342-8.64596 Parador de Pontevedra, Barón 19, ☏ +34 986 855800. Right in the historic district, this is a restored baronial palace. Small rooms with period furniture and creaky wooden floors are part of the charm. B&B double €200. (updated Apr 2025)

As of April 2025, Pontevedra and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

Pontevedra is generally very safe. Beware pickpockets in crowded places.

• Combarro is the largest of the string of villages along the north shore of the Ria.
• Vigo to the south is a commercial fishing port with a historic centre.
• Santiago de Compostela to the north has a magnificent medieval old town.

Routes through Pontevedra

A Coruña ← Santiago de Compostela ←

N  S

→ Vigo → Porto