Vigo is a port in Galicia in northwest Spain. It's industrial but has an old town and lots of maritime heritage. In 2024 the population was 295,000.
Understand
[edit]Vigo is an industrial port with a large fishing fleet. It boomed under the Franco government, which made it a free-trade and development zone. The port and the Citroën car factory are its main industries. This hasn't spoiled the old town, Casco Vello, which climbs steeply from the harbour, while the modern town sprawls east and west.
The climate is dominated by the Atlantic, mild and rainy.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]1 Vigo Airport (VGO IATA) (15 km east of city), ☏ +34 902 404704. This has frequent flights from Madrid, as Vigo is otherwise a long way to travel, and daily from Barcelona. Ryanair fly from London Stansted in summer. Bus L9A runs downtown. 
You could also fly into Santiago, or to Porto which has a shuttle bus to Vigo.
By train
[edit]2 Vigo Urzáiz is the modern main station, and terminus for almost all trains except those from Portugal. Four trains a day are direct from Madrid Chamartin, taking 4 hours via Zamora, Ourense, Vilagarcia de Arousa and Pontevedra; otherwise take a train to Santiago and change.
Trains from Santiago de Compostella run every hour or two and take one hour via Padron Barbanza, Vilagarcia de Arousa, Pontevedra, Arcade and Redondela. They mostly start from A Coruna.
3 Vigo Guixar 500 m north of Urzáiz is the terminus for trains from Porto Campanha. These run twice a day, taking 2 hours 20 min via Nine, Viana do Castelo and Valenca. Two slow trains are from A Coruna via Santiago.
Two trains a day meander to Vigo Guixar from Ponferrada via Ourense, Guillarei (for Tui) and 30 little places no-one's ever heard of.
By bus
[edit]Monbus runs overnight from Madrid Moncloa, taking six hours via Ourense.
Flixbus runs every two hours from Porto Campanha and airport, taking 2 hours 15 min.
Vigo bus station is Urzáiz, southwest end of the railway station.
By road
[edit]From Madrid follow A-6 (toll) to Benevente then A-52 via Ourense, 600 km and 6 hr 30 min.
Get around
[edit]Vitresa buses circulate round town.
Mar de Ons ferries sail frequently between Vigo and Cangas across the gulf. The same company sails to the Cies islands.
See
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- 1 Monument to Jules Verne portrays him sitting atop a giant squid on Av da Beiramar on the waterfront. Verne (1828-1905) devoted a chapter of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea to "The Bay of Vigo", where in 1702 a Spanish treasure fleet was sunk in battle, and in the story its gold funded Captain Nemo and the Nautilus. The story was published from 1869. Verne first visited the town in 1878 sheltering his yacht from a storm, and returned in 1884 needing yacht repairs.
- 2 Vigo Co-Cathedral, Praza Igrexa 10, ☏ +34 986 432260. M-F 09:30-13:00, Sa Su 09:30-13:00, 18:00-20:30. Neoclassical building of 1810. It shares its status with Tui co-cathedral. Free.
- 3 Puerta del Sol is reckoned as Kilometre Zero on road distances to Vigo, as this was the heart of the medieval walled town. It's a popular meeting point but narrow and only half pedestrianised, with the other side busy with traffic. It's adorned by the 1991 sculpture El Sireno, "The Merman", who possesses legs as well as a fishy tail.
- 4 Castillo de San Sebastián, Subida Barranco 16. 24 hours. Built in 1656 along with the city walls to repulse the English and Portuguese, but it was poorly designed and the English overran the city in 1719. Later it was variously a cattle pen, city chambers and barracks, but restored as a fortress from the 1990s. Free.
- 5 Museum of Contemporary Art (MARCO), Príncipe 54, ☏ +34 986 113900. Tu-Sa 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:00, Su 11:00-14:30. This displays changing exhibitions of contemporary art, but has no permanent collection. It was built as a prison in 1861. Free.
- 6 Castro de Vigo, Álvarez Blázquez 16, ☏ +34 986 810100. July-Sep Tu-F 11:00-13:00, Sa 17:00-19:00, Oct-Jun Tu 11:00-13:00, F 11:00-13:00, 16:00-18:00, Sa 16:00-18:00. Park and panoramic viewpoint. This hill was the prehistoric Celtic citadel of Vigo, and has 3 reconstructed dwellings. It was reinforced in medieval times but then the population drifted away to lower ground near the harbour. Continue up the hill for views over the town and bay. Free.
- 7 Museo Quiñones de León, Camiño Corredoura 41 (Parque de Castrelos), ☏ +34 986 295070. Tu-F, Su 10:00-14:00, Sa 17:00-20:00. Over 1500 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and applied arts. The best known artists exhibited are Carracci, Pourbus, Goya, Teniers, Fragonard and Prud'hon. There's also archaeology and history of the city. Free.
- 8 Santa María de Castrelos, Rúa dos Mestres Goldar 16, ☏ +34 986 293620. Small Romanesque church, probably from 1216.
- 9 Museo do Mar de Galicia, Av da Atlántida 160, ☏ +34 986 247750. Jun-Sep Tu-Su 11:00-14:00, 16:30-20:30, Oct-May Tu-Th 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Sa Su 11:00-14:30, 17:00-20:00. Galicia's maritime history in a striking modern building, plus aquarium and lighthouse. No English signage. Adult €1.50, conc or child €3.
- 10 Monte da Guía is a hill 3 km east of town overlooking the bay. It's long served as a landmark for approaching ships, and is now a wooded park with fine views and a restored 16th century hermitage.
- 11 Islas Cíes
are an archipelago in the bay, with beaches, nature, bird watching, diving and snorkelling. Boat trips sail in summer: the operator is Mar de Ons.
Do
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- Theatre: Teatro García Barbón is at Rúa Policarpo Sanz 13.
- Casa de las Artes is an art gallery in the same building as the theatre.
- Auditorio Municipal is within City Hall, just south of Castelo de San Sebastián.
- Football: Celta Vigo play soccer in La Liga, Spain's top tier. Their Balaídos stadium (capacity 29,000) is 2 km southwest of city centre.
- Beaches: Praia de Bouzas and Praia de Santa Baia are the closest to town, east of Museo do Mar and divided by a small promontory.
- Reconquest Festival celebrates the town's ousting of Napoleonic troops on 28 March 1809. The event is usually a week or two later in April, depending on the date of Easter.
- El Camino: Vigo is the start point of one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago, the Camino Portuguese da Costa. It's 100 km, the minimum distance required to earn a Compostela pilgrim certificate, and easily done in a week. The commonest route from the French border is 771 km, but it's unwise to be caught gloating over this short-changing of the Almighty.
Buy
[edit]- CC Centro Príncipe is a mall 50 m east of MARCO gallery at Rúa Urzaiz 8, open M-F 10:00-20:00.
- El Corte Inglés is a large department store 200 m west of Urzáiz station at Av Gran Via 25, open M-Sa 10:00-22:00.
- CC Praza Elíptica is 500 m south of Centro Principe on Praza Francisco Fernández del Riego, open daily 09:00-22:00.
Eat
[edit]Budget
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City centre
[edit]- Taberna A Pedra, Rúa Cesteiros 2 (50 south of co-cathedral), ☏ +34 986 438692. Buzzing Galician bistro. Tu 08:00-23:30, W-Su 12:00-15:30, 08:00-23:30.
- A tapa do barril is a chain with three city outlets: at Porto do Sol 4, 300 m east at Rúa Policarpo Sanz 27, and 2 km south at Rúa López Mora 63.
- Picadillo, Fermin Penzol 10 (100 m north of Porta do Sol), ☏ +34 986 223729. M-Th 13:30-17:00, F Sa 13:30-17:00, 21:00-23:00. Good meals, tapas and wine.
- Bocatería L´squina, Rúa Carral 4 (100 m north of Porta do Sol), ☏ +34 986 227075. M-Sa 12:00-00:00. Sandwiches and pizza, beer on draught, eat in or take away.
- Trepia Gastronomia, Rúa Carral 9 (by L´squina), ☏ +34 655 010875. M-Th 13:00-15:45, F Sa 13:00-15:45, 20:00-23:00. Great value for Galician trad fare.
- 1 La Malinche, Rúa do Marqués de Valladares 6, ☏ +34 986 443553. Tu-Su 13:45–16:30, 20:30-00:00. Authentic Mexican.
- 2 Burguer Chip, Rúa Teófilo Llorente 37, ☏ +34 986 436585. Daily 13:30-16:00, 19:00-01:30. Reliable fast food.
- 3 Taberna A Mina, Rúa San Vicente 8, ☏ +34 886 312488. M-W 19:30-01:00, Th-Sa 12:30-16:00, 19:30-01:00, Su 12:30-16:00. Inexpensive seafood grill.
Further out
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- Bar Carballo, Rúa de Manuel Núñez 3 (100 m east of MARCO), ☏ +34 986 229497. M-F 09:00-23:00, Sa 10:30-23:00. Bar with good tortillas and empanadillas. Other branches are further out on Av de Florida and at the airport.
- 4 Pintan Tapas, Rúa de Barcelona 82, ☏ +34 886 133385. Daily 12:00-00:00. Cosy friendly place for tapas.
- Novo King Kong, Rúa de Álvaro Cunqueiro 27 (southeast side of Praza), ☏ +34 986 481817. Tu-Sa 13:30-15:00, 19:30-23:00, Su 19:30-23:00. Burgers and the like.
- Tahona Colmeiro, Rúa do Pintor Colmeiro 6 (east side of Praza), ☏ +34 986 413804. M-Sa 08:00-21:00, Su 08:00-15:00. Bakery and tapas takeaway.
- Restaurante Pontedeva, Rúa do Pintor Colmeiro 10, ☏ +34 986 481855. M-F 10:30-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. Filling Galician fare, go hungry and order the stew.
- 5 Al Jaima, Av Gran Via 112, ☏ +34 654 998814. M 13:00-23:00, Tu-Su 10:00-23:00. Halal Moroccan food.
- 6 Imperial, Rúa Colombia 24, ☏ +34 986 423680. W-M 10:30-13:00. Friendly tapas bar.
- El Asador De Amadeo is a takeaway 100 m west of Imperial at Rúa de Pizarro 32.
- 7 Más Arepas, Rúa de Extremadura 11, ☏ +34 986 123845. Tu-Sa 13:00-16:00, 20:00-23:00, Su 20:00-23:00. Arepas are stuffed maize flatbreads, more common in South America.
Mid-range
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- Taberna Eligio, Traversa da Aurora 4 (50 m south of Porto do Sol), ☏ +34 986 222193. Tu-Sa 14:30-16:30, 20:00-23:00. Quality classic cuisine.
- 8 Paparrúa, Rúa da Laxe 11, ☏ +34 986 904333. W-Su 13:00-16:00, 20:00-23:30. Good trad fare.
- Restaurante Casa Vella, Rúa Pescadería 1 basement (30 m west of Paparrúa), ☏ +34 986 433121. M Tu Th-Sa 12:00-16:00, 20:00-23:00. Serving Galician seafood.
Splurge
[edit]- 9 Maruja Limón, Rúa Montero Ríos 4, ☏ +34 986 473406. M-F 13:30-15:00, 20:45-22:00. Chic place for inventive fine dining.
Drink
[edit]- Bars: squillions, mostly serving tapas so see above.
- Wine: Vigo is near wine-growing regions of Galicia and northern Portugal, both producing crisp whites.
- Queimada (meaning "burnt") is a spirit similar to Orujo or marc. The raw spirit is colourless, but it's flavoured with herbs or coffee, plus sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon. You recite a hocus-pocus spell while preparing it: set fire to it and wait till the flame turns blue.
Sleep
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Accommodation is clustered near Urzaiz station, and city centre near the harbour.
- 1 Hotel Alda Puerta del Sol, Praza Porto do Sol 14, ☏ +34 886 300026. Good value chain. They have another by Urzaiz station.
- Ancla Dorada, Irmandiños 2, ☏ +34 986 436607. Basic hotel by Urzaiz Station. B&B double €40.
- 2 NH Palacio de Vigo, Av García Barbón 17-19, ☏ +34 986 433643. Pleasant central hotel in a grand mansion of 1904. B&B double €120.
- Hotel Puerta Gamboa, Gamboa 12, ☏ +34 986 228674. Charming hotel in the old town centre.
- 3 Hotel Maroa Vigo (formerly Hotel America), Pablo Morillo 6, ☏ +34 986 438922. Welcoming place near the harbour. B&B double €100.
- 4 Gran Hotel Nigari, Praza de Compostela 21, ☏ +34 986 211111. Smart, comfy and central. B&B double €120.
Connect
[edit]As of March 2025, Vigo and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Pontevedra has a well-preserved old city.
- Cangas do Morrazo is its beach resort, on the peninsula north of Vigo.
- Santiago de Compostela is a must-see cathedral city. You don't have to hike there wearing a scallop.
- Tui is a pleasant hilltop town overlooking the border.
- Minho is the first province you reach south of the border in Portugal - remember to adjust your watch.
| Routes through Vigo |
| Santiago de Compostela ← Pontevedra ← | N  S
|
→ Tui → Porto |