Vigo

Vigo is an industrial city in Galicia, Spain.

Understand

Vigo was a 1960s boom town after Franco's government gave this city a free-trade zone in 1947 and a Development Pole in 1964.

The Galician language (Gallego), Portuguese, and Castilian (Spanish) are all spoken in Vigo.

Get in

By plane

• 🌍 Vigo-Peinador International Airport (VGO  ^IATA) (is 15 km from the centre of Vigo, and is situated in the municipalities of Redondela, Vigo and Mos). It serves mainly national routes such as Air Europa (Madrid), Orbest (Lanzarote and Tenerife-South), Spanair Vueling (Barcelona), Iberia Airlines (Madrid), Volotea (Ibiza, Sevilla). Their regional affiliate Air Nostrum flies also to some other destinations such as Bilbao, Seville or Valencia. Air France flies to Paris and there might be other international destinations such as London (Vueling) or Brussels (Air Nostrum), depending on the season.  

There is a bus shuttle which connects Porto airport (Portugal) with Vigo.

By train

There is direct train to/from Porto (Portugal) twice a day (14 €, 3 hrs) and to several other Spanish cities - Santiago de Compostela (hourly, 1.30h, 9 €), Madrid (twice a day, 50 €), Bilbao (one per day, 48 €), Pontevedra (several times a day, 3 €, 30 mins)

By bus

By car

Distances to/from Vigo: Madrid 590 km, A Coruna 156 km, Ourense 100 km, Pontevedra 27 km

By sea

Local ferries sail from neighbouring villages (Cangas and Moaña)

See

• Museo Do Mar De Galicia (Sea Museum of Galicia). June-September: 10am-2pm & 5pm-10pm (Tue-Thu), 10am-2pm & 4pm-10.30pm (Fri-Sat), 10am-10pm (Sun), Winter: 10am-2pm & 4-8pm (Tue-Thu), 10am-10.30pm (Fri-Sat), 10am-9pm (Sun). 3 € adults/1.5 € reduced/5 € families. 
• Museo Municipal de Vigo. 10am-8pm (with siesta break), Sundays 10am-1.30pm. Vigo's local museum has got more than 1500 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and applied arts, from which just a small part is exhibited. The best known artists of the collection are Carracci, Pourbus, Goya, Teniers, Fragonard and Prud'hon. There is archeological hall and the least developed museum department - history of the city. Free entry. 
• Fortaleza de San Sebastian. 
• Santa María Church. in city centre (updated Dec 2017)
• Porta do Sol. Vigo's kilometre zero, from where all distances are traditionally measured. It is very popular meeting point. Sculpture is made by Francisco Leiro, El Sireno (The Merman). El Sireno looks to the north, to the sea. 
• Castro de Vigo. Park and panoramic viewpoint. 
• Oyster sellers. in city centre 
• A Guía. A hill known as A Guía is the most important landmark. It has served sailors for centuries as a point of reference when entering port, has become one of Vigo's most popular parks, thanks to the fine views it affords over the city. 
• Islas Cíes (Cies Islands). national park. Boats to Cíes islands (30-45 mins) run several times a day in summer: June-September, in the week of easter holiday, on weekends in May and October. There are two companies Nabia Naviera and Mar de Ons that takes you there for the same price (just different timetable). Round trip costs 16 €/adults (2012). Both companies have office just behind the tourist information point near the boat terminal. Cíes Islands are famous of nice beaches, nature, bird watching and diving/snorkelling. There is camp (8 € adult/5 € child per night), although is possible to stay over night in apartments. There is a restaurant and a bar or two. 

Do

Stroll down the main port and savour the impressive variety of local seafood.

• Watch football ie soccer at Celta Vigo, who play in La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football. Their Balaídos stadium, capacity 29,000, is 2 km southwest of the old centre.

Buy

• 🌍 Marengo Style, c/Progreso, 40, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 10AM-14PM & 17.30PM-20.30PM. Fashion store in Vigo's Commercial Zone (Zona Centro) where you can find Spanish fashion brands for women, such as Rosalita McGee, PepaLoves, TitisClocthing, Compañía Fantástica or Tiralahilacha. Marengo also has an e-commerce site, where you can order your clothes from any place in Europe. 

Eat

Try the amazing Tortilla and empanadillas at Bar Carballo

• Tia Brigida, Rua do Arco 10, ☎ [phone]. lunch and dinner. Situated in the old seaside village of Cangas, across the picturesque harbour from Vigo, this restaurant specialises in contemporary interpretations of traditional seafood dishes. The creation of young Chef Alfonso Moldes, Tia Brigida, serves some of the most satisfying food in Galicia. Moderate. 
• Picadillo, Fermin Penzol 10, Vigo (100m up from the tourist port, just below the Porta de Sol), ☎ [phone]. 12:30-1600, 20:00-23:30. Sitting right on the edge of Vigo´s old town, this restaurant offers classic and innovative meals, tapas and wines in a warm, friendly atmosphere. between $15-$30pp. 
• Maruja Limón, Victoria 4, ☎ [phone]. closed mid to end Sept, Sun, Mon. Menu € 44 to 64 (2013). 

Drink

Queimada is an alcoholic beverage of Galician tradition.

Queimada's characteristic blue fire. Queimada has origins in the Pagan festivals of Galicia. It is a punch made from Galician aguardiente (Orujo Gallego) - a spirit distilled from wine and flavoured with herbs or coffee, plus sugar, lemon peel, coffee beans and cinnamon.

Traditionally while preparing the punch a spell or incantation is recited, so that special powers are conferred to the queimada and those drinking it. Then the queimada is set alight, and slowly burns as more brandy is added.

Sleep

Accommodation is very easy to find, there are a lot of hotels, pensiones and hostales (B&B) all around the city, mostly in the city centre or near (the previous) train station.

Budget

• La Estrella, Martín Códax 5, ☎ [phone]. Bed & Breakfast near old train station. Even for single travellers they may charge for just a bed, not for a room. 15-30 €. 
• Hostal Lalin, ☎ [phone]. Av. Florida nº 14. A bit far from the city centre, but price worthy. 15-35 €. 

Middle

• Ancla Dorada, ☎ [phone]. Irmandiños nº 2. 25-60 €. Nice hostal close to the city centre. 
• Hostal Gran Via, ☎ [phone]. Calle de Urzáiz. 35-55 €. 
• NH Palacio de Vigo, Avenida García Barbón, 17-19, ☎ [phone]. In the heart of Vigo, close to the Club Nautico and the Do Castro Park, this hotel occupies a residential building dating from the beginning of this century (Casas de Oya, 1904). Its magnificent granite façade decorated in the typical style of that period is crowned with three large architectural roses and has been restored to its original splendour. 60-80 €. 
• Hotel Puerta Gamboa, ☎ [phone]. Calle de Gamboa 12. Puerta Gamboa is a charming hotel, in the heart of the old town centre. 60-80 €. 

Splurge

Go next

Pontevedra, Santiago de Compostela, Tui/Tuy, Cangas do Morrazo and Minho in Portugal