What to see and do in Vigo
Information
Vigo is a Galician city with a seafaring tradition on the Portuguese Way along the coast, its port opening onto the world with the Cíes Islands on the horizon. Its Casco Vello keeps the city's historic essence, Monte O Castro offers views over the estuary, and its gastronomy —with Galician-style octopus and fresh oysters— rounds off a stop not to be missed on the way to Santiago.
Would you like to walk this part of the Camino with your accommodation booked for every stage? These organised trips pass through Vigo: Portuguese Way from Vigo (5 stages), Portuguese Way from Vigo with a dog (5 stages), Portuguese Way along the coast from Oporto to Santiago and Portuguese Way from Baiona (6 stages).
What to see in Vigo
O Castro Mountain
The O Castro mountain is presented as the lung of this city and offers a great archaeological and natural heritage. In it you can find the sites of ancient civilizations belonging to the second and third centuries BC, the castros that give name to the location. From the top you can see the whole city and get incredible views of the sea, the port and at some points also of the Cies Islands.
It also has some old walls of the XVII century and next to the promenade that borders them you can reach an interesting viewpoint that facilitates the vision of the landscape, located next to the Monument of the Rande Galleons. A tribute to the memory of the 1702 battles fought in the Ría de Vigo itself, with a fateful end for the Spanish ships. At the end of this path you will also find the fortress of San Sebastián.
The centre of Vigo
The streets of the centre of Vigo are a display of architectural beauty. The ideal is to make a passage through the pedestrian street of Príncipe, the shopping area par excellence, Policarpo Sanz, Colón street and Gran Vía. In this location you can find emblematic buildings of great beauty such as the García Barbón Theatre with excellent views from its library or the Post and Telegraph House with the architecture of the early twentieth century.
The Casco Vello
The Casco Vello is the historic or old part of the city, very close to the centre of Vigo. In the Plaza de la Constitución you can see the old Town Hall building and stop to enjoy a Galician wine in the terraces that are in its arcades, a square of great social atmosphere and tourist interest. Also of interest is the Collegiate Church, with a charming interior and excellent acoustics for musical events. This area underwent a major recovery work, so that today is preserved in good condition and combines the historical essence with the modern business of hospitality, clothing or crafts.
The MARCO Museum
The Museum of Contemporary Art MARCO is one of the essential cultural visits in the city of Vigo. It is located in the heart of the city centre, in Príncipe street. It exhibits alternative artistic proposals, contemporary works of great value and a diversity of events that connect with the cultural movement of the city.
The Cíes Islands
The Cíes Islands are a natural paradise located in the Vigo estuary, accessible by boat, very popular with tourists and even with the inhabitants of the city. They were declared a Natural Park in 1980 and are included in the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. Their beauty and biological qualities have made them a protected environment, so they are only accessible during the summer season and with a capacity control. In them you can make different hiking trails and visit the lighthouses that offer incredible views. A highlight is Playa Das Rodas, declared the best beach in the world by the renowned British newspaper The Guardian.
The beaches of Vigo and surroundings
As a coastal city, Vigo also has different urban or peripheral beaches, excellent for strolling at any time of the year or sunbathing during the summer. The best known is the Samil beach, as it is located in the middle of the city and is an extensive location of fine white sand. It has a comfortable promenade that surrounds it and different services around it, including bars, skating rinks and children's playgrounds. The sandy areas of Bouzas are also easily accessible and offer smaller beaches ideal for a day in the sun. In the surrounding area there is no shortage of blue flag beaches thanks to the quality and cleanliness of the water, such as Vao, Punta, Canido or Fontaiña.
Map of Vigo
Map of Vigo