Vigo

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Overview

Depending on where you point your lens, Vigo is a historic and cultured city or a gritty industrial port. Home to Europe's largest fishing fleet, this is an axis of commerce in northern Spain. Yet its central areas are very walkable and full of intriguing nooks, and it's the main gateway to the beautiful Illas Cíes. Above all, Vigo is a welcoming and confident city whose citizens really know how to enjoy life, especially after dark in the many buzzing tapas bars, restaurants and clubs.

01 / Attractions

Must-see attractions

Castelo de Soutomaior
Vigo
The Soutomaior castle-palace, amid enormous and beautiful gardens, is well worth a 21km drive northeast from Vigo. Displays inside the castle, which dates…
Praia de Samil
Vigo
A long swath of sandy beaches stretches southwest of the city. Best is 1.2km-long Praia de Samil, beginning about 5km from the city centre. It's backed by…
Parque do Castro
Vigo
Directly south (uphill) from the old town, this verdant park is a magnificent place to be when the sun is dropping into the ocean behind the Illas Cíes…
Centro de Visitantes Illas Atlánticas de Galicia
Vigo
This centre in the Old Town presents photos, information and an attractive audiovisual display on the nature and history of the Illas Cíes in the mouth of…
Concatedral de Santa María
Vigo
The Casco Vello's main church was built in 1816, in neoclassical style – long after its Romanesque predecessor was burnt down by Sir Francis Drake.
Castro de Vigo
Vigo
The Castro de Vigo, a pre-Roman settlement of circular, thatch-roofed dwellings, dates back to the 3rd century BCE and has been partly reconstructed…
Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is something of a modern art centre, with several museums and galleries to prove it. The Contemporary Art Museum is the number-one venue for thought…