Vigo, Spain was our first port of call on a recent European cruise. It was the beginning of a wonderful adventure and an unforgettable experience. Vigo is a busy, mid-sized port on the Atlantic coast, located just north of Portugal. It is Galacia’s largest and most industrialized city, dating back to Roman times. If you’re a beach lover, then Vigo is the place for you. You can soak up the rays at one of several sparkling beaches, including Samil, Alcabre and Canido. Or explore the ruins of Santa Maria de Dozo. There is something for everyone.
Through our prior research we had learned that a large part of Vigo could be explored on foot so that’s how we started our adventure. It was only a short walk from the pier where the ship docked to the downtown area. The weather was a comfortable 71 degrees, surprisingly warm for the month of April. The area around the dock was quite modern and a short uphill walk led us into the old town area. The architecture immediately transported us back to what Vigo must have been like several centuries ago. It was a mixture of old and new and we even went into a shop that sold urban clothing and happened to be playing a James Brown song on the CD player. Delicious aromas emanating from shops and restaurants permeated the air. Tourists and locals lined the streets at outdoor restaurants and tapas cafes. It was evident that seafood was quite prominent in the local cuisine and many shops displayed mussels, octopus and oysters who had been swimming only hours before. We found a charming little cafe to have lunch at in the old town square where we enjoyed watching a lady shucking oysters. She seemed to supply all of the local cafes as well as anyone who wanted to purchase them. It was only a short walk from the old part of the city to the modern downtown area where we found designer shops and restaurants that were frequented by local citizens and business professionals. Although Vigo is a big city, we found the pace to be surprisingly relaxing. People were friendly and we were greeted warmly everywhere we went.
After we finished our walking tour we decided to see more of the city by taking a bus tour on the Bus Turistico where were where treated to a 2 hour guided tour that visited various sites and monuments. The highlight for us was the Museo Quinones de Leon a beautiful museum housed on the grounds of a spectacular historic home surrounded by beautiful gardens. . For more information and a virtual tour visit the website http://www.museodevigo.org.
Having visited other Spanish cities like Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Vigo had a feel all its own. It wasn’t quite as busy as Barcelona, but it wasn’t as laid back as Mallorca. Although we felt quite welcome, in our opinion, tourism is not the primary industry. We were not subjected to the pressure to be separated from our tourist dollars (euros) that we have felt in other tourist towns. Would we recommend this port as a vacation destination? Yes, it is a lovely place to spend a laid-back vacation and enjoy some beautiful beaches and Spanish culture.
