Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

Vigo

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.

The Casco Vello (Old Town) climbs uphill from the cruise-ship port; the heart of the modern city spreads east from here, with the parklike Praza de Compostela a welcome green space in its midst.

Explore Vigo

  • C
    Castelo de Soutomaior

    The Soutomaior castle-palace, amid enormous and beautiful gardens, is well worth a 21km drive northeast from Vigo. Displays inside the castle, which dates…

  • P
    Parque do Castro

    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…

  • P
    Praia de Samil

    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…

  • C
    Concatedral de Santa María

    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.

  • C
    Castro de 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…

  • M
    Museo de Arte Contemporánea de 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…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Vigo.

  • See

    Castelo de Soutomaior

    The Soutomaior castle-palace, amid enormous and beautiful gardens, is well worth a 21km drive northeast from Vigo. Displays inside the castle, which dates…

  • See

    Parque do Castro

    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…

  • See

    Praia de Samil

    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…

  • See

    Concatedral de Santa María

    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.

  • See

    Castro de 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…

  • See

    Museo de Arte Contemporánea de 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…

Guidebooks

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks

Get to the heart of Vigo with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.