Vigo emerging as a tourist destination
Having lived here for many years, I have witnessed a significant increase in foreign tourism, spurred by the boom in cruise holidays and the new-found popularity of the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrim route; Vigo is 100kms from Santiago on the Portuguese Coastal route. Some won't have heard of Vigo before booking their trip, and may miss it entirely, heading for Santiago, which is a shame as Vigo has a lot of offer.
If your idea of Spain is the Costa del Sol, think again! In fact the north is similar to Britain in many ways. Vigo's position on the North West coast means it rains a lot, which in turn means the mountainous countryside is lush and green all year round, a fact which often surprises visitors. What's more, Galicia boasts some of the most spectacular beaches in Europe and not a single English pub or chippy. Winters tend to be mild and wet, whereas summers, although unpredictable, especially in July, are generally warm and sunny with temperatures in the mid 20s but can reach the 30ºs. Be prepared with jeans and shorts, shoes and sandals, anorak and cardigan, even in the peak of summer. It's not unheard of to be baking in 30 degrees one day and have 15 degrees and fog the next. In the last few years, autumn has been very mild and it has been possible to go to the beach in October or even November. The sea is crystal clear but cool, if not downright freezing.
If you want to experience real Spanish Spain, Galicia is the place.
Background
Vigo, with a population of just under 300,000, is the biggest city in the region of Galicia (although Santiago de Compostela is the capital). Situated inland on the Ria de Vigo (a ria is a wide saltwater river similar to the Scottish firths), it claims to be the largest fishing port in Europe and also the exit point for 400,000 cars manufactured annually by PSA Citroen. Vigo is the industrial heart of the region. If arriving by car, your first impressions on approaching the city will be a vast sprawl of high rise buildings. However, there are delights awaiting.
Both Castillian Spanish and Galician are spoken everywhere, and not much English. Good idea to carry a phrase book. You won't find any chip shops or curry houses. Tourism is largely internal, attracting those in search of good food and natural beauty.
Not the Med
Sowhat's to see and do?
Vigo's pretty, old town (Casco Vello) in the port area where cruise ships dock, is a labyrinth of narrow streets, full of small shops, bars and restaurants leading up to the cathedral and the main square (Plaza de Constitucion). The famous Rua das Ostras street gives a glimpse of the past, here you can sample freshly caught oysters (ostras) which you buy from sellers in the street and take to the nearest bar to eat accompanied by the delicious local white wines, Albariño or Ribeiro.
O Castro - Large park on a hill with views of the city and a restored Celt settlement.
La Alameda - Nice park just behind the port with lots of terraces to stop off and have a quick aperatif in a sophisticated atmosphere.
Castrelos Park - Wonderful park with large children's playground, duck pond, lovely walks along the river. Next to the park lies the very beautiful Pazo Quiñones de Leon, a Galician mansion which houses an archaelogical museum, gallery and gardens. (Also wedding venue, so don't be surprised if you get caught in a wedding photo session.) I recommend doing the river walk.
Useful tourist information: http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/
Food
Galicia is famous for its wealth of fish and seafood and eating is one of the 'things to do'. Galicians are proud of their food, and rightly so. Galician dishes are simple, based on quality ingredients, without sauces which might interfere with the prime flavours of the fish or meat. Even basic establishments will usually cook fresh food daily; good restaurants will have buyers who go to the early morning fishmarkets to buy the freshly caught fish of the day. Wetherspoons-type chains are unheard of, and the serving of microwaved ready meals you might suffer at home would be frowned upon here. What's more, some of the best Spanish wines are produced in Galicia, Ribeiro and Albariño, delicious crisp whites, as well as Mencia, a fruity red from the beautiful Ribera Sacra region north of Ourense.
Lunch is typically served between 2-4pm and dinner between 8pm and midnight.
You will not easily find anything that resembles restaurants in the UK other than burger bars, Italians, a couple of Chinese, and a couple of vegetarian. Certainly no Sunday dinners or Full Breakfasts! Having said that, menus in cafeterias often include egg and chips, with steak, gammon, bacon or sausages.
Keep an eye out for the local gastronomic fiestas which take place all over Galicia thoughout the summer, ie. festa do mexillon (mussels), festa do pulpo (octopus), festa do marisco (seafood), etc. which involve local venders preparing their food in tents, usually with live traditional Galician music and dancing.
Typical tapas are:
- empanada, a pie which might be filled with seafood, cod and raisins, meat or tuna.
- pulpo - small chunks of boiled or fried octopus served with olive oil and paprika
- mexillons (mesh-hee-ons) mussels, probably from Vigo
- queso tetilla - (keso tet-ee-ya) Galician soft creamy cheese in the shape of a tit, hence the name - often served with membrillo (quince) as a delicious dessert
-pimientos de padron - small fried green peppers, only in summer
- tortilla - Spanish potato omelette
- calamares - baby squid, usually battered
-jamon asado - roast pork
.....and all manner of shellfish. Mussels and oysters are grown in the Ria de Vigo.
In Rua das Ostras (Oyster Street), aka Rua da Pescaderia (Fish shop Street), just up from the port, you will find ladies selling freshly caught oysters which droves of eager visitors take to the nearest restaurant and scoff washed down with a bottle of wonderful but overpriced Ribeiro or Albariño.
Other than Italian, foreign food is limited to several Mexican places, a couple of Chinese, a lot of small kebab joints and a recently opened curry house in Bouzas, but you won't find any British food.
If you are vegetarian like me you will soon get fed up with tortilla and cheese.If you are lucky you might come across patatas bravas (fried diced potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce) or pisto manchego (similar to ratatouille). However, the current fashion for meat-free has finally made an impact in Galicia. A couple of new vegetarian places have opened in the old town, veggie options are creeping into menus. (But always double check with the waiters; just this week I ordered a vegetarian taco, ingredients listed were all veggie, but when I bit into it I noticed a slice of ham, which has happened a multitude of times over the years.)
Culture
Vigo's museums and historical buildings are few in comparison with other cities, but here are some which are worth a look.
Museo do Mar - near Praia Samil, housed in a former fish canning factory set on the banks of the Ria and built on top of an ancient Celtic settlement which is partly exposed, shows the history of the sea industry in Galicia, the submarine and small aquarium are of special interest to kids. There is a pleasant bar next to it with views of the river.
Verbum: On Samil, currently houses an exhibition on Vigo's Roman industry, has kids workshops on Saturday mornings
Art museums:
Marco (Museum of Contemporary Art)
Laxeiro Museum houses work by excellent local expressionist artist known as Laxeiro.
Full list here in English: http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/museums-and-exhibits
or here in Gallego/Castillian:
http://hoxe.vigo.org/movemonos/m_artes.php?lang=cas#/
Cinema:
The only place that shows daily English-speaking films is Multicines Norte, a small independent cinema, although Yelmo in Travesia Centro Commercial now shows version original (VOSE) films on Tuesdays. Spanish-dubbed films are shown in Gran Via Centro Comercial, Yelmo and Plaza Eliptica.
Shopping
Opening hours are usually 10am - 8pm although smaller shops usually close for a long lunch break, perhaps 13.30-16.30. Take note that Vigo does not have Sunday shopping. Alcampo and Carrefour hypermarkets, El Corte Ingles and the indoor shopping centres are open till 10pm. El Corte Ingles is similar to John Lewis and has a supermarket in the basement.
In the port area, the imposing 'A Laxe' shopping centre hosts a number of small shops (trendy clothes including Desigual and Day a Day, sports clothes, Mediamarkt electronics, phone stores), bars and cafes with views over the port.
'A Pedra' , famous for cheap, imported brands of clothes, watches etc, was recently closed by the police, however has re-open as a food and drinks outlet.
The most popular shopping city centre streets are Calle Principe (which has a C&A if anyone remembers those), a 5 minute walk from the Old Town, and Gran Via where you will find 'El Corte Ingles', a large department store similar to Fenwick's or John Lewis, and Gran Via Centro Commercial which is an indoor shopping centre with cinema and restaurants on the top floor (also free underground parking).
Nightlife
Vigueses are prone to going out at 11pm for dinner and staying out all night. Most bars will be open til around 2am whereas clubs and discos may be open till 6am (when traditionally you partake of hot chocolate and churros (sticks of donut) to replenish your energy before taking the first bus home).
In mid June don't miss the San Juan celebrations when droves of young people build bonfires on the beach and spend the night drinking and listening to the free concerts. It's a spectacular sight and wonderful atmosphere.
The area around the Plaza de Constitucion has a plethora of small tapas bars and restaurants and relaxed atmosphere. Churruca, the area between Calle Urzaiz and the train station, is the haunt of the younger indie music type crowd. La Iguana bar (to name but one) hosts live music, mainly punk and indie. Rua Rosalia de Castro, Areal and the sea front are upmarket streets and home to cocktail bars and vinotec At the weekend the streets will be buzzing til the early hours. Further out: 5-10 mins by car or bus
The main tourist information centre is in the port area.
Bouzas: head west to the charming little city beach, marina, Sunday market and delightful tapas bars.
Playa Samil: (green Vitrasa buses from Plaza America) marvellous long, sandy beach, great free outdoor kids swimming pools, a few bars and restaurants, bowling alley, picnic area, kids park, remote control cars track, half-pipe, rollerskating rink, small daily market selling clothes and jewellery. Good place for a stroll and ice-cream. Totally recommend Panna Fragola for Italian ice cream and pizza. There is a lovely walk from the south end of the beach, turn left opposite the tennis club, along the River Lagares after about 200m you will see a path on the right going down towards the river, and ends at the Celta football stadium.
Vigo's pretty, old town (Casco Vello) in the port area where cruise ships dock, is a labyrinth of narrow streets, full of small shops, bars and restaurants leading up to the cathedral and the main square (Plaza de Constitucion). The famous Rua das Ostras street gives a glimpse of the past, here you can sample freshly caught oysters (ostras) which you buy from sellers in the street and take to the nearest bar to eat accompanied by the delicious local white wines, Albariño or Ribeiro.
O Castro - Large park on a hill with views of the city and a restored Celt settlement.
La Alameda - Nice park just behind the port with lots of terraces to stop off and have a quick aperatif in a sophisticated atmosphere.
Castrelos Park - Wonderful park with large children's playground, duck pond, lovely walks along the river. Next to the park lies the very beautiful Pazo Quiñones de Leon, a Galician mansion which houses an archaelogical museum, gallery and gardens. (Also wedding venue, so don't be surprised if you get caught in a wedding photo session.) I recommend doing the river walk.
Useful tourist information: http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/
Food
Galicia is famous for its wealth of fish and seafood and eating is one of the 'things to do'. Galicians are proud of their food, and rightly so. Galician dishes are simple, based on quality ingredients, without sauces which might interfere with the prime flavours of the fish or meat. Even basic establishments will usually cook fresh food daily; good restaurants will have buyers who go to the early morning fishmarkets to buy the freshly caught fish of the day. Wetherspoons-type chains are unheard of, and the serving of microwaved ready meals you might suffer at home would be frowned upon here. What's more, some of the best Spanish wines are produced in Galicia, Ribeiro and Albariño, delicious crisp whites, as well as Mencia, a fruity red from the beautiful Ribera Sacra region north of Ourense.
Lunch is typically served between 2-4pm and dinner between 8pm and midnight.
You will not easily find anything that resembles restaurants in the UK other than burger bars, Italians, a couple of Chinese, and a couple of vegetarian. Certainly no Sunday dinners or Full Breakfasts! Having said that, menus in cafeterias often include egg and chips, with steak, gammon, bacon or sausages.
Keep an eye out for the local gastronomic fiestas which take place all over Galicia thoughout the summer, ie. festa do mexillon (mussels), festa do pulpo (octopus), festa do marisco (seafood), etc. which involve local venders preparing their food in tents, usually with live traditional Galician music and dancing.
Typical tapas are:
- empanada, a pie which might be filled with seafood, cod and raisins, meat or tuna.
- pulpo - small chunks of boiled or fried octopus served with olive oil and paprika
- mexillons (mesh-hee-ons) mussels, probably from Vigo
- queso tetilla - (keso tet-ee-ya) Galician soft creamy cheese in the shape of a tit, hence the name - often served with membrillo (quince) as a delicious dessert
-pimientos de padron - small fried green peppers, only in summer
- tortilla - Spanish potato omelette
- calamares - baby squid, usually battered
-jamon asado - roast pork
.....and all manner of shellfish. Mussels and oysters are grown in the Ria de Vigo.
In Rua das Ostras (Oyster Street), aka Rua da Pescaderia (Fish shop Street), just up from the port, you will find ladies selling freshly caught oysters which droves of eager visitors take to the nearest restaurant and scoff washed down with a bottle of wonderful but overpriced Ribeiro or Albariño.
Other than Italian, foreign food is limited to several Mexican places, a couple of Chinese, a lot of small kebab joints and a recently opened curry house in Bouzas, but you won't find any British food.
If you are vegetarian like me you will soon get fed up with tortilla and cheese.If you are lucky you might come across patatas bravas (fried diced potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce) or pisto manchego (similar to ratatouille). However, the current fashion for meat-free has finally made an impact in Galicia. A couple of new vegetarian places have opened in the old town, veggie options are creeping into menus. (But always double check with the waiters; just this week I ordered a vegetarian taco, ingredients listed were all veggie, but when I bit into it I noticed a slice of ham, which has happened a multitude of times over the years.)
Culture
Vigo's museums and historical buildings are few in comparison with other cities, but here are some which are worth a look.
Museo do Mar - near Praia Samil, housed in a former fish canning factory set on the banks of the Ria and built on top of an ancient Celtic settlement which is partly exposed, shows the history of the sea industry in Galicia, the submarine and small aquarium are of special interest to kids. There is a pleasant bar next to it with views of the river.
Verbum: On Samil, currently houses an exhibition on Vigo's Roman industry, has kids workshops on Saturday mornings
Art museums:
Marco (Museum of Contemporary Art)
Laxeiro Museum houses work by excellent local expressionist artist known as Laxeiro.
Full list here in English: http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/museums-and-exhibits
or here in Gallego/Castillian:
http://hoxe.vigo.org/movemonos/m_artes.php?lang=cas#/
Cinema:
The only place that shows daily English-speaking films is Multicines Norte, a small independent cinema, although Yelmo in Travesia Centro Commercial now shows version original (VOSE) films on Tuesdays. Spanish-dubbed films are shown in Gran Via Centro Comercial, Yelmo and Plaza Eliptica.
Shopping
Opening hours are usually 10am - 8pm although smaller shops usually close for a long lunch break, perhaps 13.30-16.30. Take note that Vigo does not have Sunday shopping. Alcampo and Carrefour hypermarkets, El Corte Ingles and the indoor shopping centres are open till 10pm. El Corte Ingles is similar to John Lewis and has a supermarket in the basement.
In the port area, the imposing 'A Laxe' shopping centre hosts a number of small shops (trendy clothes including Desigual and Day a Day, sports clothes, Mediamarkt electronics, phone stores), bars and cafes with views over the port.
'A Pedra' , famous for cheap, imported brands of clothes, watches etc, was recently closed by the police, however has re-open as a food and drinks outlet.
The most popular shopping city centre streets are Calle Principe (which has a C&A if anyone remembers those), a 5 minute walk from the Old Town, and Gran Via where you will find 'El Corte Ingles', a large department store similar to Fenwick's or John Lewis, and Gran Via Centro Commercial which is an indoor shopping centre with cinema and restaurants on the top floor (also free underground parking).
Nightlife
Vigueses are prone to going out at 11pm for dinner and staying out all night. Most bars will be open til around 2am whereas clubs and discos may be open till 6am (when traditionally you partake of hot chocolate and churros (sticks of donut) to replenish your energy before taking the first bus home).
In mid June don't miss the San Juan celebrations when droves of young people build bonfires on the beach and spend the night drinking and listening to the free concerts. It's a spectacular sight and wonderful atmosphere.
The area around the Plaza de Constitucion has a plethora of small tapas bars and restaurants and relaxed atmosphere. Churruca, the area between Calle Urzaiz and the train station, is the haunt of the younger indie music type crowd. La Iguana bar (to name but one) hosts live music, mainly punk and indie. Rua Rosalia de Castro, Areal and the sea front are upmarket streets and home to cocktail bars and vinotec At the weekend the streets will be buzzing til the early hours. Further out: 5-10 mins by car or bus
The main tourist information centre is in the port area.
Bouzas: head west to the charming little city beach, marina, Sunday market and delightful tapas bars.
Playa Samil: (green Vitrasa buses from Plaza America) marvellous long, sandy beach, great free outdoor kids swimming pools, a few bars and restaurants, bowling alley, picnic area, kids park, remote control cars track, half-pipe, rollerskating rink, small daily market selling clothes and jewellery. Good place for a stroll and ice-cream. Totally recommend Panna Fragola for Italian ice cream and pizza. There is a lovely walk from the south end of the beach, turn left opposite the tennis club, along the River Lagares after about 200m you will see a path on the right going down towards the river, and ends at the Celta football stadium.
 | ||||||
| Above and below we have Canido Beach |
There
are a string of fine beaches within walking distance from Samil along the Ria. Canido is a lovely small
port and home to some of the best fish and seafood restaurants in Vigo.
There are a couple of beaches where nudism is permitted: Fortiñon in Saiáns and one end of Praia Fechiño, which is a rocky beach to the east of the spectacular Praia O Vao. Topless is allowed everywhere.
These beaches are easily reached by the Vitrasa buses 10, 11 and 12.
Inland, up the Ria, there are also lovely beaches in Chapela and Cesantes.
Even further out: 30 mins by car or bus
Playa America, Nigran
Blue bus from Plaza America (Atsa bus company)
Gorgeous 3km long beach stretching from the small fishing port of Panxon to Ramallosa.
Lined with small restaurants, a great place to enjoy fresh fish and seafood. Hosts free events on the beach in summer: concerts, zumba classes etc
There are a couple of beaches where nudism is permitted: Fortiñon in Saiáns and one end of Praia Fechiño, which is a rocky beach to the east of the spectacular Praia O Vao. Topless is allowed everywhere.
Inland, up the Ria, there are also lovely beaches in Chapela and Cesantes.
Even further out: 30 mins by car or bus
Playa America, Nigran
Blue bus from Plaza America (Atsa bus company)
Gorgeous 3km long beach stretching from the small fishing port of Panxon to Ramallosa.
Lined with small restaurants, a great place to enjoy fresh fish and seafood. Hosts free events on the beach in summer: concerts, zumba classes etc
 |
| Panxon - Playa America |
Las Islas Cies - The Cies Islands
In 2007 the Guardian declared Rodas Beach one of the best beaches in the world. Designated National Park since 1980, the Cies are reached by ferry from Vigo or Baiona (cost return ticket 18.50€ adult and 6€ child in high season). https://www.mardeons.es/en/ Ferry tickets are in demand as the number of visitors to the islands is limited to 2000 per day. This year (2017) problems with overbooking left hundreds of tourists with tickets in hand who were prevented from going.
The only accommodation on the islands is a campsite which also gets booked up very quickly. http://www.campingislascies.com/
Personally, I would only visit the Cies if I had a spare day, the boat trip is fun but when you get there you can either walk up the mountain to the lighthouse or spend the day on the beach. Not enough to keep me interested.
Baiona - Blue bus from Plaza America (Alsa no. 1 or 2 every half hour)
With its stunning fortress, now a popular parador hotel, charming old quarter and excellent seafood restaurants with live seafood and fish on display in the priciest places, Baiona is an elegant tourist town. In peak season it gets very busy with mainly Spanish tourists and the yacht crowd. I recommend walking the path around the outside of the fortaleza for great views. Baiona also has a heap of fab ice-cream parlours!
Mid March sees the Arribada medieval festival celebrating the arrival of the first of Christopher Columbus' ships in Baiona bringing news to Europe of the Discovery of the New World. The town also hosts several tapas festivals where bars compete to win the title of best tapa. In summer there are several free music events in the streets.
Cangas - Drive over the iconic Rande Bridge, or for more fun take the ferry, across the Ria to the small fishing town of Cangas and you will see the 'mejilloneras' floating wooden platforms used to cultivate mussels. Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the water front and wander up into the narrow streets of the old town. Cangas has a lot of music, the Canjazz Festival in July brings superb jazz to the streets of the town.
The nearby historical cities of Santiago de Compostela, Pontevedra, Tui, Ourense and of course Valença in Portugal, are within an hour's drive, are easily accessible by bus and train and are well worth visiting.
ConclusionGalicia is a great place for a totally different Spanish experience for everyone, young and old. Travel tips:Parking is complicated as in any city. Street parking is metered everywhere. However there are a lot of underground carparks which are not outrageously priced. On Gran Via, number 161, at the car wash near the Centro Commercial, you can park for 1- 2 euros for a few hours. It's an informal affair, you give your coins to a man who is usually hovering about, no ticket or anything.Praia Samil has a lot of free parking places but be warned that in the high season from lunchtime onwards it is packed. Buses: there are 2 main bus companies, Vitrasa run the green city buses and Atsa which are blue and run from Vigo bus station to Baiona, La Guardia and Gondomar via Nigran or Panxon. Each company has its own bus stops. They don't share them so make sure your standing at the correct one. The bus timetables are impossible to fathom for a newcomer as they generally give few details other than the times the bus leaves its starting point and arrives at the final destination. Vigo doesn't have a travel card you can buy but the trips are cheap, about 1.50€. Most buses finish by about 10pm although there are some late buses to Samil.It is best to take the train to Pontevedra and Santiago, it's quite fast, comfortable and scenic. There are 2 types of train and 2 stations in Vigo: Urzaiz and Guixar. Some trains don't go to Urzaiz. The main road from Vigo to Santiago is a toll road and costs about 9 euros each way.It takes about 6 hours to drive from Madrid to Vigo. By Air: Vigo is a small airport with few international flights. Direct flights from Edinburgh, Dublin and London run from April to October. Santiago and Porto airports are about an hour and half by car. Bus: There is a direct Autna bus from Vigo bus station to Porto airport 5 times a day, which is cheap 12€ one way, takes about an hour and 40 minutes. Alsa buses also go from Vigo to the Casa da Musica in Porto. Buses to Madrid take 7-9 hours.https://www.alsa.es/estaciones/estacion-vigo.htmhttp://www.autna.com/es/horarios-y-tarifas/ Train: There is a new regular fast train from Vigo to A Coruña, stopping at Pontevedra and Santiago. Three trains a day to Porto take about 2 hours. Train to Madrid takes 6-7 hours. http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/HorariosEstaciones.html
In 2007 the Guardian declared Rodas Beach one of the best beaches in the world. Designated National Park since 1980, the Cies are reached by ferry from Vigo or Baiona (cost return ticket 18.50€ adult and 6€ child in high season). https://www.mardeons.es/en/ Ferry tickets are in demand as the number of visitors to the islands is limited to 2000 per day. This year (2017) problems with overbooking left hundreds of tourists with tickets in hand who were prevented from going.
The only accommodation on the islands is a campsite which also gets booked up very quickly. http://www.campingislascies.com/
Personally, I would only visit the Cies if I had a spare day, the boat trip is fun but when you get there you can either walk up the mountain to the lighthouse or spend the day on the beach. Not enough to keep me interested.
Baiona - Blue bus from Plaza America (Alsa no. 1 or 2 every half hour)
With its stunning fortress, now a popular parador hotel, charming old quarter and excellent seafood restaurants with live seafood and fish on display in the priciest places, Baiona is an elegant tourist town. In peak season it gets very busy with mainly Spanish tourists and the yacht crowd. I recommend walking the path around the outside of the fortaleza for great views. Baiona also has a heap of fab ice-cream parlours!
 |
| Baiona marina |
 |
| Baiona fortaleza, now the Parador hotel and restaurant |
Mid March sees the Arribada medieval festival celebrating the arrival of the first of Christopher Columbus' ships in Baiona bringing news to Europe of the Discovery of the New World. The town also hosts several tapas festivals where bars compete to win the title of best tapa. In summer there are several free music events in the streets.
Cangas - Drive over the iconic Rande Bridge, or for more fun take the ferry, across the Ria to the small fishing town of Cangas and you will see the 'mejilloneras' floating wooden platforms used to cultivate mussels. Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the water front and wander up into the narrow streets of the old town. Cangas has a lot of music, the Canjazz Festival in July brings superb jazz to the streets of the town.
The nearby historical cities of Santiago de Compostela, Pontevedra, Tui, Ourense and of course Valença in Portugal, are within an hour's drive, are easily accessible by bus and train and are well worth visiting.
ConclusionGalicia is a great place for a totally different Spanish experience for everyone, young and old. Travel tips:Parking is complicated as in any city. Street parking is metered everywhere. However there are a lot of underground carparks which are not outrageously priced. On Gran Via, number 161, at the car wash near the Centro Commercial, you can park for 1- 2 euros for a few hours. It's an informal affair, you give your coins to a man who is usually hovering about, no ticket or anything.Praia Samil has a lot of free parking places but be warned that in the high season from lunchtime onwards it is packed. Buses: there are 2 main bus companies, Vitrasa run the green city buses and Atsa which are blue and run from Vigo bus station to Baiona, La Guardia and Gondomar via Nigran or Panxon. Each company has its own bus stops. They don't share them so make sure your standing at the correct one. The bus timetables are impossible to fathom for a newcomer as they generally give few details other than the times the bus leaves its starting point and arrives at the final destination. Vigo doesn't have a travel card you can buy but the trips are cheap, about 1.50€. Most buses finish by about 10pm although there are some late buses to Samil.It is best to take the train to Pontevedra and Santiago, it's quite fast, comfortable and scenic. There are 2 types of train and 2 stations in Vigo: Urzaiz and Guixar. Some trains don't go to Urzaiz. The main road from Vigo to Santiago is a toll road and costs about 9 euros each way.It takes about 6 hours to drive from Madrid to Vigo. By Air: Vigo is a small airport with few international flights. Direct flights from Edinburgh, Dublin and London run from April to October. Santiago and Porto airports are about an hour and half by car. Bus: There is a direct Autna bus from Vigo bus station to Porto airport 5 times a day, which is cheap 12€ one way, takes about an hour and 40 minutes. Alsa buses also go from Vigo to the Casa da Musica in Porto. Buses to Madrid take 7-9 hours.https://www.alsa.es/estaciones/estacion-vigo.htmhttp://www.autna.com/es/horarios-y-tarifas/ Train: There is a new regular fast train from Vigo to A Coruña, stopping at Pontevedra and Santiago. Three trains a day to Porto take about 2 hours. Train to Madrid takes 6-7 hours. http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/HorariosEstaciones.html
