Vigo in 4 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

There are many places to visit in Vigo, that's why in this 4-day itinerary in the city, I want to show you not only the architectural wonders and tourist attractions within the central area, but also in the surroundings of Vigo, where you can see enchanting natural landscapes.

The Monte O Castro with its Fortress of the same name, the A Pedra market and the square are some of the places that you are obliged to visit in Vigo. But with four days to explore, I recommend you consider places like Baiona, Tui and the Cies Islands for a complete tour of the best things to see and do in Vigo.

You are going to start your 4-day vacation in Vigo by leaving your bags in your hotel room, after having made your respective transfer from Vigo Airport to the city.

Let's suppose that the first day of your vacation in Vigo will start early in the morning, either because you have arrived in Vigo at night and want to start your vacation the next day, or because you have arrived very early in the morning. The truth is that you will start your day by visiting the port of Vigo.

Port of Vigo

From the city of Vigo to the port will be approximately 30 minutes by car, so you will start your first day tour of this touristy place. To get to the port, you will have to pass first through the village of Bouzas, where I recommend you to eat some breakfast before going on. Breakfast will be around 9:00.

Some of the places you can find on the way to have breakfast before the port are: Las Anclas and Cafeteria Verano. After tasting a good breakfast, continue into the town of Bouzas, looking for the way to the port.

The visit to this place will start at approximately 10:00, and it won't take you more than an hour to walk around the harbor and take a picture or two. You can do this tour on your own or you can also do it on a guided tour. This is one of the most important ports in Spain and without a doubt a must see in Vigo.

Alfonso's Promenade

Leaving the port of Vigo, you will go straight to the next point on your day one itinerary in the city, which is none other than the Paseo de Alfonso. This is one of the most iconic places in the town of Vigo because it is where you will find the olive tree that gives Vigo its name.

This place is open to the public every day, and it is an excellent urban viewpoint from which you can see all the landscape that the city offers you, you can even see up to the Cíes Islands when the day is clear. To get to this viewpoint from the Port, you will have to go to Avenida da Beiramar from the exit of Bouzas to the viewpoint.

It will take 30 minutes to an hour to finish the tour of the viewpoint on the historic Paseo de Alfonso, so it will probably be 10:30 or 11:00 when you leave this place to the next point on your travel itinerary for this day 1.

Porta do Sol Square

Going further into the city of Vigo, you will come across one of the squares that you should not miss and walk around when you start to get into this place, and that is the Porta do Sol square. This place is interesting because it represents the division between the old city of Vigo and the expansion of modernity.

In the place where the square is located today, there used to be a gate that gave access to the walled city. Today it represents the difference and contrast between an old city and a more modern one.

The iconic sculpture of this square is the Siren, a statue that, like the square, represents the relationship between two parties, in this case between a man and a fish. This sculpture evokes the union that exists between the Viguean and his main source of income, which is the fish market.

Pedra Market

Leaving the square of Porta de Sol, is very close to the Mercado de Pedra, you can get there walking or by car. Assuming you have spent at least half an hour walking around the square, you should arrive at the market around 11:30. At this time you will have time to walk around the whole market and it will certainly be time for lunch, but let's take it one step at a time.

This place has a lot of history and was formerly known as a market where you could buy tobacco without taxes, and eventually became the perfect place to buy everything that had to do with clothing and other things, which were branded but counterfeit.

Nowadays it is still possible to buy this kind of products, but it is certainly a place you can not miss in Vigo if you want to take a complete cultural experience of this town. A complete tour of this market can be included in one of the best tours of Vigo, in this case of the old town, which usually last no more than 2 hours.

Once you have finished walking through the market, you are probably already hungry. It must be 13:00. Around the market there are several places where you can taste delicious food of Vigo's gastronomy, among them are: Taberna A Pedra, Restaurante La Marina and Mosquito Vigo.

Compostela Square

Leaving for lunch, your watch must be ticking at 14:00, the perfect time to take a short walk through the Compostela square, which is very close to the market. Besides being a relaxing walk, visiting this square is also a good time to see and appreciate one of the most popular sculptures in Vigo, which is none other than El Dinoseto.

I assure you that the first thing you will feel when you see this sculpture, is tenderness. It is a large dinosaur with its offspring, both sculptures achieved from pruning the bushes of this place. This is definitely a place you can not miss to take a picture or two, especially if you go with children, they love this place.

Old Town of Vigo

After about 30 minutes walking around the Compostela square and its popular Dinoseto, it's time to continue on a really interesting tour through the old town of Vigo. If there is one thing you are going to love about this place, it is the great amount of historical places to see, know and photograph.

You have two ways to get to know the old town: get to know it by yourself by getting lost in its streets, or by taking a guided tour that will take you to see each of the most interesting places in the old town. In either case, it will probably take you about two hours to complete the tour. You should finish around 16:30.

O Castro Mount

Monte O Castro is the end of your first day in Vigo. You can go up to the castle on your own or on a guided tour that will take you to this place. On the way up, you can do it by car or walking, because the route to the highest part of the mountain leaves you with beautiful landscapes and good places to get good pictures.

Once at the top, you have the chance to get even more pictures because the viewpoint at the top gives you a much wider view of the city of Vigo and the Cies Islands, a spectacle. But above all, you can tour the castle inside and learn a little more of its history.

Assuming you get to the top around 17:00, you could finish the tour in a couple of hours, ie, approximately 19:00. When you get off you have two options: either go back to the historic center of Vigo to eat some dinner and finish partying in any bar, or have a light dinner and continue to your accommodation, because day 2 promises.

For this second day of vacation in Vigo you will take your suitcases, you will fill them with swimsuits, sunscreen and towels, because you are going to the best beaches of the coast of Vigo.

To make the most of your time and enjoy every moment of the day, I recommend you to leave your accommodation as early in the morning as possible, with the intention of arriving at the first beach stop, approximately at 8:00 to have breakfast at a beach bar.

Vao Beach

If you are staying in the center of Vigo, you will not have to drive far to get to Playa del Vao, the first place on your itinerary for the day. In this case, you will only have to drive about 15 to 20 minutes to get there, so I recommend leaving around 7:30 from your hotel.

Playa del Vao is one of the best swimming beaches on the coast of Vigo, so it's the perfect place to start your day's tour. And since you will arrive so early in the morning to this place, I recommend you to start with a good breakfast to give you energy for the rest of the day.

On the shore of the beach you will be able to get countless beach bars, and after there, yes to swim and enjoy. I recommend you to stay at this beach, no more than 3 hours, so, assuming you arrive at 8:00, you can leave at approximately 11:00.

Samil Beach

You will only have to drive for about 5 minutes to get to the next destination from Playa del Vao. This next point of the itinerary is also a good beach on the coast of Vigo, and it is none other than Playa Samil. In addition to enjoying its warm waters, you will be able to take many photos before continuing.

As in Playa del Vao, I recommend you not to take more than 3 hours in this place, so, assuming you arrive a few minutes after 11:00, you will stay in the water until 13:00 at the latest, to leave and enjoy a good lunch in a nearby restaurant, one that I recommend is Restaurante Verdemar, with an hour that you use to eat, you should be leaving this place around 14:00 or 14:30.

Galician Museum of the Sea

It will take you about 5 minutes more by car to get to the Museo do Mar de Galicia, one of the most interesting museums to learn about the fishing history of this city that historically has been linked to this form of economy of the sea.

Part of what you can see in this museum are objects with centuries of history, or that in one way or another have been part of the fishing development of the area. But in addition to the permanent collections, you can also see temporary exhibitions that vary according to the itinerary of the museum, so I recommend you check their website before visiting to find out which ones will be available for the time of your visit.

Bouzas Village

Two hours will be enough to visit the entire Museo do Mar de Galicia, so, assuming you leave around 16:00, this will be the time when you will start your tour of the village of Bouzas, the next on your itinerary for day 2. In about 10 minutes you will be in this small village if you go by private car.

Once in this place, I recommend you to get lost in its cobblestone streets, because there is nothing better to get to know a town like this, than to walk and look at every interesting place you get on the way. I recommend you to use at least two hours to walk around it, so you would be leaving this place around 18:00.

Afundación Vigo Headquarters

From Bouzas to Sede Afundación Vigo is approximately 12 to 15 minutes by private car, so this is the maximum time it will take you to get from one place to the other. The perfect time to enter the last tour group of the Sede Afundación Vigo.

This museum, which is one of the most interesting in Vigo, closes its doors to the public at approximately 20:00, so if you arrive at 18:30, you will have time for a good hour and a half tour of all areas of the museum. You can visit on your own, or you can take one of the guided tours available inside the museum.

At the end of the day, you can have dinner when you leave the Afundación Vigo Headquarters, and again you have two options, the first one is to party in the bars in the nearby areas, or go to your accommodation to rest, to get ready for the third day in Vigo.

The third day of your 4-day itinerary in Vigo will start very early again. I recommend you to have lunch at your accommodation to go out with all the energy to climb the Monte A Guía, another of the most beautiful viewpoints of the town, where it is possible to see the sea and the Cíes Islands.

You will leave the hotel at approximately 8:00 am to reach the mountain early in the morning and appreciate the first hours of the day from one of the most beautiful viewpoints of the city.

Mount A Guía

You should arrive at A Guía mountain at approximately 8:30, a good time to see the sea in the early hours of the morning. I recommend you to take advantage of the view and the walk to take lots of pictures, and above all to do some physical exercise in the morning.

To climb the mountain you can do it walking or by car. Both ways are quite comfortable and safe, but undoubtedly the best way to climb if you are going to Vigo with children and other people who suffer from back problems, is by private car. It won't take you more than an hour or an hour and a half to get there.

VigoZoo

Coming down from mount A Guía, it is a good time to continue with your third day tour, visiting the VigoZoo, the zoo of the city of Vigo where you can enjoy different activities.

You will arrive at the zoo between 10:00 and 11:00. At this point you have to know that if you make your trip between April and September, you will be able to enter from 10:00, but if you travel between October and March, then you will have to wait until 11:00 to enter.

You will be able to see a large number of species from all over the world, so it is a good place to see an incredible display of animals from all habitats. You have to dedicate at least three hours to the zoo to visit each of its areas and observe each of the species inside.

Quiñones de León Palace

After leaving VigoZoo, the clock should strike about 13:00, so it is an excellent time to look for a place to have lunch, just in the vicinity of Pazo Quiñones de León. Some of the places you can visit in the vicinity of this place for lunch are: Cavanna and Mesón Anduriña.

The Pazo Quiñones de León is one of the best museums in Vigo and is located in the central area of Vigo, it represents in great part the identity of the people of Vigo. Inside you can learn about the history of Vigo society and especially the construction of this place that served as the residence of the marquises who built it.

It is divided into different areas which also include the gardens outside. So a good visit to the whole complex can last approximately 2 hours. You can go on your own or you can even take a guided tour to this place, in either case, it can last the same amount of time.

Castrelos Park

Right next to the Pazo de Quiñones de León, you will find the Castrelos Park, the largest urban park in Vigo, and one of the places you have to visit by obligation during your vacations in this city.

This is a good place for cycling and also for walking at any time of the day. One of its main attractions is the Lagares River, which runs through the entire park and next to it there is a path that, if you follow it, you will arrive directly to the Samil beach.

You can also find different areas within the park to enjoy, such as playgrounds for children, an auditorium and a pond, where you can see lots of birds. Inside the park you can also see the Castrelos bridge, an ideal place to take pictures.

This park is worth visiting for a whole day, but in this itinerary, you will use approximately 2 hours to see the most beautiful places. So you will leave no later than 16:00, a perfect time for you to visit the next destination.

Tuy

At 16:00 hours after having enjoyed a bit of Castrelos Park, it's time to get in your rental car and drive to Tuy, a town located 30 minutes from Vigo, where you can spend the last hours of your itinerary of this third day of your trip.

You will arrive in Tuy after 16:30, so I recommend you to get there by taking a tour of the historic center of the town. After making the expected tour, I recommend you try some of the gastronomic specialties of this place and stay to enjoy the rest of the scenery.

In the end, Tuy is a good place to stay after touring this place. If you want, you can get to your accommodation place in Tuy, and then go out at night to do a night tour around the town, as one of the 10 best things to do in Vigo at night, or in its surroundings, in this case.

For this fourth and last day of the trip, I recommend you to put back in your suitcases, lots of swimsuits and sunscreen, because you are going on a trip to the Cíes Islands. A vacation in Vigo is not complete if you do not visit the Cíes Islands, and if you go for four days or more to the city, it is definitely an activity that you can not fail to include.

In this sense, I recommend you to have breakfast at your accommodation or in a restaurant in Tuy, and then go straight to the port of Vigo, from where you can board a boat that goes along the Vigo estuary to the Cíes Islands.

As you will be traveling from Tuy to Vigo, it will take you approximately 30 minutes to drive. Once you arrive at the port, you can board the boat that will take you to the Cíes Islands. Usually the boats to the islands leave from 9:00 and there are several routes in the morning. The boat trip from the port of Vigo to the Cíes Islands takes approximately 40 minutes.

Cíes Islands

You can forget about everything else if you take this trip with a guided excursion. In most cases, the trip to these islands can last a whole day, so the fourth day of the excursion is going to be dedicated to spend the whole day in the sun and on the beach.

One of the best beaches to visit in these islands is undoubtedly the beach of Rhodes, which has been listed as one of the best beaches in the world by The Guardian, so if you visit the Cíes Islands and do not go to this beach, did you really visit the islands?

This excursion, which is one of the best that are made from Vigo, will take you to spend the whole day on these islands, so you can enjoy lunch and then the trip back. Some of these experiences offer to pick you up and take you back to your accommodation, it all depends on the experience you choose.