Vigo

Day 1: Casco Vello, markets, and the sea-to-table ritual

Vigo’s old town is the city’s edible heart: granite lanes, lively bars, and the scent of the Atlantic. Today is about learning local rhythms, eating with the seasons, and doing the Oyster Street rite properly.

• Morning: Start at Mercado do Progreso to see the day’s catch and seasonal greens roll in; grab coffee and a tortilla slice at a market bar and ask the barman “¿Qué tenéis de bueno hoy?” to learn what’s freshest. If you’ll cook later, buy fish with clear eyes and red gills; otherwise note stalls for a return snack of gourmet conservas (don’t overlook tinned mussels or cockles served with bread).
• Midday: Glide into Rúa Pescadería (Oyster Street) late morning to early lunch; buy a dozen oysters from an ostreira (roughly €12–€15) and take them to a nearby bar like La Piedra or O Portón for a chilled Albariño. Tip: bring some cash, add a squeeze of lemon, and if seas have been rough, expect percebes to be pricier (and scarce).
• Afternoon: Tapeo around Praza da Constitución and Praza da Princesa; stand at the bar for atmosphere and share raciones of empanada, xoubas or razor clams (summer), or lacón con grelos (winter). Kitchens often pause 16:00–20:30—use the lull for a harbour stroll and a vermouth hour.
• Evening: A relaxed tapas crawl to learn the local cadence: Bar La Tita for a drink with its famed tortilla pincho, then Taberna A Mina for seafood and empanadillas; finish with a copa of licor café. Dinners start late (from 20:30), sharing is standard, and a small cash tip is appreciated for great service.

Day 2: Fish auctions, nova cociña, and vermouth hour

Today balances Vigo’s working-port energy with its modern, Michelin-praised side. You’ll see how chefs honour product first, then elevate it with light-handed technique.

• Morning: For early risers, arrange in advance a pre-dawn peek at the Berbés fish auctions (from around 05:00) to grasp how Vigo feeds Spain; otherwise, sleep in and take coffee near the port as boats unload. Sustainability note: good restaurants respect closed seasons (vedas), so don’t insist on off-season spider crab.
• Midday: Choose a casa de comidas for a weekday menú del día (€12–€20): caldo gallego to start, then arroz con marisco or raxo; it’s unbeatable value and very local. Avoid asking for paella; you’ll eat better with a brothy Galician rice or grilled fish of the day.
• Afternoon: Snack and sip through a gastro-market vibe at Mercado da Pedra’s bars, and sample top-tier conservas dressed simply with good olive oil and bread. Slide into la hora del vermú with an artisanal Spanish vermouth or try a local craft beer before the dinner window.
• Evening: Book well ahead for Maruja Limón or Silabario to experience nova cociña galega—precise, seasonal, product-led tasting menus with thoughtful wine pairings. If you prefer international flair, try a serious sushi bar or Peruvian–Galician fusion (such as Kero), both leaning on Vigo’s pristine fish.

Day 3: Bouzas, mariscada, and furanchos (season permitting)

Slow the pace in Bouzas, a former fishing village with a stubbornly local soul. This is the day for a long seafood feast, then rustic wine-in-the-cellar if you catch furancho season.

• Morning: Bus (Vitrasa) or taxi to Bouzas for a waterside wander and coffee; in summer, look for grills perfuming the air with sardines or xoubas. Pop into informal bars where fishermen eat—simple, perfectly cooked plancha seafood is the move.
• Midday: Settle into a traditional marisquería for a shared mariscada; prices are by weight, so ask the server what’s best today and in season (autumn shines for pulpo, winter for centolla and nécora). Pair with Rías Baixas Albariño and keep the sobremesa leisurely.
• Afternoon: If it’s late winter to spring, head to a furancho in Bembrive, Beade, or Matamá (look for a laurel branch over the door) for house wine with short, hearty menus—empanada, chorizo, Pementos de Padrón. Out of season, swap in a natural-wine bar or a conservas tasting to compare styles (try mussels in escabeche versus vermouth sauce).
• Evening: Back in the Ensanche, finish with a pulpeira supper of pulpo á feira on wooden plates, olive oil, salt, and pimentón (especially good in autumn), plus tetilla cheese or a simple flan. Ask for the bill with “A conta, por favor,” round up as a thank-you, and toast Vigo’s sea-borne larder with a final vermouth or queimada.

By Air

• Vigo Airport (VGO) is 10–12 km east of the centre; 15–20 minutes by taxi. City bus (Vitrasa L9A) runs to/from the centre in about 25–30 minutes.
• Regular domestic flights (notably to Madrid and Barcelona), plus seasonal routes.
• Nearby alternatives:
  • Santiago de Compostela (SCQ): ~100 km, 1 hr 15 min via AP-9.
  • A Coruña (LCG): ~160 km, 1 hr 45–2 hrs via AP-9.
  • Porto (OPO, Portugal): ~150 km, 1 hr 45–2 hrs via A3/AP-9; frequent and often cheaper flights. Direct coaches link Vigo and OPO in roughly 2–2.5 hrs.

By Train

• Main stations: Vigo-Urzáiz (fast services on the Atlantic Axis) and Vigo-Guixar (long-distance/regional and Portugal’s Celta service).
• Typical journey times:
  • Santiago de Compostela: ~50–60 min (frequent).
  • A Coruña: ~1 hr 30–1 hr 45.
  • Ourense: ~2 hrs (approx., varies by service).
  • Madrid (direct Alvia): about 4 hr 20–4 hr 50.
  • Porto (Celta, to Campanhã): ~2 hr 20–2 hr 30 (usually 2 services/day each way).

By Bus

• Vigo Intermodal Bus Station (integrated with Urzáiz) handles most routes. Operators include ALSA, Monbus, FlixBus, and Autna.
• Key connections and times (typical):
  • Porto city/Porto Airport: ~2–2.5 hrs (frequent daily).
  • Santiago de Compostela: ~1 hr 30.
  • A Coruña: ~2–2.5 hrs.
  • Madrid: ~7–8 hrs (day and overnight services).
  • Braga/Braga–Guimarães: ~2–3 hrs (varies).

By Car

• AP-9 (toll) links Vigo with Pontevedra, Santiago, and A Coruña; A-55 to Tui/Portugal; A-52 east to Ourense and on towards Madrid; AG-57 to Baiona.
• Approximate drive times: Santiago 1 hr 15 min; A Coruña 1 hr 45–2 hrs; Ourense 1 hr 15 min; Porto 1 hr 45–2 hrs; Madrid 5.5–6 hrs.
• Central parking is limited; use signed underground car parks around the centre/Casco Vello.

By Boat

• Frequent commuter ferries connect Vigo with Cangas and Moaña (15–25 min crossings) from the Estación Marítima/A Laxe.
• Seasonal boats to the Cíes Islands (advance booking and access permits required in peak season).
• No regular international ferry services.