Sometimes, the unexpected detours lead to the most delightful discoveries. I was on Serenade of the Seas bound for Lisbon Cruise Port. I was excited to return to the vibrant Portuguese capital, but as fate would have it, stormy weather diverted our ship to Vigo Cruise Port, a smaller port nestled in the Galicia region of Spain. With little knowledge of this city and a hint of disappointment at missing Lisbon, I stepped ashore, prepared for a lacklustre substitute.
Little did I know, Vigo held a surprise of its own. While it might not have the renown of Lisbon or Porto, this charming coastal city boasts a rich history dating back to its Roman roots. And despite its smaller port, Vigo led me to one of the most breathtaking beaches in Europe! Join me as I uncover the hidden gems of Vigo and show you how to plan an unforgettable DIY shore excursion there.
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Vigo Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎😎😎😎 Smooth Sailing
If you’re wondering how easy it is to walk off your ship and explore Vigo Cruise Port on your own, it’s 😎😎😎😎 Smooth Sailing! You might wonder why I didn’t rate Vigo even higher considering the cruise terminal is just a stone’s throw away from Old Town. So here’s the lowdown:
- Easy Breezy to Old Town: Vigo’s Old Town is easily accessible from the cruise terminal and very walkable. But there honestly aren’t that much to see!
- Limited attractions in City Centre: The views from Monte do Castro are worth it but to truly make a full day of sightseeing in Vigo, you’ll need to venture further afield.
- Getting Around Challenge: Local buses do exist but they aren’t always the most tourist friendly option, with most buses infrequently scheduled. The “Tourist Bus” runs only 4 times a day, so not great for a supposedly hop-on-hop-off option. (I’ll share options below.)
So a DIY excursion in Vigo is certainly straightforward but be prepared to adjust your expectations and go with the flow!
Vigo Cruise Port: Where Your Ship Docks
Your ship will dock at the Muelle de Transatlánticos, with Casco Vello (Old Town) about 10-15 minutes walk away. It’s a modern and well-equipped cruise terminal with free WiFi.
Vigo Cruise Port Address: Estación Marítima de Vigo, Rúa Cánovas del Castillo, 5, 36202 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain – see this marked in my Vigo cruise port map below 👇
Vigo Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need to Know
- Currency: Euros
- Language: Spanish
- Official Websites: Vitrasa is the local bus authority (Spanish only), Turismo de Vigo is the local tourism office
- Recommended Transport App:
- Navigating Old Town: Use Google Maps for walking directions & general navigation but note that it does not show bus routes well!
- Vigo’s Buses: Note that Vigo’s urban bus routes don’t show up in Google Maps well. If you intend to head to the beach, then use Movvit Vigo for bus routes, available in the usual app stores – I’ll talk more about that below. If you don’t want to download the app, then use the Moovit webpage here – it’s not the most user friendly web page!
- eSIM for roaming in Spain: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring independently. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout
Vigo Cruise Port Map
- On Desktop | Laptop? Use buttons on bottom left to zoom in/out. Click on the upper right hand corner to see a bigger version.
- On Tablet | Mobile? Pinch your screen to zoom in/out and use two fingers to move map around. If you have Google Maps installed on your tablet/mobile, my map will open in your Google Maps app if you click on the upper right hand corner.
- If map is not loading correctly, click here to see it directly on Google Maps
Vigo Cruise Port: Your Transport Options
Vigo is compact and easy to navigate around by walking from the cruise port (except heading to Samil Beach). But the local bus network is not particularly tourist friendly, so there’s two “Tourist” buses which you can consider:
- “Official” Tourist Bus: Run by the local bus authority Vitrasa, the Vigo Tourist Bus runs a 90-minute loop around the city – there’s 3 stops: the Castillo, Samil Beach and Pazo Quiñones de León.
- Caveat: Buses are infrequent, to say the least, and there’s a noticeable (big) gap in services in the afternoon. I mean literally no buses running for 4-5 hours when the buses enjoy their siestas. But this is great if you’ll like to sit on the bus, enjoy the views and don’t want to get off. €7.50 for adults and €4 for kids.
- Tickets: Stop by the Tourist Info Office outside the cruise terminal (marked on my map). They can confirm the bus schedule for the day. More info on the Vitrasa website here (Spanish only).
- Private 2-Hour Bus Tour: These seem to operate when a cruise ship is docked and you will not fail to be approached by a ticket seller outside the cruise terminal. It’s not a hop-on-hop-off bus, as it only stops at the Castillo, Samil Beach and Pazo Quiñones de León for short stops and expect you to be back in the bus in a flash after a photo stop. I did take one of these and discovered Pazo Quiñones de León which otherwise would have been too difficult to get to on public transport. €15 for adults.
Vigo Cruise Port: What to See & Do
1. Visit Vigo’s Casco Vello (Old Town)
A few minutes’ walk from the cruise terminal is the start of Vigo’s Old Town. Once a Roman settlement, a fact echoed in the narrow, winding lanes. It’s not the most picturesque Old Town in Europe but it is worth a wander on the way up to Monte do Castro.
DIY Walking Tour: If you’d like to do a DIY walking tour, then follow this circular route recommended by the local tourism office. I did, sort of, follow the suggested route myself but I couldn’t get a good version of the map at the tourist office and eventually it was too hard. But the most easily recognisable landmark in Vigo’s Old Town has to be the Co-Cathedral of Saint Mary (Concatedral de Santa María)📸👇, with its twin bell tower.
Guided Walking Tour: If you prefer a guided walking tour, here’s one which will start at the Merman statue and finishes at Vigo Cruise Terminal. (See how to find the Merman statue here.) The walking tour does loop through Old Town, on the way back to Vigo Cruise Port, via most of the attractions I’ll talk about Monte de Castro.
This neoclassical church from the early 19th century was built on the site of a previous Gothic church that was burned down during an attack on Vigo by Sir Francis Drake’s fleet in 1589. The church is free to enter.
The other streets I enjoyed walking through in Old Town are – see these marked on my Vigo Cruise Port map above:
- Rúa dos Cesteiros: The “Street of the Basket Makers” – this is where artisans crafted and sold their handmade wicker goods and you can still find some shops there today
- Mercado da Pedra and Rúa da Pescadería: This area is known for the freshest oysters (and other seafood) in Vigo. See more below on “Where to Eat in Vigo“.
Vigo’s Old Town also has a lot of tapas bars, so this is a good area to head to for lunch as well. I have some suggestions below.
2. Walk Up Monte do Castro for Best Views in Vigo
For a commanding view of the entire area, make your way to Monte do Castro. This hilltop park contains the ruins of a 17th-century fortress built to defend against the British, as well as the remains of a pre-Roman Celtic settlement (a castro) over 2000 years old that gives the hill its name.
As you wander up, stop at Castro de Vigo (marked on my Vigo Cruise Port map 👆) where you can still see circular foundations of their homes and the defensive walls that protected them from invaders. In the 17th century, the fortress was built atop Monte do Castro to protect the city and harbour from pirates. The fortress is no longer intact but its imposing walls still stand.
Best Walking Route Up: Head to the Praza do Rei (King’s Square). From there, look for the signs pointing towards Monte do Castro. There’s a well-maintained path that winds its way up the hill, offering beautiful views of the city as you ascend. You’ll see stairs too for a quicker ascent. I’d say that the incline is moderate and there are places to stop along the way.
3. Stroll Through Vigo’s Urban Oasis
The area around Vigo Cruise Port is incredibly green! Once you leave Vigo cruise terminal, walk towards the Avenida de Beiramar, the wide avenue that runs parallel to the marina. Instead of heading directly into the Old Town, turn left and enjoy the promenade.
Within minutes, you’ll encounter the Jules Verne Statue, a homage to the famous author. Jules Verne visited Vigo in 1878 and in his novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Captain Nemo steers his submarine, the Nautilus, into Vigo Bay. Here, he secretly salvages the sunken treasure from the galleons of the Spanish treasure fleet, which were sunk during the historic Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702.
Just two blocks inland away is the Alameda da Praza de Compostela. This elegant 19th century park feels like an urban sanctuary and a world away from the busy waterfront. For keen horticulturists, look for camellias (the official flower of Galicia), magnolias, and towering hundred-year-old cedars.
For me, the best fun was looking at the collection of granite sculptures with figures of seals, fish and other creatures that cleverly double as benches.
4. See the Merman at Porta do Sol
Another two blocks inland from the gardens of Alameda da Praza de Compostela is the Porta do Sol (Gate of the Sun). This is where the Old Town meets the modern city of Vigo. It’s a huge pedestrianised area that also leads to Vigo’s premiere shopping street at Rúa do Príncipe.
“El Sireno” (The Merman) is the iconic statue that serves well as a landmark to orient yourself. Perched atop two towering granite columns, this striking bronze sculpture by Francisco Leiro is deliberately a “merman-mutant,” a hybrid figure representing the symbolic union of humanity with the sea, a core part of Vigo’s identity.
Want to shop? Then walk down Rúa do Príncipe – Vigo’s “Golden Mile”. Rúa do Príncipe is lined with all the major Spanish and international high street brands including Zara which incidentally is a Galician company! This street will also help you easily find the MARCO, the contemporary art museum – see below.
5. Visit MARCO: Vigo’s Contemporary Art Museum
Located right on the city’s main shopping artery, Rúa do Príncipe, the MARCO (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Vigo) has no permanent collection. Rather it hosts a changing programme of temporary exhibitions, so do check the website here to see what’s on and whether it will interest you.
Regardless, the building itself is interesting though! Opened in 1881, the building served a dual purpose – the grand upper floors functioned as the Palacio de Justicia (Courthouse), while the ground floor and radiating wings were designed as the city’s public prison.
You can still see the “panopticon” design of the prison today! (The “Panopticon” design was conceived by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, to allow a single watchman to observe all inmates without them being able to tell whether they were being watched.)
As you walk inside the MARCO, the large circular central courtyard used to serve as the central observation hub. The galleries radiate outwards from this centre like the spokes of a wheel—these were originally the cell blocks.
- Opening Hours: Closed Mondays. Open 11am to 2:30pm, then 5pm to 9pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. 11am to 2:30pm only on Sundays. Double-check hours here.
- Tickets: MARCO is free entry!
6. Samil Beach: Sun, Sand and Sea ⛱️
Samil Beach turned out to be one of the nicest beaches I’ve visited in Europe! With its golden sands, crystal-clear waters and picturesque promenade, it’s the perfect place to unwind and soak up the Galician sunshine. Beach is well equipped with all the usual amenities. There’s loads of cafes and restaurants for drinks and snacks.
How to Get There: There’s 3 options to get to Samil Beach from Vigo Cruise Port or Vigo City Centre – (a) Taxi outside Port (b) Tourist Bus (c) Public Bus.
- Option 1 – Taxi: Obviously the quickest way and my recommended option, if you don’t want to see anything else in Vigo. A one-way trip costs around €15-€20. The main taxi company in Vigo is Radio Taxis de Vigo and these should have card machines onboard. However, I would always confirm with the driver that the card machine is working before I start the journey if I need to pay by card.
- Option 2 – Tourist Bus: Near the Mall outside the cruise terminal is the Bus Turístico (“Tourist Bus”) stop. It will stop at Samil Beach and you can catch the next bus back. Caveat: See my comments above 👆
- Option 3 – Public Bus: Hop on Vitrasa Bus L10 or L15B and you’ll be at the beach in 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.
- Bus Stop: Just outside the cruise port at Rúa de Cánovas Del Castillo (Centro Comercial) – see it marked on my Vigo Cruise Port map above 👆
- Tickets: Buy from driver. One way fares are €1.60 cash only.
- Timetables: L10 runs hourly – timetables here. Unfortunately L15B runs even less frequently.
Important Note about Buses: As I noted above, information for Vitrasa Bus – the local bus transport authority in Vigo – does NOT show on Google Maps well. I learnt this the hard way! You need to use the Moovit app, which I found confusing and littered with so many ads that I don’t know where to click. But here’s the info on Moovit’s website for L10. I think the Moovit app is slightly easier to use.
The tourist office also said that during summer months, the route #C3D bus also heads out to Samil Beach, providing additional departures from Vigo city centre. You can catch it at the same bus stop and check departures on Moovit’s website.
7. Pazo Quiñones de León: A Glimpse into Galician Aristocracy
This stunning 17th-century manor house, also known as the Castrelos Palace, is set within the beautiful Castrelos Park. It’s on the Tourist Bus itinerary or you can catch a taxi here. On the site of a medieval fortress tower, the Torre de Lavandeira, it was transformed into the grand pazo (the Galician term for a manor house) that we see today.
The last resident, the Marquis of Alcedo, donated the entire estate to the people of Vigo in 1924. So now, it’s the Municipal Museum of Vigo. The main floors are preserved to look much as they did in the 19th and early 20th centuries. You can walk through the opulent drawing rooms, the formal dining room, the library and private chambers.
But the star is undoubtedly the manicured gardens and wooded areas in Castrelos Park. There’s two sections to the gardens:
- French Garden: Located on the upper level behind the pazo, this garden is a masterpiece of formal design. Expect perfectly rational, geometric patterns, manicured box hedges, a central fountain, and a sense of classical order and elegance.
- English Garden: As you move down to the lower level, the style shifts dramatically to a romantic English garden. Here you’ll find winding paths, a charming duck pond, lush, seemingly “wild” greenery, and a remarkable collection of ancient and exotic trees
Taste of Galicia: What & Where to Eat in Vigo
1. Local Specialties: What To Look Out For
Galician cuisine is famous for these local specialties, so look for these items on menus for an authentic taste of the region:
- Pulpo á Feira (Fair-Style Octopus): This is the undisputed king of Galician cuisine. The octopus is boiled to a perfect, tender consistency & snipped into bite-sized pieces with scissors. It’s simply dressed with high-quality olive oil, coarse sea salt, and a dusting of sweet and spicy paprika.
- Marisco (Seafood): Look for platters of freshly steamed mussels (mejillones), sweet bay scallops (zamburiñas), briny clams (almejas), hefty spider crabs (centollas), and the region’s most famous delicacy, the gooseneck barnacle (percebes), which has a unique, intense flavour of the sea.
- Empanada Gallega: The Galician version is a large, savoury pie with a soft, bread-like crust. It’s typically filled with delicious mixtures of tuna (bonito), cod (bacalao), or scallops with onions and peppers. You can buy the whole pie to share or slices of it.
- Pimientos de Padrón: These small, bright green peppers are fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Note that some are hot (ie. spicy) but some are not. So it’s like a culinary game of chance!
- Lacón con Grelos: Consists of cured pork shoulder boiled and served with grelos (the leafy green tops of turnips) and potatoes.
- Tarta de Santiago: The region’s signature dessert is a dense, moist almond cake. It is naturally gluten-free and is traditionally decorated with powdered sugar using a stencil of the Cross of Saint James. (You can obviously just buy a slice of it!)
- Albariño Wine: This crisp, aromatic, and slightly saline white wine from the nearby Rías Baixas region is the perfect accompaniment to any seafood meal. It’s one of Spain’s most celebrated white wines!
2. The Oyster Experience on Rúa da Pescadería
Within walking distance of Vigo Cruise Port is Rúa da Pescadería, known locally as “Oyster Street” – I’ve marked this on my Vigo Cruise Port map above. You’ll find a line of granite stalls where women, the legendary ostreiras of Vigo, have been shucking fresh oysters for generations!
The process is simple: you approach a stall, order a plate of a half-dozen or a dozen oysters, and watch as they are expertly opened and arranged for you with a wedge of lemon. Note: most stalls only take cash in euros (€).
Then, you can take your plate to an outdoor table at one of the adjacent bars, order a chilled glass of Albariño (white wine) to enjoy!
Opening Hours: The “Oyster Street” stalls are open every morning, so head there early if you’re an oyster fan! During summer months, it usually opens in the afternoon as well.
3. The Tapas Experience in Vigo
Vigo is also famous for its tapas bars – here’s a few suggestions below – all are marked in my Vigo Cruise Port map above. But there’s many tapas bars in the area around Oyster Street (see above), so you may want to walk around the area, check out the menus and see what you fancy!
- Taberna A Pedra: Favourite local tavern! Located on the historic Basketweavers’ Street, the menu is 100% Galician, with fried fish (pescaditos fritos) and octopus. Budget around €20 per person for lunch if you order seafood.
- Taberna A Mina: Known for its octopus and potatoes. Also around €20 per person for lunch.
- Bar Chavolas: Come here for grilled and baked fish!
If you’d like to try Empanada Gallega, then head to A tapa do Barril for a variety of fillings, from traditional chocos (cuttlefish) and zorza (marinated pork) to prawns with cream and mushrooms. The ones they sell are individually sized.
For vegan empanadas, head to Paima. (Note that not everything that Paima sells is vegan, so do check first!) There’s very limited seating at both, so empanadas are best enjoyed as take-out!
Opening Hours: As in most Spanish cities, restaurants close between lunch and dinner service. So don’t assume all day dining in Vigo. Most restaurants will close around 3:30pm to 4pm and then won’t re-open until 8pm for dinner.
Featured Image by Sergei Gussev on Flickr
While Vigo’s not the most popular cruise port, it certainly surprised me with its charm. If you find yourself unexpectedly docked in Vigo, like I did, I hope this guide helps you make the most of your time ashore. If you found this guide helpful in planning your Vigo DIY shore excursion, please share it with fellow travellers who might be looking for inspiration! Happy cruising!
