VIGO, NORTHWESTERN SPAIN
Pride of a city
Vigo, devoted to the fishing and commerce activities from its starts, has been the European city that has grown the most along the XX century. Thanks to the strength of its shipping, canning, pharmaceutical and motoring industries, as well as the hard work of its citizens, Vigo has become a cosmopolitan and enterprising city these days.
Nowadays, at the beginning of the XXI century, 400.000 inhabitants and capital center of a geographical and socioeconomic area of almost 1.000.000 people, embracing North Portugal and Galicia, make Vigo the 13th city of Spain.
Tourism of congresses, events, fairs, conventions and incentives has become the main business focus of the city.
Vigo has at its disposal a varied offer of facilities to satisfy the needs for congress organization, events, professional conferences, trade fairs, product presentations, corporate meetings, incentive travel and different activities that, due to their special characteristics, are in need of specific accommodations and services.
The city, and its whole area, have excellent infrastructures to hold this kind of events:
- The best and larger hotel offer of Galicia.
- Fairgrounds for congresses and a Congress Center (inauguration on January, 2011).
- Excellent air, ground and maritime communications.
- Web of industries to produce synergies in the business tourism.
- A wealth of experience in the organization of international events.
CLIMATOLOGY
Vigo has a privileged microclimate inside Galicia and Spain with mild winters and warm, but not very hot, summers.
As stated by Spain Statistics National Institute, Vigo has as many sunlight hours as Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, and an average temperature similar to Huelva, in Andalusia. These figures confirm that Vigo has one of the most pleasant climate in Spain, with no extreme temperatures and few days of rain per year.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES, ENTRIES.
Infrastructures:
Vigo is well communicated thanks to a complete web of infrastructures which connect it with the main cities in Galicia, the peninsula and internationally.
Its Atlantic port, the airport, highways and railroad network allow the existence of a wide transportation offer for all needs.
By road, Vigo has three main roads:
- The Northwest Highway, which connects the city with the rest of Spain and France.
- The Rías Baixas Highway, which connects Vigo with the North Portugal expressway and with the Vigo-Baiona expressway.
- The Atlantic Expressway, which connects the city with the north of Galicia, through Pontevedra, Santiago and A Coruña.
By bus, the city is daily communicated with all the Spanish cities. Also, it has regular international routes with Portugal and the main European cities.
By train, there are daily connections with the rest of the cities in Galicia and with Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Bilbao, Leon…
By sea, the port of Vigo yearly receives thousands of passengers from the greatest cruises of the world, who stop over the city. Also, many cruises depart from the port of Vigo.
Along the whole year, there are local connections every 20 minutes with the villages of Moaña and Cangas do Morrazo at the other side of the Bay. Furthermore, at Eastern and summer there are daily routes to the Cíes Islands.
By air. Vigo airport is located at 10 Km. from the city centre with a wide offer of national and international scheduled flights.
If you are in an incentive trip, or at a workshop, Vigo has every element to make your stay an unforgettable experience.
GASTRONOMY
The good reputation and prestige of the local gastronomy is based in the excellent quality of the raw material. Seafood, fish, meats and the delicious wines of the Rias Baixas are the bases of a gastronomy that combines tradition with modernity.
“A Pedra” market, in the oldest part of the city, is a highlight where you can taste the ria’s most well known delicacy: oysters, as well as the varied Galician seafood.
CIES ISLANDS AND THE VIGO ESTUARY (RIA)
The Cies Islands or, as the Romans named them, Gods Islands, are part of the National Park of the Atlantic Islands and they are a kind of paradise for the visitors. You may enjoy the beautiful natural environment, its beaches and above all, its calmness. This small archipelago is formed by three islands: Monte Agudo (Northern island), O Faro and San Martiño (Southern island). These two first islands are connected by a great sandbank, the Rodas Beach, labelled by The Guardian journal as “the world’s best beach”.
The islands are located at the Vigo estuary’s entrance, forming a natural barrier and protection from the south and westerly winds and tiles. Along the summer and Eastern periods there is a regular service by boat from different spots of the estuary to the Cies Islands.
Going toward the interior of the Ria (Estuary) of Vigo, passing under the Rande bridge, through the “bateas” (floating mussels breeding nests) is quite an experience, as it is also walking around the awesome gardens and old buildings (recovered today) of the Islands of San Simon and San Anton, declared in 1999 Assets of Cultural Interest.
NAUTICAL TOURISM
Vigo has 23 kilometres of seashore, out of which 7 Km. are white powder sand beaches. The Ria is navigable the whole year long, thanks to its favourable climatology. There are wide opportunities for leisure nautical activities out of the different marinas and the marine base of O Vao.
Boat rental, anchor at the ria or sailing are our some of the best attractions offered by Vigo.
GOLF TOURISM
You’ll find 5 golf courses at less than half an hour from Vigo center. Three 18-hole golf courses (Domaio, Mondariz Balneario and Meis) and two 9-hole golf courses (Aeroclub and La Toja) allow to elaborate one-week golf programs for the most demanding players, who will enjoy the natural surroundings and the great local gastronomy too.
OENOLOGICAL TOURISM
Designation of Origin Rias Baixas is formed by many cellars, that produce their wines with the autochthonous grapes of Galicia, as Albariño, Treixadura, Godello (white), Mencía and Caíño (red) among others.
Vigo offers the possibility of visiting several Rias Baixas cellars, some with museums and learn its culture and environment in depth by visiting “Pazos” (palaces) and castles, which were the epicentre of the wine activity in the past.
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