If you’re looking for a street in the centre to enjoy an aperitif, stroll along the harbour or have a cocktail on a summer night, Montero Ríos is the place. Flanked by a lovely garden next to the port, this avenue joins As Avenidas with Praza da Estrela and is full of terraces. While you’re in the area, stop by the sculpture of the Nadador, whose two parts are very close to this street, and the unique sculpture of Jules Verne in Vigo, who placed some his characters in our city.
In the 19th century, the historic street of Areal housed the shipbuilding and salting factories built by Catalonian entrepreneurs like Buenaventura Marcó del Pont, and it would also be the home of this new bourgeoisie, who made their mark on Vigo’s stately architecture. Today, it’s a residential area with green spaces like Areal Park, as well as one of Vigo’s nightlife areas.
Urzáiz Street runs through the centre from the Colón and Príncipe Street junction and is one of the city’s main shopping areas. This is one of Vigo’s slopes, going up to the neighbourhood of O Calvario, in the parish of Lavadores. In this pedestrian section, one can relax from the climb and begin a leisurely stroll through the open air commercial area, visit O Calvario Market or stop by what is known as the "Church of the Peaks" in the neighbouring Toledo street, while breathing the bustling air of this characteristic neighbourhood in Vigo.
Beiramar will allow you to understand the city’s strong link with the sea and the heart of Industrial Vigo. This street connects the port with the city centre, Vigo’s fish market to one side and the shipyards on the other, among residential areas on hills and cultural venues like the Mar de Vigo Auditorium.
In Vigo, a seaside stroll is a daily pleasure, and one of our favourite places for it is the Bouzas Seafront Promenade. A lovely 1.5 mile long walk by the sea, with a bike lane and views of the Cíes Islands and the Museum of the Sea. It’s also the preferred area for amateur fishing in Vigo.
Vigo has as many centres as neighbourhoods, and Praza de América, in the neighbourhood of Coia, is one of them. This is where the victories of the Real Club Celta and New Years Eve in Vigo are celebrated; during the day, its surrounding streets are the centre of an intense commercial life. The Porta do Atlántico, an imposing sculpture by Silverio Rivas, shares the square with the Instituto Santa Irene building, a landmark of Vigo’s civilian architecture.
A Rúa dos Cesteiros (The basketmakers’ Street) is a small, characteristic street in Vigo’s Old Town that starts in Praza da Constitución Square and takes us back in time to a past of artisans and merchants in the old Vigo. You’ll find characteristic baskets and handmade hats, as well as pieces of handmade pottery and jewellery. It’s also a perfect place to stop along the way and have a bit to eat in the centre of Vigo, in one of its classic taverns. At the end of the street, you’ll see the Casa de Ceta, a unique 15th century urban mansion located in Praza de Almeida Square.
Praza de Compostela Square is the most representative of Stately Vigo, with its distinctive buildings like Correos (Central Post Office) and surrounding Alameda Park. It’s an active residential and business area that retains the charm of the Ensanche, designed in the 19th century to allow for the orderly growth of the city.
Without a doubt, the centre of Vigo’s Old Town is Praza da Constitución Square, which once housed the old Town Hall (currently the Casa Galega da Cultura Cultural Centre). A meeting point for visitors and neighbours, this is the place where celebrations like the Maios or the Reconquista are held, and it’s also a daily meeting point for an afterwork drink in Vigo.
Príncipe Street is part of the best shopping tour in central Vigo, as well as a major artery of Monumental Vigo. The MARCO Contemporary Art Museum is in Príncipe Street, and at the ends of the street you’ll find La Farola (a local meeting point) and Leiro’s El Sireno, in what is the Porta do Sol. A lively street always full of people, even at night; it’s a pleasant walk that links the Old Town with Churruca, one of Vigo’s nightlife areas.
