Pontevedra

The city and province of Pontevedra are popular with tourists, mainly because the province has two of Galicia’s most important cities in it, namely Vigo and Pontevedra.

Vigo is Galicia’s largest city and has a coastal location, many good beaches and a thriving economy. As a centre for tourists though, Vigo takes second billing to the much smaller, but more attractive and accessible Pontevedra.

Pontevedra city has a distinct old town with many buildings dating back hundreds of years and a complex and feuding history to go with them. The old town is well known for its innumerable little courtyards, all with a bar or café hiding in the corner and the central square, which has the famous Pilgrim’s church in it, is the undoubted hub of the city.

Walking around in Pontevedra, with its many narrow and corridor like streets, may give the impression that the town is quite large, but it is not. Most of the sights that a typical tourist would wish to see are confined to a small area of the town and although built on an incline, both walking and exertion are kept to a minimum.

The main tourist sights in the city are the aforementioned Pilgrim’s church and the large square in which it resides, the main city square, surrounded by some large and daunting buildings and the near endless supply of little squares and forecourts that pop up everywhere. There is also the obligatory cathedral and numerous other churches.

The photographs above show (top to bottom), a building in an historic square famed for its connection with myth, a galeria window, and part of the city's cathedral, built using the ship building wealth of the area.

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