Vigo is an easy city to travel with children, as well as being fun and very focused on making everyone the protagonist. You may think that the sea and nature are the main attractions of this Galician city, but you should not miss a visit to the Verbum Museum, the Sea Museum or some of its incredible parks.
Selection of tailor-made plans
Samil beach
Any beach is a great place to go with children, but Samil beach is especially fun for youngsters. In addition to its huge promenade, more than one kilometre long, which allows you to take your bike and enjoy incredible views of the Cíes Islands, the area is full of opportunities for small adventures to enjoy with children such as free public swimming pools, playgrounds, basketball courts and even a skating rink.
Samil is also the ideal place to enjoy a boat experience, as you can book a trip to the Cíes Islands or the island of Ons.
Verbum Museum
This is a very special museum as it is different and very attractive for children. It is also known as Casa das Palabras (House of Words) and is basically focused on explaining the different aspects of human communication such as speech, languages, words, letters, sounds and signs. Naturally, the whole tour is done with games and interactive activities: you touch buttons, you make sounds, there are colourful lights, etc.; it is a paradise for children who enjoy learning at all times.
The building, designed by the architect César Portela, is structured into 29 cubes with 81 modules in which the different themes of the museum are arranged.
Sea Museum
Seeing the Sea Museum and its enormous aquarium with 140,000 litres of water is always a good idea for children and adults alike.
Located in Alcabre, the museum provides a number of workshops and activities aimed at instilling curiosity into children about the seas, the oceans and their inhabitants.
Within its walls, there are talks on the origin of life, recycling and handicrafts; every Thursday is the sacred day to visit the large aquarium, an activity allowed for children from the age of 4.
You can also learn a lot about marine species and the ecosystem that links the land with the Cíes Islands, including the mussel rafts so typical of Vigo and the estuaries.
Vigozoo
A visit to the zoo is always a sure way for children to have fun but, in Vigo’s zoo, you will see animals that are not only wild or difficult to see but also those that were easy to find on a farm or in a manor house and that have now become a luxury to play with such as donkeys.
You should also look for the lion, the lynx, the zebras and even the incredible lemurs. There is also a special area for insects and spiders which is not always the most peaceful place to visit, but will surely be of great interest to children.
Taking advantage of its incredible location to examine Vigo’s sky, one day a week during the summer and starting at ten o’clock at night, the zoo usually holds an astronomy workshop that will make you travel not only to another place, but maybe even to another time.
Castrelos Park and manor house
Vigo’s playgrounds are specially designed to get the children’s adrenaline pumping, especially because of their giant slides. However, if there is one that stands out above the rest, it is Castrelos, on the banks of the river Lagares.
In this 220,000 square metre green area, you will find everything: wooded areas, the famous camellias and a huge playground with a zip line, rotating swings, climbing frames and even a sandpit.
Above all, you can visit Quiñones de León Manor House, a museum full of paintings and archaeological discoveries which has the perfect size to make the children interested without tiring them out.
Cycling
Bicycles are a good vehicle for children and adults to tour another of Vigo’s most popular hills, O Castro. In this forest area, where in summer you can find shade and coolness almost everywhere, there are tracks for bikes but also for scooters and roller skates, making it an ideal place to ride with the kids.
If you prefer to park your bike for a while and walk, this hill offers some very easy routes. You can also go to Mount Aloia and take one of the trails recommended for children’s routes, which are especially indicated so that they do not get too tired.
Horse riding
Another way to explore Vigo’s countryside is on horseback, an activity for children that is very popular in the area. Most of these activities start at Mount Galiñeiro or in Mougás. There are several places in Vigo where you can take the children horseback riding. Horseback rides generally take you to some of the best places in the city, and always in the company of an expert who will guide you regarding the behaviour of the animals and how to ride them, in case you do not know how to do this.
The most popular horseback rides are those at Mount Galiñeiro and Mougás. During the route from Galiñeiro, you will easily enjoy incredible views of the Vigo estuary, the Bay of Bayona or the city of Vigo itself.
Another popular and often very busy option is the route that runs directly along Mount Aloia.
Vialia and other playgrounds
We have already stated that many playgrounds in Vigo have become mini amusement parks thanks to the giant slides that have been installed in many of them. In addition, in the Vialia shopping centre, one of the newest in the city, there is the Lighthouse children’s area, with a slide up to 10 metres high, plus an urban skate park and a football and basketball court, among other leisure options especially designed for youngsters.
Tips and advice
The best time of year to travel to Vigo with children is summer because that is when the weather is drier. Even so, you should always pack a mackintosh and closed shoes in case something happens because Vigo is prepared for life to keep on flowing, even more vigorously, no matter how much it rains.
Also, if you are travelling with children you should bring comfortable clothes so that you can enjoy the cycling, walking or horse riding routes, and above all do not forget your swimming costume because the area’s beaches are well worth a visit.
