Vigo’s Old Town
After Monte del Castro as the oldest vestige, Vigo’s Old Town is the city’s historic centre. This small group of narrow streets shows us what Vigo was like before its great expansion at the end of the 19th century. A city whose houses touched the sea, but which today is separated by the large docks of the port of Vigo.
An example of this can be found in the Plaza do Berbés, the main example of the old Vigo of the sea, where a front of houses with arcades seem to look out to a sea that is now a few metres further on. In the past, this is where the waves of the Atlantic used to reach.
It is precisely from here that Calle Real leads into the heart of the old town, the street that connects the sea with the city’s main church, the Co-cathedral of Santa María, in the heart of the Old Town. Along the way we can admire some emblematic houses, such as the mansion of the Pazos Figueroa family or the Casa de Ceta or Casa de Arines, the oldest building in the city, dating from the 15th century.
Another essential place in Vigo’s historic centre is the Plaza de la Constitución square, just a few metres from the co-cathedral. This is where you’ll find the old town hall, built in 1859, which today houses the Penzol Foundation or Casa Galega da Cultura, a cultural institution that houses thousands of documents and publications related to Galicia’s history.
From the Plaza de la Constitución itself, Cesteiros street starts, a tribute to the old basket makers, who used to make baskets and hats here. There are still some basket weavers’ shops.
It is from Constitución and Princesa squares that old Vigo gives way to the city that grew in the shadow of the development of the port and trade with America. The Puerta del Sol marks the beginning of large avenues such as Príncipe or Policarpo Sanz, which sought to open up the city.
Another important part of Vigo’s Old Town is the A Pedra market. In this area we can find one of the most sought-after attractions for tourists visiting Vigo, including the thousands of cruise passengers who disembark practically opposite. In A Pedra market, specifically in Pescadería street, there are stalls selling oysters, one of the most sought-after Galician seafood. Every morning, the ostreiras (oyster sellers) sell this prized product, which comes from the nearby town of Arcade.