Turismo de Galicia

Three population centres leave their mark on this territory. Vigo, the great city of Galicia, with the A Pedra market, where you can taste the famous oysters and the views from the Monte do Castro, among all the attractions of this cosmopolitan city. Baiona, quiet tourist resort with peaceful beaches, marinas and state-owned hotel. And Tui, with its cathedral converted into a fortress and the maze of its mediaeval streets. It is also fair to point out two great castles, Soutomaior Castle and Vilasobroso Castle (Ponteareas), full of history.

Among the Heritage Elements of Cultural Interest in this geodestination, worthy of note the prehistoric and rock art, such as the engravings of the fortified pre-Roman Iron village of Santa Tegra Santa Tegra, the Paleolithic site of Gándaras de Budiño in O Porriño, elements of civil architecture such as the Manor House of Cadaval in Nigrán or the historic areas of the cities of Tui and Baiona, elements of religious architecture such as the Convent of Santa María de Oia and the Convent of San Domingos de Tui, or fortifications such as Soutomaior Castle or the walled area of Salvaterra de Mino.

The entire southwest of the province of Pontevedra defines a geodestination composed of three elements: a coastline, a border river and several clusters of mountains in the interior.

The coastline has, in turn, two parts. The first, comfortable, calm, low, relaxed, it is the interior of the ría de Vigo  from the historic bridge of Soutomaior until it passes the bay of Baiona with the Illas Estelas (Nature 2000 Network). The second, when it suddenly turns southward, abrupt, very battered by the Atlantic, with tiny ports except that of A Guarda, at the foot of Monte Santa Tegra and its Castro culture village.

At its end, the river is the River Miño, a Site of Community Importance, which links Galicia with Portugal and dies out in a wide, spectacular estuary, after passing through historic, fortified towns such as Salvaterra de Miño and Tui, and a strip of vineyards within the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin. Also included in the Nature 2000 Network are the waters of the Tea River and the estuary of the Miñor River in A Ramallosa.
And the mountains mark the territory of both of them. Low-lying and old, some – such as that of Aloia – have been declared Nature Parks. The A Groba mountain range is one of the wildest in the province.

In terms of Galician Tourist Festivals, the festival of the Ostra in Arcade – part of the municipality of Soutomaior – asks to take its place, and in Arbo the Festa da Lamprea is celebrated. It should be noted the Corpus Christi of Ponteareas, which since 2009 was considered Festival of International Tourist Interest . Also is recognized the Corpus Christi de Redondela, but in this case as Galician Festival of Tourist Interest.
 
The Romaría da Virxe da Franqueira is celebrated in A Cañiza. The Ría de Vigo de Baixo Miño geodestination also has a festival declared a National Tourist Festival: the Festa da Arribada da Carabela Pinta de Baiona.