Vigo and La Coruna from Independence

Our ship will be in Vigo from 9-4 and La Coruna from 12-6. Which port would you visit Santiago? If we did Santiago from La Coruna what would you recommend to do from Vigo? Someone has suggested a two countries tour. Any help would be appreciated.

Our ship will be in Vigo from 9-4 and La Coruna from 12-6. Which port would you visit Santiago? If we did Santiago from La Coruna what would you recommend to do from Vigo? Someone has suggested a two countries tour. Any help would be appreciated.

You don't say when you're going on the Indy but we're on her in 3 weeks so I will report back and let you know what we did in Vigo and La Coruna. Thus far, we plan to go to an interesting museum in Vigo named Museo da Cidade Quinones de Leon. The mansion in which the museum is housed looks beautiful, as do the grounds. We also plan to wander around the old city and get some oysters from the Oyster Ladies. As to La Coruna, we'll probably take the train to Santiago. I did some research and everyone says that although you can reach Santiago from both ports, it's really easier to to do it from La Coruna, so that's what we'll do. I googled "Vigo tourist info" and "La Coruna tourist info" and came up with a lot of useful info from which I took notes. We'll see how it all works out!

Welcome back. Should you are not interested in coming back, something I would recommend it, try Pontevedra (in the middle of Santiago and Vigo). It´s a quiant little place called "little Compostela". More local perhaps. Renting a car would be a nice option to go inland, to Orense calling at Rivadavia, both nice places, beautiful landscape, and try the natural "Chabasqueira Spa". A japanese style one, with hot water coming from the ground.

Spa day at Mondariz Spa, as one of the most nostalgic and traditional in the country. Perhaps driving to Bayona, Panxon, and La Guardia where you could have a stunning view of the Mihno River and Portugal. Visit the Celtic settlement of La Guardia.

Or Portugal and Tuy, a few kms down. Cies Islands is hard as it´s enviromentally protected and you would have to book to get there in advance. Places like Pedras Negras (San Vicente do Mar). La Toja Island, Combarro, and La Lanzada Beach are close for a sea drive. Plenty to do.

Our ship will be in Vigo from 9-4 and La Coruna from 12-6. Which port would you visit Santiago? If we did Santiago from La Coruna what would you recommend to do from Vigo? Someone has suggested a two countries tour. Any help would be appreciated.

Sadly you have not sufficient time to go to Santiago on your own, take a ships tour?

Patrinka,

I recently went to Santiago on my own from La Coruña by train (great, just half hour!). However, our ship was in port from 8 AM to 7 PM. With such limited hrs in port I would not advise you going by train, too risky. However, if the cruise line offers a tour to Santiago I would encourage you to take it. Satiago is a very special city.

I've been to Vigo and La Coruna and would recommend doing Santiago de Compostella from Vigo as there is more to see and do in La Coruna. I highly recommend visiting the lighthouse which is the oldest working lighthouse in the world and take a trip on a tram.

Here is some research that I did before visiting La Coruna:

Full Day (If it is raining there is an Aquarium) The province of A Coruña (also: Spanish: La Coruña, and Corunna in English[1]) is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain. Coruña main sights are close to the ship and in an easy walking distance.

The town has Europe´s longest urban sea promenade, near 10 kms walk, with excellent views. The old town with its churches and plazas is worth a stroll, as well as the San Anton Castle right by the water (now an archeological museum), the San Carlos Gardens nearby and the city-hall (Plaza Maria Pita).

There is a nice tourist tram that goes all the way from the port "Puerto de a Coruna" (east side of town) to the famous lighthouse and the beach (west side) "Ensenada del Orzan”. En route it makes several stops including those at the "Tower of Hercules" lighthouse, the "Domus" museum and the "castle of St. Anton". Tram price is 1 euro.

Torre de Hércules (Hercules Tower) is located on a 50m hill. It's the oldest working lighthouse in the world and was declared World Heritage site in 2009. The Tower of Hercules was built to guide ships that sailed towards the British Isles in search of tin, copper and iron. There are 234 steps to the top with a superb view of A Coruña. The lighthouse is functional every night. At 20 minute intervals it emits a succession of four white flashes that are visible 24 miles away. On foggy days there is an audible sound that can be heard 7 miles away, this facilitates coastal navigation and the arrival of boats into the Coruña port.

Lighthouse opening hours: Summer (April to September): Monday to Sunday from 10:00 h to 19.00 h.* Access closes quarter of an hour earlier.

3 euros adults, 1.5 euros children

Our ship will be in Vigo from 9-4 and La Coruna from 12-6. Which port would you visit Santiago? If we did Santiago from La Coruna what would you recommend to do from Vigo? Someone has suggested a two countries tour. Any help would be appreciated.

Last summer we worked with Brendan at Guided Galicia and had a fabulous day in Santiago de Compostela, Combarro and a couple of other places where we stopped. He picked us up at 9:30 and we returned at 3:30 to the ship. We were a group of 8 people. I would highly recommend him. He has a great personality and helped us really appreciate Galicia! http://www.guidedgalicia.blogspot.com/

Last summer we worked with Brendan at Guided Galicia and had a fabulous day in Santiago de Compostela, Combarro and a couple of other places where we stopped. He picked us up at 9:30 and we returned at 3:30 to the ship. We were a group of 8 people. I would highly recommend him. He has a great personality and helped us really appreciate Galicia! http://www.guidedgalicia.blogspot.com/

Thank you for the information about Brendan at Guided Galicia. I went to his website and his tours look very interesting. We are just beginning to do our research for our cruise since we do not leave until October on Celebrity Constellation. We are in Vigo from 12:00 - 8:00 PM. I hope it does not present a problem in booking a tour.

Helen

I've been to Vigo and La Coruna and would recommend doing Santiago de Compostella from Vigo as there is more to see and do in La Coruna. I highly recommend visiting the lighthouse which is the oldest working lighthouse in the world and take a trip on a tram.

 

Here is some research that I did before visiting La Coruna:

 

Full Day (If it is raining there is an Aquarium) The province of A Coruña (also: Spanish: La Coruña, and Corunna in English[1]) is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain. Coruña main sights are close to the ship and in an easy walking distance.

The town has Europe´s longest urban sea promenade, near 10 kms walk, with excellent views. The old town with its churches and plazas is worth a stroll, as well as the San Anton Castle right by the water (now an archeological museum), the San Carlos Gardens nearby and the city-hall (Plaza Maria Pita).

 

 

There is a nice tourist tram that goes all the way from the port "Puerto de a Coruna" (east side of town) to the famous lighthouse and the beach (west side) "Ensenada del Orzan”. En route it makes several stops including those at the "Tower of Hercules" lighthouse, the "Domus" museum and the "castle of St. Anton". Tram price is 1 euro.

Torre de Hércules (Hercules Tower) is located on a 50m hill. It's the oldest working lighthouse in the world and was declared World Heritage site in 2009. The Tower of Hercules was built to guide ships that sailed towards the British Isles in search of tin, copper and iron. There are 234 steps to the top with a superb view of A Coruña. The lighthouse is functional every night. At 20 minute intervals it emits a succession of four white flashes that are visible 24 miles away. On foggy days there is an audible sound that can be heard 7 miles away, this facilitates coastal navigation and the arrival of boats into the Coruña port.

 

 

Lighthouse opening hours: Summer (April to September): Monday to Sunday from 10:00 h to 19.00 h.* Access closes quarter of an hour earlier.

3 euros adults, 1.5 euros children

No tram any longer. The company has run out of cash and think it´s not proffitable.

Patrinka,

 

I recently went to Santiago on my own from La Coruña by train (great, just half hour!). However, our ship was in port from 8 AM to 7 PM. With such limited hrs in port I would not advise you going by train, too risky. However, if the cruise line offers a tour to Santiago I would encourage you to take it. Satiago is a very special city.

Trains can travel between 28 minutes (Avant ones) to 40 minutes. Usually 34 minutes. Avant ones costs double for just five minutes more. The rest are about five euros single.

in la coruna you must have a local lunch and try the galician beer!