If you have cruised from the UK heading for the sun, you will probably have called at Vigo. And if you are a regular cruiser you will have been there more than once. So which camp are you in? Love or hate Vigo? If you have already discovered the charms of this Galician city, then I will be preaching to the converted. But, if your spirits fall at the thought of visiting Vigo , try this walk next time that you are there and, given a sunny day, perhaps you will change your mind.

To put this walk into some sort of achievability perspective, these points may help. I was (and still am) 66 when I did this walk. I weigh more than I should, and my knees are a bit creaky. But it is not a race, and there are plenty of places to stop and gaze while you get your breath. Do carry water with you though; as once you enter the Monte Castro Park there is nowhere to buy refreshments until you are at the top.

When you leave the ship, take the ramp up between the huge glass walls of the new shopping centre. You are heading for Santa Maria church which you can see in front of you. When you are ready, leave the Plaza by taking the road along by the right of the church as you look at it, then turn almost immediately right along the Rua do Triunfo to Constitution Square. This is a lovely Plaza, with arched collonades, and several bars and cafés. Leave the Plaza, in the same direction you were heading, by the far left corner. Shortly this will bring you to a main road, Rua de Elduayen. Turn left to thepedestrian crossing, cross over, and continue downhill to your left. Look for the modernistic sculpture of “TheMerman” high on his double plinth, but stop just a few feet before you get to him. Time to get your bearings.

Immediately ahead of you will see a busy road junction. The main pedestrianised shopping street, The Calledel Principe, is very obvious. It will be very lively, unless it is a Sunday, or Holiday when it will be pretty much deserted, as you will see from one of my photographs. But for now it is not a road that you are looking for, but a flight of steps. Look to your right and you will see some steps between two buildings. This stepped street is Rua II Republica and is the start of the climb to the top of Mount Castro. As you climb, amuse yourself by looking at the architecture particularly the Juliet balconies, once very pretty but now much in need of repair. Once you have climbed the steps, continue up the obvious road, passing the tower block offices of Vigo’s Council and the policestation. Once past the police station you again meet a main road with the Castro Park very obviously sitting across the road. Your instructions from here are simple, just keep going upwards. You will meet one or two false summits,but just have a rest and then carry on. You will be rewarded at intervals by views out over Vigo Bay, statues and monuments and fountains, and then by the Castle itself and its pleasant gardens.

By now you may be ready for some refreshments; there are two or three places at the summit which are quite reasonable though not cheap,given their position and your limited choice. They are not too obvious from within the castle , but not difficult to find either. Leave the castle by the south gate and continue for a few metres. The first café is on the right. Service is very quick and English was spoken when we visited. A little further, on the left, are a couple of smaller places which have nicer views than the first but did not seem to attract as many customers as the first place.

Suitably refreshed, you now have a few choices. They are: call a cab to take you to where ever you fancy: retrace your steps through the castle: wander off down the south side of the hill into central Vigo: or follow this route. Leaving the cafés behind you, walking clockwise around the castle mound, take the tree lined footpath beside the road. Just wander along until you recognise the route that brought you up. It will be quite obvious. Now retrace your steps all the way back down to “The Merman”. Once you are there, turn right and explore the traffic-free shopping street. Do a little shopping, stop for lunch, or just meander doing your own thing. But in doing this, follow this attractive, but indirect, route back to the ship.

Walk along Calle del Principe until you get to C&A (Yes,they have C&A stores here)then turn left. Follow this street for its full length, crossing over a couple of other roads on the way, one major, one minor. Look at the architecture of the older buildings and see the orange trees lining the street. This will bring you to the Plaza de Compostella with its fountains, flowers, statues and shady places to sit. When you are ready, leave by any of the streets on the opposite side of the square from which you entered. This will take you quickly to the sea front with its several cafés and bars, promenade, and Club Nautico (more bars). Look particularly for the large sculpture of Jules Verne (He of “20,000 leagues under the sea” fame) and the giant octopus.

You will be able to see the ship from here, so no further direction is necessary. But, if you still have any energy left you could always visit the new shopping complex which you by-passed on your way out.

Just a final note. It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday on the day of our visit. The main shops were all closed, but many restaurants, bars and cafés were open. As were some smaller shops and souvenir stalls. I can see that a cold wet Sunday in April may well present a very different prospect to that presented here, but Vigo certainly has plenty to offer if you look for it, and all in all is a beautiful and charming city.

There are several pictures of Vigo taken during this walk on my Picasa site. They are amongst other pictures of that cruise, but are easy enough to find. I hope that you find them helpful.

Vigo - Ventura Med Cruise