24.4.07

This is a personal view of Pontevedra, intended to fill a gap for English speakers looking for more information on a part of Spain which is relatively new to international tourism. Or a small bit of it, anyway. If there are any errors, I apologise for them but, of course, take no responsibility for the consequences thereof.

What this guide does not do is attempt to tell you about such general aspects of Spanish life as meal times and shop opening hours, whether in Pontevedra or elsewhere. There are any number of guides on Spain which can do this and, if you haven’t dipped into at least one of them by the time you get to this, now is your opportunity.

There are quite a few photos of Pontevedra in this guide but no maps. These can be obtained from the from the Turismo offices in the city. You can also access the site of the Pontevedra Town Council and take a look at the pictures there, especially those of the old quarter. The site is:  concellopontevedra.es  And this is a site which will give you a street map of Pontevedra - www.elcallejero.com

Words in italics – if they are not self-explanatory – are explained in the Glossary. Let me know if I've missed any out.

As you can see, I can’t make up my mind whether Pontevedra is a town or a city. It doesn’t have a cathedral but then neither does Vigo, which is undoubtedly a city. So this traditional measure of status is clearly of no use to us here. I leave it to you to make up your own mind, not that it is very important if you are only here to enjoy yourselves. I guess it’s most accurate to say that Pontevedra is a small city, compact enough for you to be able to walk round it with comfort. Or at least the bits you really want to see. Few people will want to walk the length of Avenida de Vigo to see the wondrous new cinema and shopping complex next to the station, for example.

I've used Galician (Gallego) spelling for place names and things generally but you will find the Spanish (‘Castellano’) equivalent in the Glossary, possibly with some advice on pronunciation  The most common ones are Praza (Plaza), Praia (Playa) and Igrexa (Iglesia). By now, you should be able to work out at least one of the main pronunciation differences between Gallego (and Portuguese) and Castellano. Don’t let it go to your head.

There are several commercial guides to Galicia and/or Pontevedra in Spanish or Gallego and even one or two in English, albeit translated (sometimes amusingly) from the original Spanish. To demonstrate my impartiality, I've listed these below, along with details of relevant web sites. You may find that I've shamelessly borrowed from one or more of these, especially if you speak Spanish.

Final introductory words - taking photos is much better done in the afternoon/evening in Pontevedra. The morning is delivery time to shops and bars and you are likely to find your target obscured by at least a white van but quite possibly a huge beer truck.

CONTENTS OF THIS GUIDE

Click on the links below for the particular information about Pontevedra that interests you:-

• Basic Data, Climate and Access
• Origins, Character and Culture
• Tourist Information, Accommodation and some Basic Pointers
• Sights
• Museums & Art Galleries
• Eating and Drinking
• Bullfighting, Festivals and The August Fiesta
• Beaches
• Excursions out of Pontevedra
• Leisure and Sports activities

Appendices

 1. FM radio frequencies

 2. Chapter 28 of George Borrow's book The Bible in Spain - Pontevedra and Vigo

 3. An account of a trip to Pontevedra by my friend and fellow guide-writer, Martin Lambert

 Glossary

Other Guides or Sources of Information

When you've done justice to this guide, you might like to try some others, especially if you speak Spanish:-

And here's some relevant websites:-

See also the relevant web sites I've listed in the Galicia section of this site

© David Colin Davies, 2002-2005. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form without permission from the writer, except for the quotation of brief passages in favourable reviews.