WHAT TO DO IN
VIGO AND CANGAS

One of the curiosities of Cangas is ‘O Reloxo’, an old meteorological forecasting equipment built at the beginning of the century, which is consulted by fishermen before beginning their voyages at sea.

From the Alameda, the route continues to Plaza del Arco, the old gate to the town. From there, a walk through the streets of Antonio Garelly and its skate houses will transport you to the Middle Ages, through these typical fishing houses of the Rías Baixas.

Next, the Rúa Real, with its emblazoned houses combined with beautiful buildings from the end of the 19th century that show off their white galleries and their coats of arms, shows us the most important monument in the town: the former collegiate church of Santiago de Cangas.

The Church of Cangas was built in the 16th century and raised to the rank of Collegiate Church in 1542. From an architectural point of view, this temple combines Gothic and Renaissance elements. From the late Gothic period is its basilica plan with three naves covered with star vaults, as well as the buttresses and pinnacles on the outside.

At the end of the 16th century, the sculptor Mateo López erected the Plateresque-style façade, one of the most beautiful in Galicia. In it, two bodies are distinguished where the four evangelists are represented. Above them, a triangular pediment in which the figure of Christ is found.

Inside the temple, the altarpiece of the main chapel stands out, where there is an image of the Christ of Comfort by the master Juan Pintos and a silver cross of great artistic value.

From here, and through the Rúa do Hío, you will reach the Barrio Eirado do Costal, the primary nucleus from which the town grew.

If you go up the Síngulis Street, where there is an old coat of arms of the Inquisition, you will arrive at the square of the same name, wich has a beautiful baroque cross.

The last stage of this route through Cangas do Morrazo is the Barrio de Señal, a small maritime borough where you can visit beautiful gardens and the Hospital Chapel, built in the 18th century and currently restored.

From there, a promenade begins that reaches Rodeira Beach, the main sandy area of ​​the town.

The tour starts from the port of Cangas and leads directly to the Massó complex, a set of buildings that are currently in ruins and that marked an important economic and business evolution for the Cangas population. Next, there is a small grove that leads us to the ruins of the old whaling ship.

Leaving behind the whaling buildings, you can admire the small Laguna da Corgonza, a place of great scenic beauty that safeguards a great diversity of species.

The route continues to Furnas and continues through an area of ​​spectacular cliffs overlooking the Cíes Islands and recently discovered archaeological sites, to the area of ​​the beaches of Liméns, Nerga, Viñó and Barra.

The path goes up a slight climb in which the remains of an old salting factory are found, until reaching Cabo Home, where the lighthouses of Sobrido, Rodeira and Cabo Home, witnesses to shipwrecks, adventures, and great historical events that took place there.

Cabo Home is a coastal area, open to the Atlantic Ocean, which is protected by the Cíes and has an important complex of dunes. It is a protected natural space, within the Red Natura 2000, together with Cabo Udra and O Facho.

Next, there is another of the hidden corners of Cangas do Morrazo, the Laguna de Massó, a natural lake that is home to a wide variety of birds and has become a wonderful resting area.

Laguna de Massó is a unique area in O Morrazo, since there are practically no similar habitats in the region. Up to seven species of ducks live here, among which is the duck, which breeds and lives all year. It also breeds the redfish and, in winter, the coot appears. The white heron, the gray heron and the kingfisher rest and sleep in the trees that border the lagoon.

The last part of the route is the most beautiful and least known and runs along a path towards the Liméns Beach.

This path also passes through the Furnas, which are holes created by the sea that excavates from below and reach the top of the road.

The route ends by visiting Areamilla Beach, which is in a small inlet and has a Blue Flag; and Liméns Beach, a very popular beach in Liméns Cove and which also has a Blue Flag and a large number of services.

Going down the roads that border the O Castro fortification in the direction of the historic neighborhood, you will come to a viewpoint where the Rande Galleon Monument is located: three anchors and several cannons found at the bottom of the estuary.

The route continues to the left, where you can find the archaeological remains of the first inhabitants of Vigo: circular stone houses from a castreño town from the 2nd century BC, which give its name to the mountain.

Finally, going back a little, descending towards the historic center, is the Town Hall tower. Just behind him are the remains of the San Sebastián fortress, the other great defense of the city, along with the O Castro fortification.

Along this route you will come into contact with beautiful and varied natural species, and it is an ideal leisure activity to go with children, since it has no slopes and is a simple route.

It is an activity that everyone can practice, from 16 years to 60. Its handling is very easy and intuitive. In just 5 minutes practicing FlyBoard you will be flying and living a unique experience, surrounded by a landscape of incomparable beauty

The visit ends at the aquarium of the Museum, where visitors can see the main ecosystems that can be found from the docks and the steep coast of Cíes Islands.

In the year 1617, the most dramatic events that Cangas lived throughout its history took place. On December 4, eleven Turkish-Berber corsair ships anchored in the Cíes Islands with the purpose of causing the greatest possible damage to the possessions of the Spanish Crown.

The pirates tried to seize Vigo before directing their prows against Cangas, which was then a humble fishing village, totally unprotected, which did not have a fortified area, nor an artillery. In the early hours of the morning, around 1,000 men disembarked at Rodeira Beach and Punta Balea, before the terrified people of the place. The depleted troops were joined by numerous poorly armed neighbors, leading a desperate fight, in overwhelming numerical inferiority.

Within a few hours, those who managed to flee to the nearby mountains could see a frightful spectacle: the town burned on all four sides and dozens of corpses littered the streets. The Turks dedicated themselves to looting the surroundings for three days and with them they took a great booty, but also dozens of people facing the captivity of Algeria.

The town of Cangas took a long time to recover from that disaster.

María Soliña, the inquisition in Cangas

Between the years 1619 and 1628, many Cangas women were tried by the Inquisition for alleged “witchcraft”. Today we know that those wretches were actually victims of an invention of the inquisitors. The hunt for “witches” was directly caused by the general impoverishment that followed the Turkish invasion of the year 1617. Among all these women, María Soliño, the protagonist of several cantigas, stands out.

Battle of Rande

In 1702, the Cangas coast was the scene of one of the bloodiest naval battles that recalls the history of Europe. At that time, the succession to the Spanish Crown was at stake and the possibility that Felipe de Anjou, grandson of the Sun King, would gain access to the Spanish throne, provoked the energetic reaction of the other powers, fearful of seeing the two powers united.

On June 11, 1702, 19 Spanish galleons sailed from Havana, bound for Cádiz, escorted by 22 French ships, carrying the greatest treasures that had never crossed the Atlantic.

Although a little distant from the battle site, Cangas witnessed the important Battle of Rande, where a squad composed of English and Dutch ships confronted the Franco-Spanish squad that guarded the most valuable cargo that was brought from the lands of America.

It is a canning complex, opened in 1942, which had the latest technology and facilities for workers such as a kindergarten, dining areas and showers.
The Factoría Conservera Massó represents a clear example of the importance that fishing, salting and canning had in the development of the Galician industry. Massó created several factories distributed between the municipalities of Bueu and Cangas do Morrazo.

The local cuisine of Cangas do Morrazo is closely linked to the resources available in this area, especially fish and shellfish caught in the coast.

Always true to the Galician cuisine, Cangas offers traditional dishes such as Galician pie, shoulder ham with turnip tops, and tripes with chick peas. Among the favourite desserts, leche frita (fried custard powdered with sugar and cinnamon), filloas (a type of pancakes) and cheesecake must be mentioned.
Seafood is eaten throughout the year, whether mussels, clams, cockles, spider crabs, barnacles, natural oysters, etc. These extraordinary dishes are usually served together with the well-known Donón or Albariño de Hío, typical Galician wines.

The Seafood Fair is held from Thursday to Sunday, during the second weekend of September.

There is the Ermita de San Roque, a place where a popular pilgrimage is held the third week of August. There is also a viewpoint, known as the Balcón do Rei, from where you can see spectacular views of Cangas and the Bay of Vigo.

Along the path that goes from O Facho to Cabo Home is the Pinar de Soavela, a forest populated by pine trees, on the side of the cliffs of Soavela (or Costa da Vela). It is a Protected Natural Area as it constitutes an important dune ecosystem that extends to Barra Beach.

O Castro is an archaeological site of 1,800 square meters that includes the reconstruction of 3 castle buildings in one of the most extensive and evolved towns in Galicia. This small part of the Vigo oppidum shows how the inhabitants of the castros lived 2,000 years ago.

In Monte Alba there is a chapel of the same name that is located on the remains of an old fortress. Scattered throughout the area, in this mountain we can find various stone sculptures that have been part of this mountain since 1999.

What stands out is its own personality, the showiness of its processions, the art of its ‘pasos’ (the elaborate floats made for religious processions) and its great cultural appeal. Easter in Cangas is the manifestation of a tradition of a fishing village that throughout its history was enriched.

All of them are several hundred years old, but their origin is, surely, much more remote. One of its peculiarities is that the dancers wear costumes of great showiness.

Since they are only celebrated occasionally throughout the year, if you have the possibility to visit this place on the indicated dates, you will be deeply impressed with a unique and exclusive show.

This festivity of San Juan is celebrated in different areas of Vigo such as Navia, Balaídos, Beade, Valladares, Berbés, Coia, Castrelos, Saiáns, San Andrés de Comesaña, Alcabre, Cabral, Coruxo or Samil.

The typical food of that late-night are cachelos (potatoes roasted with their skin) and grilled sardines. The typical drink is the Queimada, a magic potion of brandy with fruits and a lot of sugar, which is burned in a kettle while a spell is recited. Other typical desserts are filloas, orellas de frade, and chulas.

If you intend to see the fireworks, you need to take into account that Bouzas is very crowded on that night. A very good option is to see them from the sea. At Mar de Ons, we plan a party aboard our flagship, Mar de Vigo, an unparalleled evening event where you can have diner while admiring the amazing fireworks.