Travel and Housing
Most of the events are held in the region of Galicia, Spain.
Airports
Porto
Our recommended choice
International airport, provides the biggest range of destinations. It is 1h30min away from Vigo and 3h away from the wedding venue and will therefore require renting a car or taking the bus. This is our recommended option as it has the cheapest flights.
Vigo
Small local airport
Local airport of the city of Vigo, it normally is accessible through Iberia flights often stopping in Madrid. It is the fastest way of getting to the city, yet, it can be pricey. There are plenty of choices of car rentals at the airport of Vigo.
Santiago de Compostela
Small regional airport
Like the airport of Vigo, Santiago’s is accessible mostly through Iberia flights. From Santiago to Vigo, the fastest way would be to rent a car or take the train. Santiago is situated between Vigo and Oleiros (the wedding venue).
Housing
We would recommend that you plan at least a one week trip to enjoy the culture, cities and food of the region. In this case the best option would be to stay in Vigo. The perfect spot to do both - visit Galicia and the North of Portugal. You can pick up one of these hotels for your stay, we have contacted them and negotiated a reduced price so just tell them our names and you should be set. We will be organizing buses to these hotels the day of the wedding so try not to stay too far away from them if you are considering other locations. As well, you can book a night close to the venue and keep all your luggage in the Groom’s parents house in Vigo.
In the case, you are coming only for the wedding or you do not want to take the bus/car the day of the wedding then we recommend you to stay around the venue close to La Coruna. Just say that you are a part of the wedding in Finca Montesquiero to get discounts. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any problem with finding the housing or getting a better price ! And do not forget that there will be shuttle organised shuttles to make your navigation easier <3
HOTEL ZENIT
This hotel is right in the center of the city of Vigo next to the biggest streets with quick access to the train station to move around Galicia.
Hotel Zenit Vigo ****
Gran Vía, 1 - 36204 Vigo
Tel. +34 986 417 255
HOTEL HESPERIA
The hotel Hesperia Vigo is also in the centre of Vigo even if less central, close to the Balaídos stadium and the port.
Hotel Hesperia Vigo ****
Avda. La Florida , 60 - 36210 Vigo
Tel. +34 986 296 600
NOA BOUTIQUE HOTEL
The sea, hot tub and just next to the venue ! Perfect spot for all night dancers and for those who enjoy nature.
Noa Boutique Hotel ****
Rúa Concepción Arenal, 51, 15179 Santa Cruz
Tel. +34 881 24 41 44
ATTICA21 CORUNA
A modern hotel in the city of La Coruna.
Attica21 Coruna ****
R. Enrique Mariñas Romero, 34, 15009 A Coruña
Tel. +34 981 17 92 99
AC HOTEL BY MARRIOTT
One more option to stay close to the city center of La Coruna.
AC Hotel by Marriott La Coruna ****
R. Enrique Mariñas Romero, 34, 15009 A Coruña
Tel. +34 981 17 54 90
In case you need a shuttle for the wedding day, please, let us know where you stay so we can organise your pick up and drop off
Can’t wait to see you !
What to see ?
The Islas Cies :
The Cies Islands are part of the maritime-terrestrial Natural Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. There is a limited of visitors per day so don’t hesitate to buy your ticket in advance. First thing to do is to request the authorization to visit the island from the Government of Galicia and then buy a ticket on the ferry that takes you to the natural paradise in the Vigo estuary. It is more important to have the authorization than the ticket as the latter can be bought directly the same day of travel.
The Cies Islands offers a day in a highly protected natural space to fully enjoy nature. You should bring your own food as there are no restaurants. We recommend you stay for the day in the Rodas Beach, awarded the title of “The Best Beach in the World” by the “The Guardian”. The walk up to the lighthouse from the Rodas Beach will allow you to see most of the island, just make sure not to miss the ferry back!
Visit Vigo :
1. Vigo’s center
Vigo is the most populous city of Galicia. It is however a young city that grew mostly in the 20th centuries. There are therefore very little historical landmarks to visit. The most interesting one in our opinion is the Castro, a fortress built 1665 in order to protect the city from the continuous raids by the British Royal Navy.
Vigo nickname is cidade olívica (city of olives). It is said that Isabel de Castilla ordered all of Galicia's olive trees to be cut down, as they symbolized peace.
She couldn't uproot the tree in Vigo, however, because it was planted in sacred ground. The tree is represented in the city seal, and a descendant of it is still alive in Vigo's city centre.
Vigo is ultimately a modern city and does not have much historic landscape, yet it is compensated by the number of shops and commercial centers where we regularly renew our wardrobe. Nothing better than buying good products for cheap!
2. Castro de Santa Trega
The Castro de Santa Trega is a Galician fort and archaeological site located on the hillsides of Mount Santa Trega.
At 341 meters (1118 feet) above sea level, the site is strategically located overlooking the mouth of the river Miño. Belonging to the Castro culture, preceding the romanization of Galicia, Santa Trega is a ‘Castro-Roman’ settlement. It was inhabited between 100 BC and 100 AD, in a period when the process of Romanization of the northwest of the Iberian peninsula had already begun.
3. Vigo’s coast
The best things to do around Vigo are to go to the different beaches and walk around the coast. Our personal favorite beaches are Playa America and Playa del Vao, they are easily accessible and have great sand with dunes to protect from the road and buildings. Otherwise, across the bay is the playa del Cabo Estai, the wildest of the list and worth the excursion.
Sangria Time !
Watching the sunset from Playa de Samil is also a must. As Vigo faces west, the sun sets on the sea and goes around the Islas Cies. There are bars and restaurants on the coast to watch the sunset while having a cold and refreshing sangria.
Vigo is also surrounded by hills and mountains offering ample opportunities for walks in the shadow of oaks, eucalyptus and pine trees. We recommend the Parque forestall de San Miguel de Oia where you can get a picture in a swing overlooking the bay!
Visit Santiago de Compostela
Santiago is one hour away from Vigo. Santiago is the most historically significant city in Galicia; with its majestic cathedral that has attracted pilgrims for the last 1000 years. Santiago is destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route since the 9th century, only rivaled by Rome and Jerusalem. In 1985, the city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The most interesting thing to do in the city is to visit the Cathedral which is the final destination of all the pilgrims walking hundreds of kilometers, the arch cathedral basilica has historically been a place of pilgrimage on the Way of St. James since the Early Middle Ages and marks the traditional end of the pilgrimage route. The building is one of Spain’s most iconic buildings. The entire city was built around this monument.
Concerning food, the traditional Tarte de Santiago is a is an almond cake or pie that is sold throughout the city and is a typical dessert in the region.
The city is touristic and there are many restaurants offering local cuisine, our recommendations are Casa Marcelo or Orixe. Both are in the city center and can be reached by foot.
As for parking, we suggest you leave the car in the Parking Xoán XXIII and walk everywhere!
Visit the North of Portugal
Portugal is a merely 30min away from Vigo and is definitely a country worth visiting. Close-by we have cities such as Valença, Ponte da Lima, Braga or a little bit further Porto.
1. Valença
The first stop in Portugal we recommend is Valença. It is a walled town located on the left bank of Minho River, approximately 25 km from the Atlantic Ocean and 2 Km away from the Minho River establishing the border with Spain.
The most interesting things to visit are mainly inside the fortress that looks down to the Minho River and Galicia. They have been destroyed several times whether it was the Barbarians, the Moors, the armies of Asturias and Leon or even the French troops in the 19th century, they have always been restored and still very well preserved.
There are some very good restaurants in the border that are worth a stop such as Casa das Velhas. The restaurant has amazing views. We recommend the Bacalao (we are in Portugal after all).
2. Ponte de Lima
Ponte de Lima is the oldest city in Portugal. It is named after the long medieval bridge (ponte) that passes over the Lima river that runs next to the town. The current bridge dates back to 1368 but it does incorporate five arches from a much older Roman bridge. Originally the medieval bridge had seventeen arches but over the centuries it has lost three of these as the riversides were built up.
Strolling through the twisting cobbled streets of Ponte de Lima there are a number of interesting historic buildings and monuments worth looking out for. It is worth the stop.
A very good restaurant is 10min away by car from the city center called A Carvalheira. We highly recommend it as it has some great Portuguese traditional food.
3. Porto
Porto is the second largest city of Portugal. Porto's metropolitan area has around 1.7 million people. Yet, it feels like a welcoming little city when you walk amongst its buildings. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centers, and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.
Notable things to do in the city are to visit Porto’s riverside area. There are bars and restaurants around every corner, and these line the riverside walk too.
You can also cross the Luís I Bridge, a twin-level metal arched bridge opened in 1886 impossible to miss or visit the Clérigos Church which has a 75.6-metre-high tower, the tallest building in the country when it was completed, offering panoramic views of the whole city. Other notable locations are the Praça da Liberdade and the Cathedral.
Go around the Galician coast
Galicia is full of small coastal villages with great beaches and a lot of character such as Cambarro. As is typical in seafaring villages, the town is a representative example of three traditional architectural elements in Galicia: "hórreos" (raised granaries), "casas marineras" (sea houses) and crosses.
The dunes of Corrubedo are also worth mentioning. It is a natural park on the Atlantic coast of Spain.
What to eat ? Eat like a Galician !
Last but not least, food in Galicia is exquisite. It is, in our opinion, the main reason to visit Galicia and its main strength besides its coast and beaches. Galician cuisine is known as some of the best in Spain, it is one of Spain’s richest regions when it comes to gastronomy.
The food is mostly focused on good quality products with little sophistication, the main advantage of Galicia is that it’s produce is fresh from the sea and from the land. Food is normally shared and so is often composed of diverse dishes placed in the center of the table.
Below you will find our favorite dishes in the whole world, this is coming from an objective point of view of course. Most of these you will have the opportunity of tasting in the wedding, we recommend nevertheless that you have as much of it as possible!
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Pulpo
It is a traditional dish of the region of Galicia. A pulpo festival is held once a year not far from a José’s grandmother village - Calbarllino. Historically, it was cooked by hitting the octopus against a wall or stone to make the meat tender. However, nowadays it is served boiled with a little bit of salt, paprika and olive oil. Delicios !
Octopus is rich in Omega-3 acids that is beneficial for your health - heart, skin and brain. It is also one of the smartest animals on Earth ! -
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Pimientos de padron
Local Pepers of Galicia and even have Appellation d’Origine Protégée. These are sweet grilled pepers are muxt to try ! 10% of them are spicy so there degustation besomes a russian rulet game.
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Croquetas
The bride’s obsession! Perfectly creamy - the heaven on Earth… Try to cook them yourself or just come and try them !
PS Highly addictive -
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Zamburinas
Galician scalopps cooked with olive oil and garlic. That is where the St.Jaque de Compostela symbol comes from. You can also find the variety of them cooked in bread crumbs.
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Codillo
Well, there is also meat in Galicia, but you should be careful as when you order a piece they bring you a half of a pig. Long cooked piece of pork leg to its perfection or gold. By the way, patatoes in Galicia are famous for their fantastic taste as well. Enjoy !
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Navajas
Hiden in white galician sand and covered by cold Atlantic ocean these sea creatures are a dream of many travellers. Each of them is caught by hand so you can taste a peice of the ocean.
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Chinchos
Little fried fish is better than chips ! It is a very summary dish of the region of Galicia.
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Empanada gallega
An empanada is a stuffed bread with very different stuffings such as Bonito, Pulpo, Grelos, Zamburinas…This is a Spanish and South American specialty originally from Galicia. It is the single best starter you can have.
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Calamares
The well known battered or grilled squid comes directly from Galician Rias. Its flavor is much more powerful and its texture is infinitely more pleasant than that of the squid that is usually bought frozen in large supermarkets. It is not a coincidence that it is always in locals‘ tables at the restaurants.
