Southern Galicia Coastal & Wine Country Walking Trails

Spend a week with our co-founder savouring the seafood, wines and more of Galicia`s Southern coast and wine country. Our small group food, wine and walking journey starts in the urban coastal city of Vigo, Europe´s largest fishing port and second in the world behind Tokyo. No better way to introduce you to the region than welcome dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant and a  pre-dinner cocktail on the terrace bar of our hotel, a great way to start our memorable trip.

The first few days we explore the Rias Baixas, taking a boat ride to a fishing village for a walk around the market to learn about the different varieties of fish and seafood caught locally in the bay. Then a hands-on Galician Coastal Cooking class with a chef specializing in traditional seafood dishes of the area.

We like to make things a bit flexible, so you will have a choice on one of the days when in Vigo to explore the city as you please, take a sailing trip over to the golden beaches of the Cies Islands or walk part of the Camino Portuguese coastal way visiting a winery in the sub-zone of O Rosal. If you haven´t been to Santiago de Compostela then you could spend the day there to visit the Cathedral and the old quarter with our expert local guide.

Moving away from the coast we follow the course of the river into the Miño river valley, a magical land on both sides of the river Miño a natural border separating Galicia from Northern Portugal.  Starting the day with a winery visit and tasting in the sub-zone of Condado de Tea (Tea County) which is part of the D.O. Rias Baixas. We will take a picturesque walk down at the river, following along a beautiful woodland path coming out where the rapids are and we will see the wall-like construction (Pesqueira) jutting out into the current tides with conical nets hooked to them. They have been used since Roman times to catch the lamprey eel a delicacy in the area. People come from all over at the season of the lamprea to taste it. On both sides of the miño, they prepare the lamprey eel and they both make wine from the same grape Albariño/Alvarinho. We will get a taste of the wine made on each side of the river border, we will actually walk right across into Portugal´s D.O.C. Vinho Verde wine country!

Our journey continues on to the neighbour wine region D.O. Ribeiro. Another day of walking thru old wine country roads visiting the wine museum to learn the history of the oldest Appellation of Origin in Galicia. The heart of the wine country is a quaint town called Ribadavia with an interesting Jewish past which played a big part in the production of wine and is part of the Sephardic routes in Spain. Here we will taste the blended whites and reds as well the mono-varietal of the Treixadura grape (white).

Exploring deeper inland Galicia we encounter a sacred wine country... D.O. Ribeira Sacra. The Romans first cultivated the vineyards alongside the banks of the rivers Sil and Miño. The monks continued it on, but then the area was abandoned for years. Fortunately, Ribeira Sacra has undergone a renaissance over the last three decades since people been coming back and replanting the terrace and making some of the best wines in the world. Such a hard land to cultivate taking years to build and with a steep slope incline of up to 86 degrees! No wonder the area is known as heroic viticulture. The most well-known grapes varieties are Mencia (red) and Godello (white), but Albariño (white) is also planted here as well as other local indigenous varieties. We will take a wine country walk to a lookout point to admire the views of the river and vines then visit a winery with a VIP tasting including a lunch at the restaurant of the winery. Then down to Sil river to take a boat ride to admire the vines from a different angle.

Our trip comes to an end with a special show cooking farewell dinner of creative Galician cuisine.

For those who will like to extend their trip, we have add-ons down to Porto, Lisbon over to Seville and could end up in Madrid the capital city of Spain. Let us know and we can suggest the best way to combine the add-on either pre-tour of post-tour just ask one of our tour specialists.

ITINERARY:

DAY 1: 
VIGO - ARRIVAL AND WELCOME DINNER

• We have left the start of the tour a bit flexible since many will arrive in the city of Vigo in different ways.
• You could fly into Porto and stay a few nights there or just a transfer up to Vigo (Only 1hr30mins away).
• You might decide to fly into Madrid then over to Vigo, or even from Barcelona. There are flights into Vigo from each of the cities.
• If you are coming from Santiago you could take the high-speed train down to Vigo which only takes 50mins.
• For additional transfers or pre-tour packages see our Add-ons section of the tour.
• Upon arrival to the hotel in Vigo check-in and relax before our evening meeting time (NOTE: You can check-in any time after 02:00PM, if you do arrive earlier you can ask to store luggage with reception and check-in later)
• Afternoon to relax and you have 1hr free access at the rooftop spa bath you can use today or save it for another day!
• 08:00PM: Meet your food & wine guide in the lobby of the hotel
• Welcome drink and group introduction meeting on the terrace of the cocktail bar.
• Then we will take a short stroll to thru the streets to the Michelin-starred restaurant Maruja Limon where we will enjoy a special tasting menu prepared by Chef Rafa Centeno and his team.
• Walk back to our hotel just around the corner.
• The night is not over! Optional if you still want more... there is an amazing rooftop Skyline bar of the whole to see the bay of Vigo and lights at night you could have that last night-cap.
• Overnight in Vigo

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DAY 2:
VIGO - O MORRAZO COASTAL FISHING VILLAGES & COOKING CLASS - VIGO

• Breakfast
• 10:00AM: Meet your food & wine guide in the lobby of the hotel this morning
  
• We will take a walk down to the port of Vigo, the largest fishing port in Europe and 2nd in the world behind Tokyo.
• We will start our Gastro-Day of Peninsula of O Morrazo on the other side of Vigo Bay.
  
• Enjoy a short small ferry ride over Vigo Bay (20 mins.) to the small fishing village of Cangas.
• Arriving in Cangas we will walk along the seaside promenade to the market and take a look at what has been caught that morning.
• After visiting the market we will take a walk around the old part of Cangas and a little walk along the promenade.
• Then you will be picked up and transferred to Moaña to the local cooking school where you will enjoy a private fun cooking class with a local Galician Chef that has worked in various local restaurants.
• It will start with a demonstration of the dishes you will prepare then the main course/dish hands-on. It will be based on products of the area... fish, seafood, etc... A 1st starter course (could be 1 or 2 dishes), 2nd main course then 3rd dessert dish.
• You will eat lunch based on what you have prepared with your chef and guide accompanied by Albariño white or Mencia red wines. From the dining area enjoy views of Vigo bay and Moaña in the background. A special foodie experience and a great introduction to the gastronomy of the Rias Baixas, Galicia.
• After lunch a coastal drive to make a brief stop in the small village of Hio to see the Wayside Cross of Hio the most famous in Galicia and built from on solid block of granite. Beside the cross is the Romanesque Church of San Andres (St. Andrews) we take a peek inside before leaving.  
• Then we stop at a lookout point in Donon to enjoy the excellent view of the Cies Islands in front.
• Here we will take a coastal walk/hike (2-3km./1.25-1.85mi. approx.) up a hill (about 163mt./532ft. in elevation approx.)  calle Monte O Facho. We walk up a stony path arriving at an ancient Celtic Lighthouse with remains of a hill-fort settlement at the top offering a viewpoint with spectacular views of the Costa da Vela and Cies Islands protecting the mouth of Vigo Bay.
• Return back to Vigo by highway.
• Drop off at your hotel and free time this evening.
• Dinner on your own, we will recommend restaurants close by your hotel
• Overnight in Vigo
  

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• Breakfast
  
• In the morning meet our food & wine Guide in the lobby of your hotel, board our minibus to transfer you to Vigo. 
• Drop off in Vigo and final goodbye from your guide. (NOTE: Transfer is based on a drop off at Vigo airport or train station, even a city centre location. It would be based on 1 transfer for group, if you did need a transfer at another time or even to Santiago or Porto airport see Add-ons section for additional transfer costs in our Driver Services)
• If you did want to extend your trip down to Porto, Lisbon over to Seville and could end up in Madrid the capital city of Spain. Let us know and we can suggest the best way to combine the add-on either post-tour just ask one of our tour specialists.

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