LET'S VI-GO
The lesser-known Spanish city Brits are flocking to – with cheap Ryanair flights and the ‘best seafood in the country’
A CITY in Spain is becoming more popular with Brits - and flights to get there are super cheap.
The fishing port is just a few hours from the UK and some say it has the best seafood in all of the country.
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Vigo sits on an inlet of the Atlantic on the country’s northwest coast.
As the largest city of Galicia, Vigo boasts a charming old town, botanical gardens, and is surrounded by lush green landscapes, which makes it a great shout for those who enjoy the great outdoors.
It's a great place for an autumn break as temperatures remain above 20C even after the summer.
And it's just a 45-minute ferry journey to the Cies Islands - which has some of the best beaches in Spain.
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When it comes to eating, Vigo has plenty to offer thanks to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, which provides access to some of the freshest seafood in Spain.
It’s particularly famous for dishes like "pulpo a la gallega" (Galician-style octopus) and various types of seafood stews and grilled fish.
The city is also a gateway to some exceptional world-class restaurants having over 20 Michelin-starred restaurants within a 120-mile radius.
There’s also the Vialia Vigo Hub, a striking modern shopping centre and railway station designed by the American architect Thom Mayne, which opened in 2021 and overlooks the city’s estuary.
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And thanks to Vigo’s rich cultural heritage, there’s lots to see by just wandering around the city’s charming old town, with historic neighbourhoods, churches, and museums to gorp at.
Meanwhile, the Mercado de la Piedra and Mercado de A Pedra are bustling markets where you can buy fresh produce, seafood and local specialities.
In the future, there’s talk of Vigo having a faster rail connection to Madrid and additional routes between Lisbon and Porto by 2028, which is bound to increase the city’s appeal in the coming years.
That might be why more and more British people are choosing Vigo as a place to move to more permanently.
Bernie Mitchell, 48, moved to Vigo from the UK last year,
He said: "The old town is cute, but it’s not very touristy — there’s nobody standing outside a restaurant sticking a menu in your face or offering half-price Red Bulls.
"You get amazingly good food here for significantly less than the cost in London."
And Oliver, 52, moved with his entire family as well, and has raved about the place.
He added: "There are miles of pristine beaches with clear water [and] the cuisine is world-class.
Spanish estate agency Lucas Fox head Rafael Rosendo, that Brits currently represent five per cent of buyers but the area is also popular with American, German, Portuguese and Dutch buyers.
“It’s on the Portuguese Camino, the pilgrims’ route that runs from Fatima to Santiago de Compostela and is a popular cruise ship destination, so residents are accustomed and welcoming to visitors,” he said.
“And it has the very best seafood in all of Spain, in my opinion.”
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How to get there
Vigo is served by seasonal direct from London Stansted, with flights starting at just £17 one way.
Alternatively, the city can be reached by high-speed train from the country’s capital, Madrid, which takes four hours, or by car from the Portuguese city of Porto in just 90 minutes.
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