Pontevedra is the capital of the province and one of the most pleasant small cities in Spain to walk. In 1999 the municipal government banned almost all cars from the historic centre and pedestrianised the whole grid of narrow medieval streets — the experiment has been so successful that urban planners from around the world come to study it.
The result is an old town that genuinely belongs to its residents. Plazas (Praza da Leña, Praza da Verdura, Praza da Ferrería) are full of children and cafe tables; the small but elegant Basílica de Santa María Maior and the 14th-century Igrexa de San Francisco are both worth a stop. Combine with a visit to nearby Combarro or a wine bodega in Val do Salnés.