Vigo rewards exploration on foot. The Casco Vello climbs steeply from the waterfront through narrow granite streets to the hilltop Parque do Castro. The Islas Cíes — accessible by ferry from the port — hold some of the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Back in the city, the Mercado da Pedra and the old fishing district are worth a morning, and the Museo do Mar de Galicia on the waterfront tells the story of the sea that built this city.
The monument to Jules Verne and the Giant Octopus at the harbour is one of the city's most distinctive landmarks, referencing Verne's novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, which is partly set near Vigo Bay.