Pontevedra and Combarro

Pickup at the port by our guide holding the Shore2Shore sign.

Departure from the port towards Pontevedra. “Pontevedra gives a drink to those who pass by” is a Galician saying that perfectly expresses the essence of this city: hospitality. Parks, tree-lined avenues, river walks right in the city, and a historic center that, after Santiago’s, is the most important in Galicia. Stone architecture with heraldic and inhabited houses, fountains, lively squares, and terraces bustling until dawn. We will visit this city which, over the past 20 years, has been developing a city model that is being exported to other places where pedestrians are the priority. For this reason, it has received several international awards, being recognized, among other things, for its high level of accessibility, offering one of the most pleasant pedestrian visits. It is interesting to stroll through these labyrinthine yet evocative streets, especially beautiful at night, which continuously open into welcoming squares that in several cases retain the name of their traditional commercial vocation, such as Verdura, where sales still continue, or Leña, very typical and of popular character, with finely crafted granite houses, arcades, galleries, and a stone cross in the center that form one of the most well-known postcards of the city.

We continue our journey in search of the Plaza de A Ferrería, organized around a beautiful 16th-century fountain, where we find a large open space that includes the Praza da Estrela and the Casto San Pedro Gardens. This is the heart of the city, a place of passage, leisure, and various celebrations.

We will visit the famous Shrine of the Virgin Peregrina built starting in 1778, in the historic center of Pontevedra, in the Plaza de la Peregrina. It was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1982 and combines late Baroque with Neoclassical forms, such as its main altarpiece, erected in 1789. It is one of the most symbolic and important buildings in the city and is dedicated to the Virgin who, according to tradition, guided pilgrims from Baiona to Santiago. The image of the Virgin Peregrina (19th century) is the patroness of the province of Pontevedra and the Portuguese Way. It has a scallop shell-shaped floor plan, a symbol of the pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago. We will approach the Church of St. Mary, considered one of the jewels of Galician art, located on the top of a small hill, built over a small Romanesque church dedicated to St. Mary, which was the first parish of Pontevedra. At the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th, the old church was demolished and construction of the new temple in late Gothic style began.

We will continue our visit to Combarro. Declared a Historic-Artistic Ensemble, this small village combines the Galicia of the sea with that of the countryside, since besides having been a fishing port, it preserves interesting examples of traditional Galician architecture, highlighting its 60 hórreos, the typical Galician granaries, of which 30 are aligned facing the sea. As characteristic and Galician as the hórreos are the stone and granite crosses that also abound in Combarro. It is said that they protected crossroads where it was believed witches (meigas) held meetings, becoming safe places. The crosses of Combarro have the particularity that the carved figure of the Virgin on them always faces the sea. Besides crosses and hórreos, Combarro is famous for its fishermen’s houses. We will be able to see some houses with the typical division that placed the living quarters on the upper floor and the lower floor used as storage for fishing and agricultural tools.

After finishing our visit to Combarro, we will return to the port for the farewell.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• DURATION: BUS AND GUIDE AVAILABLE FOR UP TO 4 HOURS
• NO SURCHARGES

NOTES

• Easy Level/Panoramic/Cultural
• It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes.

• Important note: The center of Combarro has narrow streets and some slopes, making access very difficult for wheelchair users. People with reduced mobility who use wheelchairs must be accompanied by others who can assist them; Shore2Shore staff and the driver, by legal requirement, cannot assist these individuals as they do not have the necessary qualifications. We kindly ask that foldable wheelchairs be used, as the buses do not have lifts or ramps. We are not responsible if the client does not inform us of their situation at the time of booking.