Getting There
From Santiago de Compostela in the north, 14 to 17 trains per day make the 1 1/2-hour one-way trip to Pontevedra at a cost of 5.50€. RENFE has an office on Plaza Calvo Sotelo s/n (tel. 90-224-02-02; www.renfe.es), where you can get information. The actual rail and bus stations are .8km (1/2 mile) from the town center on Alféreces Provisionales.
Pontevedra has good links to major Galician cities. From Vigo in the south, bus travel time is only 1 hour if you take one of the 12 inland expresses leaving from Vigo daily; the one-way fare is 5€. From Santiago de Compostela in the north, a bus leaves every hour during the day for Pontevedra (1 hr.); the one-way trip costs 8.50€. For information, call tel. 98-229-29-00 (www.monbus.es).
From Santiago de Compostela, head south along N-550 to reach Pontevedra.
Visitor Information
The tourist office, at Xral. Gutiérrez Mellado 1 (tel. 98-685-08-14; fax 98-684-81-23; www.turgalicia.es), is open July to September, Monday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 4:30 to 7:30pm, and Sunday 10am to 2pm. From October to June, it is open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm and 4 to 6pm, and Saturday 10am to 12:30pm.
Special Events
The town is host to two popular festivals, including the weeklong La Virgen de la Peregrina (the Pilgrim's Virgin), which takes place in the historic Old Town beginning the second Sunday in August. The celebration features religious street processions, live entertainment, food vendors, and kiosks selling handicrafts and antiques. An entrance charge may be applied for certain cultural performances, but concerts sponsored by the city are free. Another good time to visit is for the medieval fair, Feria Franca, occurring in the historic district on the first Friday afternoon in September and extending to Saturday night. People dress up in Middle Ages costumery and enjoy live music, parades, and food (some recipes are medieval).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
