| Northern Spain and Galicia particularly has long been | | | | Vigo is a city that displays a rather remarkable and |
| an undiscovered jewel in the whole of the Spanish | | | | healthy geographical and sociological schizophrenia in |
| tourism industry and within that undiscovered jewel in | | | | that it very much falls into two halves. You have the |
| particular we are going to take a look at Vigo. | | | | old part of the town which is very much a working |
| Overall of all of the autonomous regions of Spain | | | | port, very down to earth and full of traffic problems, |
| possibly Galicia is the most remote and this makes | | | | urban decay, poverty are all present and evident all |
| Vigo even more of an undiscovered treasure. | | | | over the place. However to counter this there are still |
| Traditionally, Galicia was seen as a poor agricultural | | | | memories of a golden heritage as an important port full |
| region, whose economy did not lend itself to | | | | of passengers all bound for London, South America |
| modernisation and yet as far as tourism is concerned | | | | and other parts of the New World. You have |
| it is this constant contact with the past that gives the | | | | architecture and buildings that have obviously seen |
| region its appeal and charm. | | | | better days and down in the harbour you'll find fresh |
| The Galicians, whose origins are Celtic, are fiercely | | | | seafood available that is as good as any you'll find |
| proud of their culture and language; it is what makes | | | | anywhere else in Europe. Contrast this with the new |
| them unique (they feel) within modern day Spain. | | | | part of town around the Marina which is full of trendy |
| It absorbed little in the way of outside influence being | | | | restaurants and cafés and the difference is |
| fiercely resistant to all forms of outside intervention | | | | remarkable and you could very much think to yourself |
| (and we mean all forms of outside intervention), was | | | | that you had possibly just walked into some extremely |
| never conquered by the Moors, and in the Middle Ages | | | | rare Space Time zone! |
| fell under the control of the kingdom of Asturias. | | | | Vigo as a town is centred round a natural harbour and |
| Thankfully slowly throughout the 20th century Galicia | | | | has existed for centuries. The harbour as we know it |
| has begun to develop a way in which to manage the | | | | had been used by Phoenician and Celtic sailors long |
| traditional lifestyles with a modern community to | | | | before the city as we know it was settled by the |
| ensure that none of its rich history is lost and this is | | | | Romans. As a city Vigo's fortunes have waxed and |
| now starting to show very real and tangible benefits | | | | waned to a variety of degrees depending on what |
| as far as the local tourism economy is concerned. | | | | was happening at the time, ranging from rapid |
| Vigo is the largest city in Galicia and is located on the | | | | expansion during the 18th and 19th centuries and |
| western coast south of Pontevedra and west of | | | | corresponding stagnation during the "Franco years" |
| Ourense. Vigo is immensely important with regards to | | | | when Spain as a whole became rather insular and |
| the Spanish fishing industry and alongside Coruna is | | | | isolationist. |
| home to an industry that employs some 61,000 | | | | A city very much full of contrast and another place |
| fishermen and 16,000 boats. | | | | are well worth a visit. |