Mancomunidad Vigo

Council: Nigrán
Localization: This is maritime-terrestrial area comprised of the Monteferro coastline, Estelas Islands and the adjacent aquatic area.
The Estelas Islands are a natural space of great ecological interest. Cormorants and other birds such as shags, ducks and several types of seagulls nest here. The sea, on the other hand, offers a great diversity rich in plant and animal species. It is one of the most interesting places from the point of view of submarine landscape. The entire unit is also comprised of a part of Monteferro, where there are Roman remains, the lighthouse and the old coastal defence battery.It was declared as a Site of Community Interest and is also protected under the Natura 2000 network. The islands have an area of 725 hectares and this include both land area and the sea area around it.

Council: O Porriño
Localization: In Budiño, which borders with the neighbouring councils of Tui and Salceda de Caselas.
This is a wet land, a gándara, of alluvial origin and marshy land which grows as it floods on rainy days, which results in shallow water ponds. The characteristic fauna in this type of ecosystem is of the amphibian and shoreline type. There are many species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds who have a place here to stay. There are also migratory birds who sometimes have a temporary or permanent stay in the area. In as far as aquatic vegetation is concerned, it is an area for growth of species like lobelia and littorella.A natural space catalogued as a Site of Special Nature Protection (ZEPVN) and a refuge for fauna. It has an area of 834 Hectares.

Council: Redondela
Localization: A few metres from the coast, in the parish of Cesantes.
The island of San Simón was populated during the Middle Ages with monks and other religious orders. From 1838 onwards and at the wish of Nicolás Taboada Leal, who was a doctor and the official journalist of the city of Vigo, San Simón was converted into a lazaretto where overseas vessels had to pass quarantine when they arrived here, in order to stop the several epidemics that erupted at the time, especially cholera . Its lazaretto function continued until the end of the 1920s. Its worst history was between 1936 and the middle of the following decade, when it was transformed into a prison by Franco's regime. There were 4000 persons imprisoned here, who had a high death rate because of the execution by firing squads at night, which were frequent, especially in the first years, and these were living conditions that were proper to an extermination camp rather than a prison, not forgetting the poor an bad food available to the inmates. It was later used as an orphanage and then closed definitely. It lay abandoned for more than 30 years until the Xunta de Galicia recovered it for cultural purposes. There are organised visits to the place now. To get there, one has to ring 986 903 884 or contact via e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it unit formed by two islands joined by a little bridge and tiny islets. They are public property and administratively depend on the Xunta de Galicia (regional government), which manages the unit through the Illa de San Simón Foundation. The Department of Culture initiated a restoration of the buildings to dedicate them to cultural activities. There is a assembly hall, rest house and other facilities. This was the project of the architect César Portela. The place has a jetty and access to the island is restricted and therefore one has to have permission to go there. It has been classified as a Site of Community (LIC) & Historic Interest. Its natural highlight is its box wood, with big long-lived specimens, something which is rare for this shrub specie.

Council: Pazos de Borbén
Localization: Parish of Moscoso
Located in the river Barragán, the wood at Rei, also known as the wood of the river Barragán, is a place of great beauty and of high ecological value.River bank wood with abundance of riverine species: birch, ash, cork and willows.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Candeán (San Cristovo)

Council: Vigo
Localization: A Garrida, between Valadares and Zamáns
At the top of this mountain, which is a splendid vantage point, we find the chapel of Our Lady of Alba & St. Bartholomew. The main facade of this little chapel has a coat of arms of the House of Valladares, a marquisate that was created in the 18th century and that was linked to the marquisate of Mos & Alcedo at the end of the nineteenth century. One can get up to the top of Mount Alba by car or by city bus up to A Garrida and then walk thereafter along a little winding road that leads to the picnic area and the chapel. The Vigo Panoramic GR-53 Route connects this mountain with the other routes that go round the city.The summit of Mount Alba is at a height of 503 m above sea level. It has a forest park, namely, the Alba-Mount Cepudo forest park, which has an area of 42,200 square metres of land, where one can find picnic stone tables, a restaurant and a spring.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Candeán parish, on the border with Redondela
Mount Vixiador is one of the important mountains in Vigo. Besides housing the biggest forest park of the twelve that are present in this municipality, it also has important natural resources, a beautiful vantage point and many archaeological remains. There are more than fifteen megalithic burial mounds, amongst which are the Freiría Celtic remains. The megalithic heritage extends up to the limits with Mount Madroa, shared by the neighbourhoods of Candean and Teis, and Mount Penide, which enters the limits of Redondela.A natural space in which there is a forest park with a recreational area, equipped with stone tables, barbecue places, a restaurant, toilets and a camp site. It has an area of 184,000 square metres. The park has a magnificent view point which offers wide panoramic views.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo, Teis

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo

Council: Nigrán
Localization: At the mouth of the river Miñor, in the parish of Ramallosa, which borders the municipal limits of Baiona.
The estuary of the river Miñor is a territory of salt water wetlands, which results from the mixing of fresh water from the river Miñor with the seawater from Vigo Bay. Other fluvial input also flows into this area from little rivers like the Belesar and the Groba. This is a habitat for aquatic mammals such as the pine marten and birds like royal herons, ducks and many types of seagulls, some of which are residents while others are migratory. The area covered extends from Ladeira beach in Baiona to Mount Lourido in Nigrán. There is a pedestrian walk along the entire perimeter of this wetland.The place has been declared as an Asset of Cultural Interest (LIC) and is protected under the Natura 2000 network. It has an area of 92 hectares.

Council: Redondela
Localization: In Vigo Bay, an inlet formed between the Rande straits and the mouth of the river Verdugo.
The innermost area of Vigo Bay has a shape of a lake, and forms an inlet of calm waters that receives fresh water inflow from the rivers Verdugo and Alvedosa, and from small streams such as Maior, whilst the strong Atlantic tides enter through the Rande straits. The place is protected by a crown of mountains and is sheltered from the dominant winds. The depth varies from nearly 20 m in the vicinity of Rande to less than 1 m at Arcade. The inlet has been catalogued as a refuge zone for migratory and aquatic birds.It has been catalogued as a Special Nature Protection Site (ZEPVN). The inlet has a surface area of 22.5 square kilometres, a length of 8 km and maximum width of 3.6 km and a minimum width of just 0.7 km at the Rande straits.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Beade
It is just a short distance away from the campus of the University of Vigo, the Beade Forest park and lies halfway on the Vigo panoramic route, between its staring point at Saiáns and its end point at Mount Vixiador.A forest park with a recreational area fitted with stone tables and barbecue places, a restaurant and a splendid view point on to Vigo Bay. It has an area of 93,000 square metres.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Bembrive parish
With an area of nearly 10 hectares, the Bembrive forest park, besides being a magnificent view point, is also a meeting place for neighbourhood festivities, a stop along the Vigo Panoramic Route and a collection of several tree species, some of which are autochthonous and others that come from other climates, such as Chile pines, cedar tree, etc.A forest park with a recreational area with stone tables, barbecue places, a restaurant and a vantage point of Vigo Bay. It has an area of nearly 99,710 square metres.

Date: Decade of the 1970s
Council: Fornelos de Montes
Localization: Parish of Eiras
The Eiras dam and reservoir were built to guarantee water supply to the city of Vigo, and this service was then later extended to other municipalities of the Greater Vigo area. Water is transported by gravity in pipes from the purification plant situated in O Casal, Vigo. It passes through the Louro valley using a siphon in the place called Os Valos (Mos). The reservoir facilitated proliferation of water flora and fauna around Eiras.Located in Oitavén, the reservoir has a catchment area of 144.71 square kilometres, and is comprised of a concrete dam with a height of 51 metres and a storage capacity of 22 cubic hectometres.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Valadares
The Monte dos Pozos Forest Park has a big reservoir or artificial lake where regular competitions and exhibitions are held like for example of sailing and other type of scale models that are radio controlled.A forest park with a recreational area fitted with stone tables and barbecue places, a restaurant and a splendid view point on to Vigo Bay. It has an area of 110,000 square metres.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Saiáns
This is the smallest of the forest parks in Vigo. It is a starting point to take the panoramic route that passes through all routes and offers a route to the highlands of this municipality.The park has a recreational area with stone tables and barbecue places, besides also having a camp site. The park has an area of 23,500 square metres.

Council: Fornelos de Montes
Localization: At the extreme northern end of the municipal limits in the parish of Laxe.
The Suído provides the mountain relief in the NW of the municipal limits of Fornelos de Montes. These hills feed a number of rivers, some of which are important such as the Oitavén, Barragán, Parada, Verdugo and the Tea rivers. This last one is the only one that does not flow southwards but towards the east up to Mondariz and then flows through the lands of the County until it discharges into the river Miño.The Suído Mountains extends as a rock outcrop through several municipalities of the provinces of Pontevedra and Ourense. The highest peaks are Outeiro Vello (1,007 m) and Couto Minudo (1,059 m)

Council: Vigo
Localization: Parish of Zamáns
The reservoir gets its name from its parish and the river where it is located, namely Zamáns. This river is a tributary of the river Miñor. The reservoir forms an artificial lake, which is now home to lacustrine flora and fauna. The reservoir supplies water to a part of he city of Vigo. Until 1977, it was the only source of potable water supply to the said city.A reservoir formed with a 29 metre high dam, with a capacity of 2 cubic hectometres and a catchment area of 7.38 square km. It is catalogued as a bird protection site.

Date: 1970
Council: Vigo
Localization: At the top of Mount Madroa, between the parishes of Candeán and Teis. Telephone: 986 267 783 www.vigozoo.com
The zoo was founded in 1970 as a zoological park and has been subjected to sizeable reforms over the years, in order to transform its more than 55,000 square metres of premises into a place for interpreting animal and plant life from the peninsula. The zoo currently has autochthonous species from this area living side by side with others from the five continents and include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, arachnids and a good representation of flora from wet and temperate zones. Nature exhibitions are also held here with didactic activities related to the world of animals.It is open on all days from 10:00 to 20:30 hours, from April to October. In March, opening hours are from 11:00 to 19:30 hours except on Mondays, when it is closed. It is also closed on bank holidays and school holidays. From November to February, opening times are from 11:00 to 18:30 hours, from Tuesday to Friday, and up to 19:30 hours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Entry fee is 4.50 Euros. There is a discount for old age pensioners, children between the ages of 3 and 16 years, school visits of children from outside the Vigo area, youth card and for groups.

Council: Vigo
Localization: Vigo