Vigo, Brest & La Rochelle port info anyone?

Just booked a cruise which takes us to Vigo, Brest & La Rochelle. I wondered if anyone can give me any information about these ports. We don't want to do ship's tours if possible.

Thanks SR

The opportunty to lunch at the highest rated restaurant on France's Atlantic coast presents itself at La Rochelle.

Richard Coutemceau - 2 Michelin and Relais Gourmond

Expect to pay about the same in Arabic numbers with Euros as you would £s for a similiar rated establishment in the UK (eg Waterside Inn, Le Manoir, etc) ie cheaper.

Cuisine is outstanding, service is what you expect from a Relais et Chateaux member (ie friendly, informative without being cloying) and it's about a 15 min taxi ride from La Palice (where your ship will dock). After lunch it is a short 5 minute walk into town.

In Vigo, a tour to Saint James Cathedral:

Santiago de la Compostela

After lunch there was time to revisit the cathedral. This was a good opportunity to tour after the crowds were gone.

From Vigo, you should be easily able to do Santiago under your own steam by renting a car, if you want more flexibility and freedom.

The port at La Rochelle is quite some distance from the town so its best to arrange one of the free shuttle buses running back and forth from the port to the town centre. La Rochelle is a quaint medieval town with a farmer's market in the square and a number of nice boutiques. The old harbour in the centre of town with the twin towers is quite a nice attraction to walk around.

Unfortunately I had a rough encounter with the stereotypical rude French service at the restaurant my companion and I decided to have lunch at which threw me off. So much so I had wished I'd taken one of the ship's tours instead of doing our own thing.

However, to be fair to the town and the country, the shopkeepers did their job well and we did not have any other incidents.

For me, La Rochelle was a nice place to say I saw it but it didn't jump out at me as a "must see". However, I do know of others who love the place and it is a place where even the French vacation.

David

All these places are very doable on your own and there is no desperate need to do a tour if you don't want to.

Vigo - ship berths fairly close to town. It's a typical Spanish City with shops, restaurants, parks and a very interesting but surreal Museum of Modern Art which is certainly different.(to the left in the city) It's a fairly easy walk from the ship but the city is a little hilly. Lots of nice cafes to people watch. The old fish market (to the right) is interesting as are the oyster stalls set up near the port.However, from Vigo one of the highlights is the trip to Santiago - you may want to do that one.

La Rochelle - will need to take shuttle into town but the town centre is fantastic. Lovely marina and restaurants along the front and little alleys and sidestreets to get lost in. Many cafes selling pancakes and cider - the local delicacies.(recommended.) Lots of tiny boutiques selling perfumes - typically French. A lovely place.

Brest is an ordinary French town with not a great deal to see. There is a very good aquarium and plenty of shops. The local traders put on a round town shuttle bus which is a good idea and it stops at all of the places of interest.

Have fun,

Marge M

Thank you everyone. Your comments and information are most useful. I have printedd them all and put them in the holiday folder. Can't wait!!

Regards SR

We were just in Vigo this past October ... loved the area and want to go back and stay a bit and explore more. Our group decided not to do Santiago del Compuesta (spelling is off ... going from memory) but to explore the area around Vigo. We went to Tui and down to the Celtic ruins and Baiona. Had a wine and appertizer tasting in Vigo on the way back. We used: EuroAdventures Vacations ~ Specialty Tours to Spain & Portugal

Velazquez Moreno, 9 - 4th Floor - Office 409

Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia, SPAIN 36201

Tel: +34 986 22 13 99 | Fax: +34 986 22 13 44

e: tours@EuroAdventures.net | w: http://www.EuroAdventures.net

Sean is the owner and he was our guide as well, and is FANTASTIC! I highly recommend this company. He also arranged a day tour in Barcelona for us when our ship docked there.

If you write to him, tell him Denice recommended him and that I say hi.

In Vigo, you should come my place. Santiago de Compostela. It´s not difficult to reach. Just walk up to the train station (about 20 minutes walking or just five minutes by cab) and get an hourly train (90 minutes to get here), almost to Santiago city centre.

The city is much more the cathedral and the whole old town is a masterpiece. Lovely scenery, parks, food, shopping, old cafés. For train timetables

http://www.renfe.es

http://www.santiagoturismo.com/ (tourist office).

In case you need help, let me know.

Just booked a cruise which takes us to Vigo, Brest & La Rochelle. I wondered if anyone can give me any information about these ports. We don't want to do ship's tours if possible.

Thanks SR

I live in Vigo with my wife and two small boys, I have a blog about Vigo giving my personal thoughts of the city and what you can do there. If you have any questions just ask! :)

www.viewonvigo.blogspot.com

Saludos

Brendan

PS: Keltic's right Santiago is more than just a city and it's a world heritage site! Take a look at Vigo though it has a lot to offer!

Hi Brendan. Nice to see to see you over here. I do recommend you CIES. Wowww, according to the Guardian the world most beautiful beach.

Great website Vigoboy.

You mentioned the shuttle to town in La Rochelle. Was this provided by your cruise line or is it for all travellers.

I was on the QE2, and it was complementary for all travellers. I am not 100% per cent sure, but I think it was provided by the port. La Rochelle port is a bit faraway from downtown.

Shuttles are usually provided from the ship to the town by the cruise company or the La Rochelle Chamber of Trade- takes about 20/25 minutes as La Pallice (the port)is a little way out of the town. Maps & shopping vouchers are given out on the coach if you want them.

I live in Vigo with my wife and two small boys, I have a blog about Vigo giving my personal thoughts of the city and what you can do there. If you have any questions just ask! :)

 

www.viewonvigo.blogspot.com

 

Saludos

Brendan

 

PS: Keltic's right Santiago is more than just a city and it's a world heritage site! Take a look at Vigo though it has a lot to offer!

Thanks for the website ... we have a brief stop in Vigo in a month and your info is most helpful!

Thanks for the website ... we have a brief stop in Vigo in a month and your info is most helpful!

Hi WaterBaby,

Thanks for the compliment, hope you enjoy your time in Vigo. Any questions just ask!

Saludos

Brendan

Hi Brendan. Nice to see to see you over here. I do recommend you CIES. Wowww, according to the Guardian the world most beautiful beach.

 

Great website Vigoboy.

Hi Keltic,

Thank-you for your compliment and welcome. Absolutely agree with CIES. Beautiful and Wowww!!! A defenite must for any traveller if you've got the time!

Saludos

Brendan

In Vigo, you should come my place. Santiago de Compostela. It´s not difficult to reach. Just walk up to the train station (about 20 minutes walking or just five minutes by cab) and get an hourly train (90 minutes to get here), almost to Santiago city centre.

 

The city is much more the cathedral and the whole old town is a masterpiece. Lovely scenery, parks, food, shopping, old cafés. For train timetables

 

http://www.renfe.es

http://www.santiagoturismo.com/ (tourist office).

 

In case you need help, let me know.

Keltic, what is the roundtrip train fare from Vigo to Santiago? The Renfe site is in Spanish, of which mine is quite rusty!

From my searches I have the train fair as 8 euros pp one way. Returns/seniors possible less.

Thank you for the fare info. I'm also trying to decide whether to go to Santigo from Vigo or from La Coruna. I realize that La Coruna is closer but my concern is the we will arrive in La Coruna on May 1, a national holiday. Vigo will be the day before, April 30. Each port call is from 8am - 5pm. I'm thinking trains and Santiago will be chaotic on the holiday. Any thoughts?

Definitely from Coruña is much more convinient. Get a taxi, and get to the station. You have the bus station and the bus one opposite. The distance from Coruña to Santiago is 67 km, but most of the line has been renovated, and there´s double line. So it takes only 45 minutes. Hourly trains and buses from Coruña. Fare depending on the train (communter or direct one, and different of 10 minutes), is about 10 euros return. You could get the 8:30 arriving 9:13. To come back for instance 13:22 arriving at 14:18 or 15:10 arriving 15:55.

Taxis to Santiago could be arranged at 120 returned. But bargain. Vigo is more. A bit more distance, but the line is not double one, so it´s more time consuming. About 90 minutes. Also hourly trains, and about 15 return

Definitely from Coruña is much more convinient. Get a taxi, and get to the station. You have the bus station and the bus one opposite. The distance from Coruña to Santiago is 67 km, but most of the line has been renovated, and there´s double line. So it takes only 45 minutes. Hourly trains and buses from Coruña. Fare depending on the train (communter or direct one, and different of 10 minutes), is about 10 euros return. You could get the 8:30 arriving 9:13. To come back for instance 13:22 arriving at 14:18 or 15:10 arriving 15:55.

 

Taxis to Santiago could be arranged at 120 returned. But bargain. Vigo is more. A bit more distance, but the line is not double one, so it´s more time consuming. About 90 minutes. Also hourly trains, and about 15 return

Thanks for the valuable information, Keltic. Do you see any concerns about the May 1 holiday?

uhhh, not really. It´s a regional local train, and people commute in working hours, not on holidays. Students are other of the main users of the train, and they will travel the day before.