Pontevedra

Pontevedra is the capital of the Pontevedra province in Galicia, Spain, situated at the head of the Ría de Pontevedra where the Lérez river meets the estuary. The city has one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Galicia, with a pedestrianised network of stone arcaded streets, medieval churches, and historic squares.

The Basílica de Santa María la Mayor is a sixteenth-century Plateresque church whose elaborate carved west facade is one of the finest examples of this style in Galicia. The ruined convent of Santo Domingo, converted into a museum, provides an atmospheric reminder of the city’s medieval ecclesiastical character.

For pilgrims on the Camino Portugués, Pontevedra is one of the principal urban stages of the coastal route, offering full services. The Spiritual Variant of the Camino Portugués, also known as the Camino Espiritual, begins here and diverges from the central route.