Making the most of Vilagarcia
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
This town lies upstream, at the end of the navigable part of the river. It is a beautiful sail, along wooded slopes against the backdrop of the Sierra de O Barbanza. The marina is well equipped, has a pleasant yachting club, and is situated near the center of the lively town. Every facility one might need is available.
Some ships may offer shuttles into the town.
Vilagarcía de Arousa is a port town situated on the Firth of Arousa (Ría de Arousa) in Galicia, 45km south of Santiago de Compostela. Vilagarcía has a population of almost 37,000 inhabitants, so it is the eighth town in Galicia.
From the Muelle de Pasaxeiros (passengers' wharf) you can see the whole Muelle Comercial (trading port) and also, to the north, the yachting harbor, with its near five hundred berths, which make of this marina one of the biggest in Galicia. Back beyond, there are the Concha and Compostela beaches.
A seaside walk of two kilometers of length connects the yachting harbor with the fishing town of Carril. Halfway, the Visitors center (a building raised over the strand) will provide the tourist with any required information about the town and the district.
Nearby places
Santiago de Compostela (40 min by train).
Food and shopping
The street market takes place on Tuesday and Saturdays, although if they are bank holidays, it is brought a day forward. The stalls are set up in the town section between Alexandre Bóveda and the Praza Martín Gómez Abal, going trough Avenida da Mariña, Praza Doutor Carús and several side streets in O Castro.
Money
The euro
The euro is divided into 100 cents. • There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent, and 1 and 2 Euro. • There are seven different bank notes, for the following amounts: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.
Staying connected
Spanish is the official language in the entire national territory. However, other languages coexist with Spanish in certain regions of Spain. These are: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a particular variety of Catalan spoken on the Balearic Islands.
Emergency number: Dial 112 free of charge (valid throughout Spain). Service is given in Spanish, and also in English, French and German in some tourist areas.
Opening Hours and
The most common business for shops and businesses hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Big shopping centers and department stores open from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h uninterruptedly. These big stores open sometimes on Sunday.
In coastal cities, in high season, shops are usually open passed 22.00 h.
Pharmacies open from 9.30 to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. In all major cities you can find pharmacies that open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-hour schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.