Hello all!
Due to personal issues Guided Galicia will no longer be operating for the foreseeable future.
Thank you to all who jumped ship and came on the tours with us. I thoroughly enjoyed showing you the sites, sounds and tastes of this small corner of our world.
In the meantime, continue to sail the high seas and explore new ports, live a little, live a lot!
Best wishes and calm seas,
Brendan
The Way
For all those who have been to Santiago de Compostela and for all those who have not. This movie is a must see. It is a story of a father and son and their 800km pilgrimage in finding each other.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Pilgrimage bikes - Santiago de Compostela
The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
On a recent trip to Santiago, I could not help, but to take a photo of these two pilgrim bicycles.
What caught my eye was this particular bicycle brand "SANTOS" (SAINTS in English). At first I thought it must have been a personalised decal but upon further research, I found that SANTOS Bikes is a small bike maker from the Netherlands.
An appropriate name (I think you will agree) for a bicycle to do the pilgrimage on!!!
PS: note the position of the third water bottle!
La Calle de las Ostras (Oyster Street) Vigo - Video Blog #02
In this GGVB (Guided Galicia Video Blog)#2 we visit one of Vigo's endearing traditions. The Oyster Ladies in La Calle de Las Ostras / The Oyster Street.
These ladies have been shucking oysters on this street for decades and like those before them, have seen many changes along the way.
You may even recognise their faces if you have visited Vigo in the past and you may even have snapped a photo or two or maybe you were even brave enough to try a few of their succulent oysters with a refreshing glass of Albariño wine.
They are a cornerstone in an ever changing world - a rarity to in these modern times. I think you will agree?
Saludos
The Guided Galicia Team
Port of Vigo on a Sunny Autumn Day! - Video Blog #01
Hello and Welcome to the first of many video blogs about Vigo and the surrounding area. These video blogs aim to be informative and fun, so you can make the most out of your time with us!
Hasta la próxima!
The Guided Galicia Team
Live Like Galicians
If you are wondering what the people of Galicia are like but were afraid to ask, this advertisement from a local supermarket chain may give you a little insight into what it is to be Galician. The English subtitles are very funny and you do need to read between the lines a little!
Enjoy!
The Guided Galicia Team
Enjoy!
The Guided Galicia Team
The Guided Galicia Blog
Welcome to our Guided Galicia Blog!Here you can find out all the news views and opinions from Guided Galicia.
We'll also be letting you know about the many fiestas that this region celebrates every year and how to make the most of your time with us in this beautiful part of the world!
Remember, when touring with us you will be sure to avoid any wrong turns...
We'll be adding some new tours soon so watch out for those!
In the meantime enjoy your holidays/vacations and we hope to see you over our way soon!
Saludos,
Brendan
Guided Galicia
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We offer specialised Private Guided Shore Excursions for cruise ship passengers calling to the ports of Vigo and La Coruña, Galicia, Spain and full one-day tours for tourist groups.
Galicia is a magical place, far removed from the stereotypical Spain of flamenco and bullfighting so often portrayed in travel brochures. Galicia has a strong Celtic link and the sound of the Galician gaita (bagpipe) fills the air, its many rivers, green valleys, brooding mountains and weather only gives strength to this Celtic tie.
Galicia has a rich heritage, with lush winegrowing areas, the famous Albarino is probably the best known but there are many more varieties little heard of outside Galicia just waiting to be savoured. Celtic ruins and perfectly restored castles. Ancient monasteries and stunning cathedrals, the most famous of them is Santiago de Compostela, which was once the third most important pilgrimage after the Vatican and Jerusalem. Galicia has many picturesque fishing villages and beautiful white sand beaches. Vigo is the second largest fishing port in the world after Tokyo and is home to some of the best seafood in the world, sample the incredibly fresh bounty from the sea with a glass of crisp Albarino and savour the moment.
We want you to experience the best of our little corner of the world in the short time that you’re with us. Our tours offer a wonderful insight into Galician culture, history, cuisine and architecture. Be warned, Galicia is an alluring place and once you’ve had a taste of its charm you’ll be coming back for more.
Choosing a Private Guided Shore Excursion allows you to immerse yourself in the Galician culture without the stress, we take away the hassle and let you soak up the atmosphere and tantalise your taste buds, overall to relax and just enjoy your very own Guided Galician Experience.
You can choose from one of our many tours we have to offer, if you have a specific interest or wish, we can help you to tailor make your very own unique private guided tour.
Our tours depart from your Cruise Ship in Vigo and return one hour before depature. The Vigo port is in a unique position, as it is located right at the heart of Vigo's historic quarter and because our tours end with a walking tour of the historic quarter, you are never more than five minutes walk from your Cruise Ship.
Our tours are all conducted in English and depart for Santiago de Compostela, Baiona, Pontevedra, and Tui among others. Private Guided Tours are a great way to see Galicia in the short time you are with us and they offer so much more than the coach options. We also offer walking tours of Vigo itself.
Right: Myself enjoying one of the many fiestas, with a plate full of mussels and some wine to help wash them down!!!
For details and prices of our Private Guided Tours please contact us by using the contact details in the right-hand column. We look forward to hearing from you.
Scroll down to view some of our tour options.
Testimonials
Thanks so much for the email and pictures! We all enjoyed you so much and I am still grateful you were willing to take us even though there were so many of us. I have been meaning to email you and thank you but it is amazing how fast real life happens when you get home...busy, busy, busy.
We were serious….if you ever come to the States and visit Las Vegas you really could stay with us. Now that our kids are gone we have empty rooms with beds. Our only problem would be we don’t spend time where all the tourists go….like the Strip (that’s the place where all the big casinos and shows are). I wouldn’t be as good a tour guide for you as you were for us J, but I’m sure we could give a “little” guidance in that respect J. Take care and thanks again. You were great!
Tammy
Brendan
Thanks for the tour and good wishes ..
There is every chance we will be back next year and if that proves to be the case we will look you up .. You will no doubt see a complete teenager transformation by then!
If you need a reference for prospective clients then feel free to pass on our details ..
The restaurant in La Coruna is Adego O Bebedeiro .. Fantastic ..
Paul
Hi Brendan!
Yes, we had a wonderful time in London and did follow some of your recommendations.....had a great day in Greenwich toward the end of our trip!
I just wanted to write and tell you how much we enjoyed our day with you in Gallicia! I meant to write sooner but it always takes me awhile to get back to square one...I just uploaded my pictures to my computer today! Really, the day we had with you visiting the little towns was so enjoyable and we especially appreciated it.
I KNEW that I recently had read something about Santiago de Compestella and when I got home I was going through some magazines and saw the articl again....it was in the Santa Clara University magazine (where we went to college a long time ago). Here is a link to the article in case you might be interested:
Thank YOU for the pictures that you sent to us and I hope you enjoy the ones that I have attached here. I could not resist sending you the picture of the peppers (one of my favorite memories of the day:) I will certainly recommend you to anyone that I hear heading your way!
My best,
Susan.
Hello from Miami,
Just wanted to say "thank You" for being a great guide in Vigo - we all enjoyed your tour and friendliness!
Everyone was very happy with you :-)
Regards,
Yvette
Brendon,
home safely with great memories of our day with you. So glad we found each other. How nicely the weather did cooperate too! So what if the cathedral was not shimmering in green, ha, ha! We'll just have to settle for seeing the botafumeiro in action. BTW, I read online that each "performance" costs about 250 euro. No wonder it's reserved for "special" occasions.. Your thoughtful gift of the cake will not soon be forgotten. We eagerly look forward to our first taste after dinner tonight! Thanks again!
Brendan,We all arrived home safely, just in time to face the possibility of a hurricane. Fortunately, Florida escaped it, but other parts of the East coast will not be so fortunate.Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our day with you. It was a very relaxing, but interesting, way to end our touring. I will certainly not hesitate to recommend you. We loved Santiago de Compostela and it was fun to pass by Ponte Vedra. You could also tell Zena and I enjoyed the local wine!Hope your parents enjoyed their visit.All the best,
CarolSent from my iPad
Hi Brendan.
Thanks so much for the photos they are very good. I will pass on your good wishes to everyone. We really enjoyed our day - my mother said for her it was the highlight of the cruise.
Sean.
Hi, Brandon,
Our group has slowly trickled back to the US, all of us having difficulty recycling ourselves back to the reality.
Our September 11 tour with you will always remain a very, very special part of our journey. It exceeded expectations in every way. We can not thank you enough for providing a most exceptional experience. Would be so happy to recommend your services to anyone seeking the best Galician tour guide!
Wishing you and your family all the best,
Gail
We have such wonderful memories from our day spent in the Galicia region of Spain! Our tour of Vigo, Cambados, Combarro and Pontevedra was one of the most memorable and fun days of our trip. We would have never been able to visit so many interesting towns of the region nor would we have come away with such knowledge about the history, culture and beauty of this region had it not been for you! We will never forget the lovely Plaza de Fefinanes of Cambados, or wandering the narrow streets of Combarro village with its fisherman houses and the horreos suspended above the sea. Our stop at a outdoor restaurant patio where we had cappuccinos and coffee as we watched the fisherman readying their boats for the day is a favorite snapshot in my mind of our visit to Spain. Pontevedra was another delight and then we were on our way back to Vigo. What can we say about your recommendation of a wonderful local restaurant for lunch- at your suggestion we sampled the incredibly delicious seafood and Albarino wine of the region and left immensely satisfied by one of the best meals of our entire trip! Your knowledge, flexibility and fun personality made our tour with you one of the highlights of our two week European cruise!
With gratitude, Sharon, David, Jean and Bobbye
Dear Brendan,
Thank you for such a wonderful day -- we not only enjoyed spending time exploring Vigo and the surrounding areas, we very much enjoyed your company. You are obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about the history, traditions and beautiful sites in this beautiful part of Spain. We also appreciated how you designed a unique tour to suit both the weather and the interests of our small family group (two parents and 10 year old boy.) It was a relaxing and unhurried day, but we managed to see many beautiful sites near Vigo, do a bit of shopping and sample the local food, wine and beer! We were delighted with this tour and are most eager to return to Vigo again. We highly recommend your tours to anyone who wishes to experience this beautiful and unspoiled part of Spain!
All the best,
Richard, Nancy and Evan
Dear Brendan,
Thanks is not enough for the excellent tour you gave the four of us in Vigo & the surrounding areas May of 08. You were there waiting for us at our predetermined area even though it was in the rain & attended to all of our needs. We all agreed that you are the most knowledgeable, passionate & personable tour guide that we have had the pleasure of touring with. You truly are a fountain of exciting information. Any future tourist that uses your services will have an ultimate experience like we shared. I highly recommend your services & have done so with perspective clients.
Thanking you again,
Charlotte
We booked a private guided tour of Baiona and Vigo with Guided Galicia. Brendan promptly replied to all of our emails and created a customized tour based on our interests. He was waiting for us when we got off the cruise ship and we felt instantly at ease, as though we had an old friend showing us around. Brendan was pleasant, warm, accommodating, and professional and we really enjoyed our day with him. I would highly recommend your service to anyone visiting the area. Thank you for the wonderful memories!
Michael and Yvonne McGonigal
Woodbury, Minnesota (USA)
Brendan was very friendly and accommodating to our group. We're very glad we decided to go with a personal tour of the Galicia region rather than a cruise ship sponsored tour. Brendan was very flexible and interested in showing us what we wanted to see rather than a prearranged itinerary without our input. He informed us about the history and culture of the region and took us to less touristy places than we could have ever seen in a large group tour. For lunch, Brendan also made sure we had a flavor of the Galicia cuisine of where the locals frequented. It was a fun filled day. We learned as much as we could have about this part of Spain in a one day tour.
David Jones
Alexandra, Virginia
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