Soutomaior Castle
Castelo de Soutomaior
A medieval Galician castle built in the 12th century, surrounded by a botanical garden famous for camellias. Climb the tower for views over the inner bay of Vigo.
Soutomaior Castle lies about 20 km northeast of Vigo. It was begun in the 12th century, served as the stronghold of the Galician noble Pedro Madruga in the 15th century, and was converted into a Neo-Gothic noble residence in the 19th century. It is now managed by the Pontevedra Provincial Government. Inside, exhibitions cover medieval castles and camellias. The surrounding garden of about 25 hectares has hundreds of camellia varieties and century-old trees, and is recognized as an “Excellent International Camellia Garden.” It is most beautiful when the flowers bloom, from February to April. Admission is about 5 euros, and the castle is closed on Mondays.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun approx. 10:00–19:00 (shorter in winter)
Nearby sights
- Pontevedra Old Town
- Combarro
- Vigo Christmas Lights
- Casco Vello & Rúa da Pescadería
- Castro Fortress Park
- Castrelos Park & Pazo Quiñones de León
- Museo do Mar de Galicia
- Samil Beach