A Historic Spanish City Became A Modern Utopia After Banishing All Cars From Its Walkable Downtown

Pedestrian-only cities and towns exist around the world. Notable examples include Venice, Italy — the largest car-free historic center in Europe — ski villages like Zermatt, Switzerland, and islands like Fire Island, New York, and the Isle of Sark in the U.K.'s Channel Islands. Lesser-known but equally impressive is the historic Spanish city of Pontevedra, located in Galicia, a region in the northwest full of hidden gems, like this little town on Spain's rugged coast with panoramic views and unforgettable sunsets.

Apart from service vehicles, deliveries, and other specified autos, cars are allowed only on Pontevedra's outer rings. The policy is not specifically unfriendly to motorists: In fact, you can leave your car for free, and without time limits, in designated areas. But drivers are encouraged to park and walk into the historic center to enjoy its medieval squares, cobblestoned streets, and open-air cafés, all blissfully free of traffic. It's no wonder the small city, with a population of 80,000, has seen an influx of new residents — an estimated 12,000 people — since transforming into a pedestrian-friendly community. 

So why — and how — did Pontevedra make the change? Back in the late 1990s, the city was like many others. "It was a sad and stressed city," said Xosé Cesareo Mosquera, Pontevedra's head of urban infrastructure, in an interview with CityChangers. "People felt like they had to escape to live on the outskirts." The city's new mayor, Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, made waves in 1999 by prohibiting on-street parking, lowering speed limits, switching out traffic lights for roundabouts, and pedestrianizing large areas of the historic center. So began Pontevedra's metamorphosis into its current iteration as a walkable city that hasn't experienced a traffic-related fatality since 2011. 

The rules also make it easier to enjoy what Pontevedra has to offer. The city is a historic stop on the Portuguese Way, an itinerary on the famous Camino de Santiago, and its landmarks are easy to explore on foot. Set around its picturesque plazas are the 16th-century Basílica de Santa María a Maior, the city's main church, which features a mix of Gothic and Portuguese architectural elements, and the 14th-century Convento de San Francisco, once the home of Franciscan monks. The Ruínas de San Domingos, the remains of a 14th-century Dominican convent, are now part of the Museo de Pontevedra, a free museum that features archaeological exhibits and masterpieces by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí.

Apart from sightseeing, one of the great pleasures of visiting Pontevedra is just wandering around its quiet streets and squares. The colorful Mercado Municipal marketplace is a great place to pick up fresh fruit and locally produced cheeses and wines. Sample traditional Galician seafood at Casa Fidel O'Pulpeiro, go for tapas at Bar Estrella, or sip Spanish wines by the glass at Viñoteca Bagos. If you're looking to spend the night, there are several good options in the pedestrianized center, including the elegant Parador de Pontevedra at roughly $157 per night — a luxury hotel housed in a historic palace — and the budget-friendly guesthouse Pensión A Xanela for about $106 per night. 

The closest major city to Pontevedra is Vigo, about a 25-minute drive or 15 minutes away by train. Vigo has an airport, but the larger regional airport is Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ), which takes about an hour by car or an hour and a half by train from Pontevedra. 

If you're interested in exploring more of Galicia, there is a magical region of the Spanish coast known for its waterfalls and fairy forests. Or, if you're hoping to continue along the Camino de Santiago, you can learn more about how to hike through history on Europe's scenic equivalent to the Appalachian Trail.