Pontevedra, Municipality in Pontevedra Province, Spain.
Pontevedra is a municipality in Pontevedra Province in northwestern Spain and sits on both banks of the Lérez River. The eight districts range from the dense old town to more loosely built neighborhoods such as Campolongo or Monte Porreiro along the hillsides.
In the 16th century the town was the main port of Galicia until sediment at the mouth blocked shipping traffic. In later centuries trade shifted to other coastal towns, and the economy increasingly relied on farming and craft industries.
The name comes from the Latin 'Pons Veteri', meaning old bridge, which recalls the early Roman settlement. Today you can still see many granite buildings and arcaded walkways in the old quarter, where locals gather in the evening around the squares.
The old town is mostly car-free, so you can walk comfortably between neighborhoods. Outside high season the streets are less busy, which makes longer walks through the outskirts easier.
In recent decades the city council closed almost the entire center to cars and created over 75 acres (30 hectares) of pedestrian space. This redesign turned the town into a European model for traffic calming.
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