A small fragment of history recently emerged on As Dornas beach, on the Isla de Ons, when a maravedí surfaced in the sand after a storm.  What at first glance seemed like an insignificant object turned out to be a piece more than four hundred years old.

The coin dates back to the reign of Felipe II, one of the most powerful monarchs of the 16th century. During his rule, the Spanish Monarchy stretched across Europe, the Americas, and parts of Asia, sustaining intense maritime and commercial activity. The maravedí, typically minted in copper and used for everyday transactions, was a modest yet essential part of daily economic life. While such coins circulated widely in Spain, finding one in a protected natural setting adds particular historical interest.

The Isla de Ons, part of the Parque Nacional Marítimo-Terrestre of the island Atlánticas of Galicia, has long been closely tied to the sea. For centuries, fishermen, sailors, and traders navigated these waters, and shipwrecks were not uncommon along the Galician coast. The maravedí may have reached the beach through various means: accidental loss, shifting seabeds, or debris from a long-forgotten maritime incident.

Beyond its modest monetary value today, the coin represents a tangible link to the 16th century. It serves as a reminder that the everyday lives of ordinary people—sailors, merchants, or coastal inhabitants—left traces that the ocean sometimes preserves and returns. On the sands of As Dornas, history resurfaced in the form of a small copper coin that survived the passage of time and the relentless movement of the sea.

Today, February 7, there are two major railway sections cut off in Galicia that directly affect Vigo and the connection with Santiago. On one hand, the total suspension of all trains originating from or destined for Vigo (Vigo-Urzaiz and Vigo-Guixar) continues, meaning no passenger services are running to or from Santiago, Ourense, A Coruña, Madrid, or Portugal via Vigo.

Additionally, Renfe has extended the shutdown to the conventional line Ourense – O Carballiño – Santiago, where passenger trains have also been stopped due to risks of flooding and landslides. In practice, this leaves the following main routes without passenger traffic today:

Vigo – Santiago (southern section of the Atlantic Axis, both from Urzaiz and Guixar).

Vigo – Ourense (interior line along the Miño, including links to Madrid and Barcelona).

Vigo – Tui (and extension to Portugal via the Celta Train).

Ourense – O Carballiño – Santiago (conventional line, distinct from the high-speed one).

Renfe has stated there will be no widespread alternative road transport plan for these routes, though ticket changes and cancellations are allowed at no cost.

The trains were suspended due to adverse weather conditions caused by the Leonardo storm, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and a high risk of flooding, landslides, and falling trees along the Atlantic axis.

The suspension is in effect today, February 7, and remains indefinite, with no fixed reopening date.

The Semaf train drivers union has called a general strike across the sector following the accidents in Adaluz two days ago and Gelida yesterday (in which a wall collapsed onto a train), which resulted in the deaths of the train drivers and other passengers, and left numerous others injured. In their statement, they declared:

"We consider this situation of constant deterioration of the railway unacceptable. Various measures must be urgently implemented on our network to guarantee the safety of professionals and passengers. The situation has exceeded the limits of what is tolerable, and this union will demand criminal accountability from those responsible for ensuring safety on the railway infrastructure."

Dates will be announced soon, as well as whether other sectors of the public will join the strike, as is already being requested on social media.

Works begin on the Porto viaduct and the VG-20 will face restrictions until the end of 2026.

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility will begin structural reinforcement works on the Porto viaduct next Monday the 12th. The infrastructure is located on the VG-20, Vigo’s ring road. The project will bring significant changes to traffic flow which, according to the official schedule, will remain in place until the end of 2026.

The project was tendered and approved by the Ministry and published in the Official State Gazette on 21 November 2024. The announcement includes an investment of more than five million euros and a total execution period of 32 months, placing the full completion of the works beyond 2027, although the main traffic disruptions will be concentrated in 2026.

The works will take place on the Porto viaduct, located between kilometre points 9.6 and 10.1 of the VG-20, in the Bouzas area. The structure is more than 300 metres long and carries thousands of vehicles every day, which has led the Ministry to plan the intervention in phases in order to keep traffic operating for most of the time.

The first phase will begin in January 2026 with the closure of the left carriageway in the direction of Vigo. Traffic will be diverted to the opposite carriageway, which will operate temporarily with adapted two-way traffic. This reorganisation will remain in place for several months and will be the most noticeable change for drivers.

During the first months of work, structural reinforcement of the viaduct deck will be carried out, considered the most technically complex stage. Later, during the second half of 2026, the parapets and safety restraint systems will be replaced in order to bring the infrastructure into line with current safety regulations.

Although the total duration of the contract exceeds two and a half years, the Ministry expects the most severe traffic restrictions to remain in place for approximately eleven to twelve months, until the end of 2026. At that point, traffic should return to its usual layout, pending finishing works and other complementary actions with a lower impact.

The Ministry recommends that drivers exercise extra caution, comply with temporary signage and plan alternative routes. The project forms part of the national road maintenance programme and aims to ensure the safety, durability and proper condition of one of the most important road infrastructures in the Vigo area.

The City Council of Vigo has put out a tender for a contract aimed at the maintenance and repair of municipal roads, with a duration of four years.

The agreement, valued at 20 million euros, is scheduled to come into effect in 2026 and aims to continue providing the type of services that have already been offered in previous years, thus ensuring the upkeep of the city's streets and roads in the medium term.