The Ribeira Sacra
The Ribeira Sacra is an incredible natural area that preserves precious architectural gems thanks to the numerous Romanesque churches and monasteries, ancestral traditions and an age-old wine industry that is at the forefront.
In addition, the interest in meeting the expectations of visitors has given rise to a series of resources that make it easier for the traveller to get to know it in depth.
A bird’s eye view. Parada de Sil in the heart of Ribeira Sacra
Photograph taken in autumn at Ribeira Sacra
Origin of the name
The first written document in which this place is mentioned dates back to the Middle Ages, in the founding document of the monastery of Santa María de Montederramo, granted in Allariz on 21 August 1124 by Teresa of Portugal: ‘locum qui dicitur Rouoyra Sacrata, qui est in Montederramo, territorio Caldelas’ (the place called Rovoyra Sacra which is in Montederramo, territory of Caldelas).
The historian Fray Antonio de Yepes pointed out that the document referred to the area as Rivoira Sacra and translated it as ‘Ribeira Sacra’ in reference to the large number of monasteries in the area.
The historian Manuel Vidán Torreira doubted this translation, considering that Rivoira would be more likely to be “Roble” than “Ribeira”.
It is the historian Torquato de Souza Soares who finds an error in the transcription by Fray Antonio de Yepes, and points out that the document clearly reads Rovoyra and not Rivoira, which is different from “Ribera” and could have the meaning of Robledal, from the Latin “Rubus”.
Flora and fauna
The river Sil flows through our lands between two almost vertical granite walls, which at some points are more than five hundred metres high. The deep lace of the river was produced over thousands of years due to two main factors: the patient erosion of the waters on bed and powerful geological processes associated with plate tectonics.
This striking orography creates nooks and crannies and areas that are very difficult to access. The continental Atlantic climate has a great influence on these lands and, in addition, certain areas of the canion have a microclimate different from this one, with very Mediterranean characteristics.
These two characteristics make our area an excellent refuge for many species of animals and plants, which find in this land an ideal habitat in which to live. We can find species of trees and plants typical of the Atlantic forest, such as chestnut and oak trees, as well as other much more Mediterranean species in favourable areas, such as cork oaks and lavender. Several birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon or the black kite, including the endangered golden eagle, also find a good nesting place on the steep slopes.
The river Sil has the protection status of ZEC (Special Conservation Area). These are areas with great potential for the restoration of its natural habitat due to its richness and diversity. It is also part of the Natura 2000 Network.
Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Vegetation
The vegetation we can find on our northern slope is mainly chestnut and oak trees, but also strawberry trees, cork oaks, birch trees, rowan trees and holm oaks.
Fruit trees such as cherry trees, apple trees, peach trees, plum trees, pear trees and olive trees.
Gorse, heather, broom, wild berries such as blueberries, blackberries and wild rose bushes.
Also a large number of aromatic and medicinal plants such as lavender, oregano, arnica, laurel, Galician macela, calendula, calamus and mullein among many others.
Fauna
Thanks to the great diversity of vegetation, fauna lives very comfortably in the Ribeira Sacra, both on land and in its rivers.
Aquatic fauna: flounder, trout, eels, bogue, American perch and carp.
Forest fauna: wolves, wild boars, roe deer, deer, foxes, rabbits, lizards and lizards or bats.
Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Birds
We can find an interesting catalogue of birds, especially during the breeding season between April and July.
The presence of rocky birds such as the peregrine falcon tops the list, other less common rocky birds are the blue blackbird and the eagle owl, scarce and difficult to spot, as well as the elusive golden eagle. But the forests and the surrounding area are also home to other birds of prey such as the red kite, the booted eagle, the goshawk and the short-toed eagle.
Among the smaller birds we can mention the cliff swallow and the Eurasian swallow.
On the river, great cormorants and great egrets are frequent sightings.
Also, a multitude of small forest birds such as the Iberian leaf warbler or the blue nuthatch.
In the cultivated and bushy areas, on the edge of the canyon, it is easy to find species such as the eurasian skylark or the red shrinke
How and where can we see them?
Galicia Birding within the Axencia de Turismo de Galicia proposes the best routes for bird watching. Five itineraries to do on foot or by car along the Sil canyon:
1. “Peregrinus” route by car. Route: Parador de Santo Estevo – Parada de Sil – Castro Caldelas.
2. Route by car “Gentilis”. Route: Amandi – Doade – Castro Caldelas.
3. Route on foot “Meridionalis”. Route: Parada de Sil – Santa Cristina Monastery.
4. Route on foot “Solitarius”. Route: Mirador da Cividade.
5. Route on foot “Gallicus”. Sanctuary of Cadeiras – Miradoiro.
Ancient chestnut tree of Entrambosríos
Included in the catalog of “Unique Trees of Galicia“, this beautiful chestnut tree is found in one of the many “groves” that occupy the lands of our municipality.
In an autochthonous forest dotted with centenary chestnut trees, its branches reach a height of 15 metres and a perimeter of more than 9 metres.
To achieve a fairytale landscape, for more than 700 years, it has been surrounded by traditional mills and the remains of dryers that helped to preserve its fruit.
Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Bidueiral de Montederramo – Photo: montederramo.es – Montederramo City Hall
Natural Area Bidueiral de Montederramo
It is one of the most southern birch forests with Euro-Siberian vegetation in Europe. Integrated in the Natura 2000 Network, it is of great ecological importance.
Located in the Sierra de San Mamede (1,606 m), in the municipality of Montederramo, this beautiful ecosystem is made up of birch species, mixed with hollies, rowan, bilberry, broom, oak and ferns. Wild boars, roe deer, deer, lizards, lizards, bats, eagles, owls and goshawks accompany them.
If you don’t want to miss anything, you can follow the PR-G 182 Ruta do Bidueiral de Gabín, an approved hiking route. It is a beautiful route at any time of the year, but especially in autumn, when ochre and reddish colours flood the landscape.
Religious heritage
Photo Necropolis of San Vitor de Barxacova – Fall 2024 – Author: O Souto da Aldea
Necropolis de San Vítor de Barxacova
It was known that in San Vitor there was a chapel that disappeared in the 19th century. Archaeological excavations carried out in the surrounding area uncovered this necropolis dated between the 9th and 10th centuries with anthropomorphic tombs oriented east-west.
After several studies, it was concluded that the necropolis must have been earlier than the chapel, associated with a rural settlement. The origin of San Vítor has nothing to do with the presence of hermits, monasteries or monasteries in the area, but must be included within the early medieval territorial occupation related to rural communities prior to the parish reorganisation of the 12th century. .
Religious complex of Marrubio - Montederramo
Religious ensemble formed by the chapel of San Andrés, two niches with a baldachin of souls and the 18th century polychrome wooden cruceiro under the ceiling.
The beautiful polychrome Cruceiro is protected by a baldachin. It shows the figure of Christ under the attentive gaze of Saint Anton at his feet, who holds him by the waist. Under Christ’s feet, there is a skull and two shin bones. The Virgin Mary is depicted on the reverse. On the base, several figures: ladder, nails and tongs. It represents the descent of the body of Jesus Christ from the cross.
Cruceiro de Marrubio – Photo: O Souto da Aldea
Cruceiro de Forcas – Photo: O Souto da Aldea
Cruceiro de Forcas
Cross dated 1766 that we can find in the parish of Forcas (Parada de Sil).
Interesting for its profuse decoration. Its capital is decorated with a figure of a snake and the faces of angels.
On the cross on one side we can see the Virgin and on the other side we will see Christ crucified accompanied by another person.
The monasteries
It is in the Ribeira Sacra where the greatest concentration of rural Romanesque architecture in Europe can be found, thanks to its numerous Romanesque churches and monasteries.
The monastic communities found these marvellous sites conducive to their mystical and hermit life. It was around these brotherhoods, with their rights over the land, the collection of taxes and the organisation of crops, mainly grapes and chestnuts.
Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil Monastery
The Benedictine monastery of Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil is located in a spectacular setting, in the chestnut grove of Merilán. Declared an Cultural Interest Asset, its temple, one of the best examples of Galician rural Romanesque architecture, was built between the 12th and 13th centuries.
It was founded in the shelter of the steep banks of the final course of the river Sil, and was considered one of the most important in the Ribeira Sacra in the Middle Ages, as can be seen from the remains of the roads that converge in this place. The monks dedicated themselves to the cultivation of chestnuts, vines and the rich river resources. The mention in medieval documentation of the existence of numerous farms and harvesting centres, where all the rents and tithes were received, are evidence of the monastery’s economic prosperity, which began in the 12th century. In the middle of the same century, it passed into the hands of the Benedictine order, with the letters of aphorism ceding land and property to the peasantry in exchange for the payment of rents, while the monastery received the concession of important royal privileges and papal protection.
In 1508, as a priory, it became dependent on the monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil, following the monastic reform of the 15th century. This circumstance was a determining factor in its decline, although in the 16th century the cloister was rebuilt and paintings were painted in the apse of the church. In 1835, the confiscation of Mendizabal and its transfer to private hands turned it into a working farm.
Today, the Romanesque church, the tower and part of the cloister and convent buildings remain standing, minimally restored and open to the public.
Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil Monastry
Declared as Cultural Interest Asset, the Monastery of Santo Estevo in Ribas de Sil is one of the most outstanding and spectacular ensembles of Galicia’s monumental heritage..
The hermit origins date back to the period of the Swabian Kingdom promoted by Martiño de Dumio, which had a privileged enclave in the Ribeira Sacra. The first documentary evidence dates back to 921, when the king of Galicia, Ordoño II, authorised the reconstruction of the ancient monastery dedicated to the first martyr of Christianity, Saint Estevo.
When the rule of Benedict of Nursia began to spread throughout Galicia, this monastery appeared as one of the great monastic centres of the Kingdom of Galicia. It is at this time that tradition tells of the retirement of nine bishops who renounced their episcopal seats and chose the monastery to end their days during the 10th century and, perhaps, part of the 11th century. The monastery kept their remains and, as a memorial, the nine mitres were placed on its coat of arms.
The monastery prospered from the income it obtained from pilgrimages, donations, wine production and fishing rights on the Sil River, as well as from the collection of fees from ports and river crossings. In the 12th century it was incorporated into the Benedictine Order. At the end of this period, work began on the church and in the 13th century on the Bishops’ cloister. The confiscation would end the splendor of the monastery.
In 1998, a comprehensive rehabilitation was carried out for hotel use and in 2004 it became a Parador de Turismo.
In 2020, a restoration team found four ancient rings in one of the side reliquary altarpieces of the monastery. According to tradition, these could be some of the ‘miraculous rings’ of the nine Galician bishops buried in the monastery between the 10th and 11th centuries. These rings had been unaccounted for for centuries.
Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil Monastry – Photo turismo.gal – Xunta de Galicia
Photo Santa María de Montederramo Monastry – Fall 2024 – Author: O Souto da Aldea
Santa María de Montederramo Monastry
Located in the municipality of Montederramo, this temple was possibly founded in the 10th century in a different location to the one it occupies today, in the place of Seoane Vello. It belonged to the Order of Saint Benedict and later to the Cistercian Order. Until the disentailment of Mendizabal, this temple enjoyed significant economic and social power. Since 1951 it has been considered an Cultural Interest Asset.
The facade of the church, completed in 1607, is an example of the Herrerian style in Galicia.
The founding document of the Mosteiro de Santa María de Montederramo, granted in Allariz on 21 August 1124 by Teresa of Portugal: ‘locum qui dicitur Rouoyra Sacrata, qui est in Monte de Ramo, territorio Caldelas’ (the place called Rovoyra Sacra which is in Montederramo, territory of Caldelas) is the first written document in which the Ribeira Sacra is mentioned.
San Pedro de Rocas Monastry
San Pedro de Rocas is the oldest monastic complex in Galicia and the only one that conserves part of its original structure; artificial caves dug into the rock that served as a chapel and chancel for a medieval church.
Since 1923 it has been considered a National Historic Monument and in 1999 it was declared an Cultural Interest Asset.
The origin of San Pedro de Rocas dates back to before 573 and is linked to the evangelist Martín de Dumio in the Swabian period. At the beginning of the 8th century it was abandoned due to the attacks it suffered from the Muslims.
The origin of the monastery, like that of most of the monasteries in the Ribeira Sacra, is eremitic, associated with the beginning of Christianity in Galicia. The transition from praying alone (eremitic life) to praying in community (cenobitic life) is evident in this place.
Mosteiro de San Pedro de Rocas – Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Santa María de Xunqueira de Espadanedo Monastry – Author: O Souto da Aldea
Santa María de Xunqueira de Espadanedo Monastry
This Cistercian monastery has its origins in an early medieval monastery that was consolidated as a Benedictine monastery in the 12th century.
At the end of the 12th century it became part of the Cistercian order, together with the nearby Monastery of Montederramo. It has gone through many architectural styles throughout its history, from Romanesque to Baroque.
Viewpoints
In order to make it easier to plan the visit to the different viewpoints, we will organise the information about them starting from the house:
• Following the course of the river
• Upstream
• The closest ones in the province of Lugo
Following the course of the river:
Balcones de Madrid / Os Torgás
This is one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Galicia and, without doubt, the most popular in the Ribeira Sacra.
Castro viewpoint / La Mirada Máxica / As Xariñas
These are two wooden walkways that go several metres into the canyon, providing spectacular views of the verticality of the walls in this stretch of the Sil.
Vilouxe Viewpoint
This is a natural viewpoint, without any intervention, from where you can see the most iconic image of the Sil in the Ribeira Sacra: the meander known as Coto das Boedas, an impressive granite mass of more than 700 meters in altitude that falls vertically into the river.
Column Viewpoint
A few meters from Cabezoás, from here it is also possible to observe the impressive and last meander of the Sil River as it passes through the municipality of Parada de Sil.
Chao de Madeiros Viewpoint
This viewpoint located on the slope of Monte Meda at almost 1000 m altitude allows us to see the course of the river and the valley of the Terra de Lemos region in the province of Lugo and the Terra de Caldelas region in the province of Ourense.
Triguás Viewpoint
The Triguás hermitage is one of the best known hermitages in the area. The famous pilgrimage known as the “Virxe de Triguás” brought the neighborhood together with food and drinks that were brought on foot to honor the Virgin and also dance to the sound of music that brought young women, and especially young men, from the neighboring regions.
This viewpoint allows you to contemplate a beautiful and wide view of the regions of Terra de Lemos (Lugo) and Terra de Caldelas (Ourense).
Pé do Home Viewpoint
The Viewpoint overlooks the last meters of the South before the Santo Estevo hydroelectric plant, in a landscape of great beauty.
To the right of the viewpoint we can see a large “alvariza”; a construction that served to protect the beehives from bears.
To reach the viewpoint you have to walk. The most comfortable option is to go to the village of Albergaría (Nogueira de Ramuín) and at the foot of the parish cemetery begins the path that will take us to the viewpoint after walking about 1.5 km.
Upstream
Galeana Viewpoint
Between Cristosende and Pedra do Sol, this viewpoint allows us to contemplate the mouth of the river Mao in the Sil and to get an idea of where the famous ‘Ruta del Cañón del Mao’ passes through. It also allows us to contemplate the village of Barxacova (at the mouth of the river), San Lourenzo and Parada de Sil in the background.
Penas de Matacás Viewpoint
At our feet, we will find the Abeleda (Castro Caldelas) and Ponte do Sil (Monforte de Lemos) jetties. Spectacular landscape where the river is shown as a natural border.
The closest ones in the Lugo province
Pena do Castelo Viewpoint
More than 400m above the waters of the Sil, this viewpoint offers extraordinary views of the vineyards of the Amandi sub-area at our feet as well as the Terras de Caldelas. It is a good place to see the heroic viticulture that is practised in the area.
* It can be reached from the LU-903 road (Castro Caldelas – Monforte de Lemos) or from the village of Doade.
Soutochao Viewpoint
Located among the worked vineyards of the Amandi sub-area, hundreds of metres above the waters of the Sil, this viewpoint offers, in addition to the views of the vineyards and the Terras de Caldelas, a grandiose granite sculpture dedicated to the grape harvesters who with so much effort took the grapes from the vineyards to the wineries.
Duque Viewpoint
Spectacular views from this viewpoint over the Ponte do Sil jetty (Monforte de Lemos). On the other side of the river, in Terras de Caldelas, you can see the village of Castro Caldelas with its castle and A Teixeira.
Amandi Viewpoint
Opposite our viewpoint, the Souto da Aldea viewpoint, on the other side of the river, is this viewpoint that allows you to fully observe our region, our villages, our vegetation… The difference between the north slope and the south slope of the Sil River Canyon.
Villas
Castro Caldelas
Castro Caldelas is the only village we have in Terra de Caldelas. The oldest part of the village, especially the streets leading up to the castle of the Counts of Lemos, was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1998. They are cobbled streets that follow the medieval layout, showing interesting stone houses with galleries and coats of arms that speak of a rich medieval splendour. Like the house where the writer and politician Vicente Risco was born, nowadays converted into an inn.
On the night of 19th January, the town’s neighbourhood celebrates the Fiesta de los Fachós to honour Saint Sebastian. With an image of the saint made of straw, preceded by a wide torch of up to 30 metres, they make a small procession around the castle carrying long torches, all of them made of straw.
The town also stands out for its rich gastronomy, which includes Caldelá beef, cured ham from pigs fed on chestnuts and, above all, its famous bica (traditional dessert).
Photo: O Souto da Aldea
The castle
At the foot of the Vía Nueva, the old Roman road between Bracara Augusta and Asturica Augusta, stands the castle of the town, which belonged to the counts of Lemos to defend their domains.
It was built in the 14th century by D Pedro Fernández de Castro. Like most Galician castles, it was partially destroyed in the mid-15th century during the Irmandiña revolt, and later rebuilt.
It has a double wall. Its walls are very thick. The outer wall has three towers on it. The inner wall is topped with battlements.
In the 16th century it was converted into a palace with a large hall. Windows with parlors were opened in its walls and a large corridor was built.
During the War of Independence, in 1809, the neighborhood set fire to it, in retaliation against the French.
In the 18th century, the County of Lemos passed through distant kinship to the House of Alba. The building was inhabited until the 19th century by Sol Stuart, a relative of the Dukes of Alba.
In 1991, it was ceded to the Castro Caldelas City Council, becoming an important cultural center in the region. Inside, it houses the tourist office, the municipal library, the ethnographic museum and an event hall.
Photo: O Souto da Aldea
River routes
It is worth remembering that the Sil River is one of the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula. And that the origin of the Sil Canyon, as Professor López-Davalillo Larrea reminds us, is not fluvial but tectonic. Its formation, which occurred in the Tertiary, and the morphology of its bed are due to the fact that it flows through deep fractures that have cut the south of the province of Lugo and the north of Ourense into large blocks of granite. At the same time, the erosive action of the Sil waters deepened this ravine. And it was these steep slopes that were used by monks and hermits to build, first, small chapels and churches, and later, large monasteries.
Taking a catamaran trip is a very pleasant experience.
Photo: O Souto da Aldea
Walking routes on foot from the house
O Souto da Aldea – A Fábrica da Luz
Leaving the house to the right and walking a few meters along the road, once past the water channeling
O Souto da Aldea – Necrópole of San Víctor (PGR 177)
From O Souto da Aldea there is a road to San Lourenzo that will allow us to reach Necrópole
Canyoning
Photo: Blog Antón Gavela
Descent of the river Mao
The Mao river rises in the Meixón forest. It walks through Mogainza. It meekly approaches the village of Montederramo, behind its magnificent monastery. Its waters stop at the Leboreiro reservoir to later rush near the village of Forcas, forming the canyon that bears its name, the spectacular Cañón del Mao. Between waterfalls, slides and jumps, it flows gently into the river Sil, in the village of Barxacova. Its mouth is so beautiful that it reminds us of the fluvial serenity of an estuary.
Antón Gavela says in his blog that the river Mao is still the place where adventurers and canyoners, canyoning enthusiasts, and keen hikers enjoy the intense emotions in its rough waters and in its broken landscapes, which surprise us in an inland Galicia that is gentle in its orography.
Viticulture
Years ago, it was thought that the Romans brought the vine and that the Caesars enjoyed the wine that came from here. Nowadays, it is known that vines were already there before the Romans and that the Romans probably began to exploit them. That the wines of the Ribeira Sacra were appreciated by the Caesars is attested to by the references that tell that wine was brought to Rome in amphorae from the area of Amandi along the Roman road to be enjoyed by Xulio Caesar himself.
However, it seems that the landscape began to change thanks to the monastic orders, who were the driving force behind wine production. Through the forums, the farmers worked the lands of the monasteries in exchange for a rent, generally in kind, with the duty of gaining new land to dedicate to vineyards.
Most of the vineyards in the Ribeira Sacra are located on the slopes of the Miño, Sil, Cabe and Bibei rivers, with slopes that can reach 100% in some places. This particularity and the almost total absence of mechanisation in the cultivation and harvesting process mean that this difficult task is known as heroic viticulture; a seal that only 5% of the world’s wine-growing area holds.
There are so many excellent wineries that we can visit, with so many national and international awards that year after year achieve their appreciated wines that it is impossible to name them all. For this reason, we are only going to highlight on our website the only winery in our municipality that offers tastings to the public. This winery is just two kilometres from Souto de la Aldea and its facilities can be seen from the top of our viewpoint: Bodega Ronsel do Sil
For information on the other wineries, see the wonderful website of the Consorcio de Turismo Ribeira Sacra: https://turismo.ribeirasacra.org/gl/viticultura
Where to buy food products
Food store – O balcón da Ribeira
In Parada de Sil, 8.5 km away. Small village store with the most necessary products.
Casa Celso Shop-Bar
Na Teixeira, at 7.6 km. Tenda-bar of those that no longer remain where we can buy food products or hardware.
In Castro Caldelas, 15.9 km away, we can find several supermarkets, butchers and there is also a good fishmonger.
Restaurants
We present the restaurants taking into account the distance to the house.
Cantina A Fábrica da Luz
This restaurant is 2.5 km from Souto da Aldeia and can also be reached by walking along a beautiful path
A Horta do Cura
In Cristosende, 5,6 km away, you will find this restaurant, which in summer offers a terrace with beautiful views.
O Curtiñeiro
In Parada de Sil, 8.5 km from O Souto da Aldea. It offers a daily menu.
Casa Mercedes
In Parada de Sil, 8.5 km from O Souto da Aldea. Family tradition in the hostelry
O balcón da ribeira
In Parada de Sil, 8.5 km from O Souto da Aldea. Family tradition in the hostelry
Valilongo Restaurant
In Valilongo, 14 km. away, with a long and renowned trajectory, this restaurant is said to have the most delicious
Alma Sacra Restaurant
In Vilouxe, 15.8 km away. Fusion cuisine with high quality Galician products. Ideal for gastronomic tourism.
Seasons in the Ribeira Sacra
Winter
The harshness of winter: the frost, the cold, the fog, and the Sun, which walks low, we see it but we can hardly feel it because it does not want to come to this northern slope. But winter allows us to see the landscape. The trees are bare, allowing for a few months to walk along the paths and see in the distance these beautiful lands that are now turning gray.
Winter is a time of rest. Nature seems motionless but it does not stop its activity. Feeling the penetrating cold in our bodies, it seems easy to guess its work: exterminating pests; stopping the growth of stems and leaves; making the vegetables more tender; making the roots grow that will be responsible for capturing more nutrients; delaying flowering so that the fruit is not in danger… cold is life. Being here we become aware.
We enter the house and the heat comforts us!
Short days, nights once upon a time of sweltering heat. Time today to read.
Spring
Spring is a beautiful season. The days are gradually getting longer and the Sun warms and encourages words. Plants sprout, leaves appear and hide the gray bark of the chestnut tree branches. Slowly, green floods the landscape mixed with a multitude of colors offered by the numerous plants that bloom: cherry trees, willow trees, pear trees…birches, gorse, broom, sedges, scaly. The candeia, the flower of the chestnut trees, covers much of the ground with yellow. The countryside smells good!
Insects announce that life goes on, that it is possible. Birds go from branch to branch, sheltering from the heat with their leaves. Their songs allow us to calm our thoughts.
Little by little the heat increases, the days become longer and longer. The temperature and the hours of sunshine announce that summer is coming.
Summer
Summer was the season of festivals. In each parish an orchestra. Even today some parishes continue to celebrate the Saint’s Day.
Summer is exuberance. The heat and the coolness of the forest. The heat and the very cold water of the Mao.
The early hours of summer are a real pleasure. The coolness of the night is lengthening and you want to get up early and make the most of the day. Running or taking a walk can be a wonderful option while listening to the chirping of birds.
Have lunch or read under the fig tree, without hurry, slowly.
The days are long and allow you to do many things: many routes to travel, many towns to visit, many villages to get to know.
The villages are full of life
Fall
The poem September by Emilio Araúxo expresses wonderfully well what the arrival of autumn means for the inhabitants of the villages. Preparing for the long nights, the cold, the frost… the loneliness.
But for us, autumn is the most beautiful season in the Ribeira Sacra. If there is a season in which you should come and discover these landscapes, it is this one, when the heat begins to drop.
September, October and November are three spectacular months, a true beauty. The landscape is dyed with colors, all the colors you can imagine in autumn; in the vineyards, in the groves, in the corgas: ochres, yellows, reds, greens, browns… with hundreds of nuances each of them.
Autumn is the season of chestnuts, magostos, the festival of San Martiño in Sacardebois, that of Pisa in Purdeus. The land is full of mushrooms that invite you to gather to look for and eat them.
Autumn is life. The body already asks for cold, retreat… the warmth of home.
Come and see if you like Ribeira Sacra as much as we do. We are sure that not only will you not forget these lands, but you will also come back many times, at least once in each season.
We are doing everything possible to make it so. We look forward to meeting you! We look forward to seeing you in O Souto da Aldea!
LIGHT, COMFORT AND BEAUTY
The home
Small traditional Galician house fully restored in Ribeira Sacra.
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