Monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil

Route of the Monasteries in the Ribeira Sacra

route-monasteries-ribeira-sacra

Biodiversity and medieval heritage


Visiting Galicia, in the north of Spain, is always a great option. If you are also looking for an inspiring inland setting, your destination lies between the provinces of Lugo and Ourense. The Ribeira Sacra, declared a biosphere reserve along with the Serras do Oribio e Courel, is a unique natural enclave of enormous monumental value. The Route of the Monasteries gives you the opportunity to discover this region.

Beyond the canyons, mountain ranges, plains and valleys and a variety of exceptional flora and fauna, with nearly 300 species, the Ribeira Sacra also has an important cultural heritage. It is one of the largest concentrations of medieval churches and monasteries in Europe, spread across the inland regions and the banks of the rivers. We recommend this fantastic two-day tour to see the best preserved monuments. 

DAY 1 (INLAND)

The first day is set aside for visiting the monasteries in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra. The itinerary begins in San Pedro de Rocas. It is the oldest monastery in Galicia, located in the town of Esgos and built on a rock. The Ribeira Sacra Interpretation Center located inside is an ideal exhibition space to get in touch with the area, understand the customs of its people and what life was like in medieval monasteries. The next stop will be the monastery of Santa María de Xunqueira de Espadanedo, where visits must be booked in advance, as in the case at the monastery of Santa María de Montederramo, just 20 kilometres away.

Left: Monastery of San Pedro de Rocas, Esgos. Right: Monastery of Santa María de Montederramo

Back on the road, when you reach the town of Abeleda, don't hesitate to stop for a moment at the As Penas de Matacás viewpoint. You will see the impressive panoramic view of the two banks of the Sil River, with its characteristic sloping vineyards. Another spot to get a closer view of these peculiar crops is the Soutochao viewpoint, approximately halfway up the slope.Finally, at the highest point of the town of Monforte de Lemos is the monastery of San Vicente do Pino. It is currently one of the two Tourism Paradors in the Ribeira Sacra.

Left: As Penas de Matacas viewpoint. Right: Monastery of San Vicente do Pino in Monforte de Lemos

DAY 2 (RIBEIRAS DO SIL)

The second day of the route focuses on the temples located on the banks of the Sil River and the only one that still preserves monastic life, the monastery of San Salvador de Ferreira de Pantón or Bernardas monastery. They maintain the tradition of making exquisite sweets, so you can take home some of their specialties such as butter 'golosas' or coconut and almond 'coquiños' with honey that is harvested at monastery itself.The second visit will be the imposing monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil, also converted into a Tourism Parador and whose visit includes three cloisters and the church. 

Left: Monastery of San Salvador de Ferreira de Pantón. Right: Monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil

Getting back on the road towards Luintra, you will find the Penedos do Castro viewpoint. This is a must-see stop to see how Santo Estevo settles into the slope of the Sil Canyon and to see, in the background, the mouth of the Cabe River. In the opposite direction, towards Parada de Sil, you have the Cabezoás viewpoint to enjoy another spectacular panoramic view. The next destination is the monastery of Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, a true Romanesque gem, surrounded by chestnut trees on the slopes of the Sil Canyon. The last stop is the monastery of San Paio. Although this monument is currently in ruins, on the outside you can see remains of the church, the cemetery and the old patio/cloister. Before reaching this point, along the A Teixeira road, you will find other places of interest, such as the ancient chestnut tree of Entrambosríos; the Mao River walkways; the village of Cristosende and the Cachón waterfalls.

Left: Monastery of Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil. Right: River Mao walkways

Tips and recommendations

Worth knowing

From the docks of Abeleda, Ponte do Sil and Santo Estevo, there are catamaran trips that you can include in the route. The wine tourism train or a visit to a winery are other additional experiences you can have in the area.

When to go on the route

The route can be done at any time of the year – you just have to take into account the hours of daylight and the opening hours of the monuments.

What to do

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