Routes
Culture Routes | 7 nights
This route runs along the southern bank of the River Sil, from Castro Caldelas to Ourense. The landscape offered up in Ribeira Sacra terrain is grandiose, running from the banks of the River Miño to the rocky hills of Sil Gorge.
The route includes the following Paradores:
Verín: First day
The history of this region revolves around the fortress of Monterrei, cultural center in its time, first controlled by the monastery of Celanova, and subsequently coming under crown control. This historic area is made up of the 16th-century Condes Palace, Santa María Gracia Church and the keep, dating from 1482. Among the oldest archeological finds in the region, of special note are the remains of Neolithic pottery found in Santa Ana, as well as dolmens and mámoas, a type of burial mound. Cave art is represented by the sculptures of Abedes. Also of interest is the nearby Do Invernadoiro Nature Reserve.
Monforte: Second day
Great historians such as Pliny and Strabo place the origin of Monforte at between 900 and 600 B.C. The town has a wealth of cultural heritage, whose highlights include the Benedictine monastery of San Vicente, the Count’s Country House (Pazo Condal), the Old Bridge (Puente Viejo), Santa Clara and San Jacinto convents, and more. Other points of interest are Tor Pazo, and examples of rural Romanesque architecture such as the churches of Rivasaltas and Valverde. Monforte is an excellent setting-off point to visit the Ribeira Sacra region and enjoy its natural beauty and scenery. Among spectacular cliffs and leafy vegetation, you will discover the many religious sites which found refuge here during the Middle Ages, giving the area its name, Ribeira Sacra, or Sacred Riverbank.
Santo Estevo: Third and fourth days
To discover the first instance of the use of the name RIVOYRA SACRATA, we must go back to the year 1124, when Doña Teresa of Portugal used this term to refer to the abundance of chapels, convents and monasteries of different sizes located along both banks of the course of the lower Sil River. The proliferation of religious establishments along the banks of the Sil had its origins in those founded at the end of the 6th century by Saint Martín Dumiense and Saint Fructuoso de Braga. Today we can enjoy this area with catamaran trips down the Sil, routes linking the many monasteries and convents, visits to the more than one hundred wineries, hiking routes along former royal roads, leaving behind the noise of the worldly at the holy spots in which hermits took refuge during the late Middle Ages.
Baiona: Fifth days
The town of Baiona is filled with history. Its origins dating back to the Roman era, although the most notable date in its history is 1 March 1493. On this day there arrived in the port the caraval known as the Pinta, and Baiona became the first town in Europe to receive news of the discovery of America. In this lovely coastal town there is much to see, including Sta. Maria de Baiona Church; Monterreal Fortress, home to the Parador; Trinidad stone cross; a magnificent old quarter; a seaside esplanade with a very important marina, among other sights. The surrounding area also offers a number of very lovely spots such as Mount A Groba, from which the rias of the Rías Baixas region appear as a sober and colorful watercolor, with Cape Sillero and the nearby Cíes Isles.
Tui: Sixth and seventh days
Tui is a border town: Portugal can be reached by just crossing a bridge. The town is filled with lovely spots such as the fortress/cathedral, built atop the highest area of the city. Construction was begun in 1120. Not to be missed are the ancient temple of Santo Domingo or the more modern San Francisco. The convent of the Clarisas (nuns of the Order of Saint Clare), the "Encerradas" and Misericordia Chapel are also worthy of mention. The Portuguese baroque style is evident in the church of Saint Telmo, the town’s patron saint. A visit to Portugal on the other bank of the Miño River is also a must.
Rates
Route with bed and breakfast (full route price. VAT included):
Per person in standard double room: 385 euros.
Per child in extra bed (children up to 12): 70 euros.
For second child in an extra bed (children up to 12): 385 euros.
Per adult in extra bed: 368 euros.
Double room for single occupancy: 772 euros.
Route with half board (full route price. VAT included):
Per person in standard double room: 588 euros.
Per child in extra bed (children up to 12): 175 euros.
Per adult in extra bed: 588 euros.
Double room for single occupancy: 975 euros.
The route includes:
Seven nights’ stay in a standard double room with the meal option of your choice (Bed and Breakfast or Half Board)
The route does not include:
Transport, which is the responsibility of the guest(s)
Tours or tickets to monuments or places of interest (details provided for informational purposes only)
Terms and Conditions
General Terms and Conditions
The route begins on Sunday and ends on Sunday.
Neither the dates of your stay, nor the hotels, may be altered or changed during the route.
This route is valid for visits starting February 20-July 10 (inclusive) and August 21-December 11, 2011 (inclusive). Except visits starting April 17 and 24, September 11 and December 4, 2011.
This route and rates are not valid for groups.
The client must carry a valued voucher up to the total amount of the Route indicating the name of the Route. This voucher will be given to the first Parador of the Route.
Cancellations
Cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to the date of arrival will be subject to a cancellation fee equal to the cost of the first night’s stay on the route.
Cancellations made during the course of the route will not be entitled to any refund of the price paid.
No-shows: Failure to keep your reservation on the first day of the route will result in cancellation of the entire route, and will be subject to a cancellation fee equal to the cost of the first night’s stay.
Once the route has begun, failure to keep your reservation at any Parador without giving prior notice will result in automatic cancellation of the reservation at that Parador, as well as at the remaining Paradors on the route.