Overview
Ribeira Sacra is one of the hidden gems of Spain. The gorges of the rivers Sil and Miño provide dramatic scenery, with 500m high cliffs comparable to the Norwegian fjords, but enjoying the privileged Spanish climate, ideal for growing vines, cherries and even oranges. Add to this the welcoming Galician people and their picturesque villages, the Romanesque ruins, the chestnut forests and the lovely city of Orense at the end, and you have a walking holiday that you will not forget.
This is a land of ancient monasteries that produced exclusive wines for the most refined members of the clergy in the Vatican. This tradition is still alive, and nowadays, there are many terraced vineyards hidden in the steep gorges. The wineries are small family-run businesses and produce limited editions of excellent Ribeira Sacra wines using the Mencia grape and other local and exclusive varieties.
This holiday runs along scenic trails, crossing vineyards and beautiful oak and chestnut forests and passing by the edge of the gorges, so expect spectacular views most of the time.
- Castro Caldelas
- Cristosende
- Parada de Sil
- Penalba
- Turbisquedo
- Orense
Itinerary
Day 1: Castro Caldelas
Arrive at this pretty town with typical Galician stone houses on time to enjoy the views over a lovely valley, the castle and of course, do not miss a glass of local wine!
- Overnight: Hotel Casa de Caldelas or similar in Castro Caldelas
Day 2: Castro Caldelas – Cristosende | 16km
Walk down the valley through oak forests and then across vineyards, passing through some small villages. Head to the abandoned monastery of San Paio and ascend to the village of A Portela. Take the trail along the gorge, offering fantastic views for two hours, and reach Cristosende, a scenic village where you will spend the night.
- Walking for the day: 15.5km, 5-6h, ↑500m ↓750m
- Overnight: Casa Grande de Cristosende or similar in Cristosende
Day 3: Cristosende – Parada de Sil | 13km
Walk down to the gorge and along the river from village to village, enjoying the scenery of cherry trees, chestnuts and vines and through beautiful oak forests. Climb up to Parada de Sil, one of the most lively villages in the area, perfect for enjoying a well-deserved refreshment.
- Walking for the day: 12.5km, 5h, ↑700m ↓550m
- Overnight: O Balcón da Ribeira or similar in Parada de Sil
Day 4: Parada de Sil cliffs | 12km
A spectacular stretch! The route offers many viewpoints over the 400m high gorge, amazing paths running close to the cliffs and through beautiful chestnut forests, to descend to Santa Cristina Monastery, a must-stop place. If you prefer an easier day, from Santa Cristina, walk up to Castro and then to Parada to complete a pleasant circular walk. Longer option available. If you have chosen the upgraded accommodation, a short transfer will take you to San Estevo after the walk.
- Walking for the day: 12.2km, 4-5h, ↑500m ↓500m (standard option) or, 17.8km, 6h ↑700m (longer option)
- Overnight: O Balcón da Ribeira or similar in Parada de Sil
- Optional hotel upgrade: Parador de Santo Estevo or similar in San Estevo
Day 5: Parada de Sil – Santo Estevo – Penalba | 16km
After a short lift, start the walk along a path offering amazing views of San Estevo Monastery. If you stayed at the upgraded accommodation, you start the walk directly from there. Walk down and stop there for a visit, to continue through a chestnut forest. Once up and back to the plateau, walk across open areas and meadows, and reach the confluence of the gorges of Sil and Miño rivers. Walk into Penalba enjoying the beautiful vineyards and the delightful views of the river Miño.
- Walking for the day: 15.5km, 5-6h, ↑400m ↓850m
- Overnight: O Remanso dos Patos or similar in Penalba
Day 6: Penalba – Turbisquedo | 13km
Follow the Miño River towards Os Peares, where you cross the river with the views of the historic iron railway bridge linking the Miño and Sil valleys. Step into Bubal gorge and continue through the surrounding mountains towards Turbisquedo. Check in to your hotel and rest before dinner with a glass of wine if you’d like. If you’d like a shorter day, you can travel with your luggage directly to Os Peares and start the walk from there.
- Walking for the day: 13.2 km, 4-5h ↑815m ↓350m or, 8.2 km, 3h ↑500m ↓60m
- Overnight: Pazo de Turbisquedo or similar in Turbisquedo
Day 7: Turbisquedo – Barra de Miño – Orense | 14km
The final stage is a gentle walk through oak woodland and open meadows towards the small town of A Peroxa. From there, the route descends back to the Miño river, passing through traditional Galician villages and along smaller streams. Arrive at Barra de Miño, where you meet your local driver for a transfer to Orense, the final stop of the tour. You can shorten this walk by half, with a lift to A Peroxa to start the walk from there. In Orense, you can visit Roman-built hot springs, or take your time strolling through the streets and tasting the local flavours of Galicia.
- Walking for the day: 14.2 km, 4-5h ↑210m ↓700m or, 7 km, 2h ↑100m ↓500m
- Overnight: Hotel Zarampallo or similar in Orense
- Optional hotel upgrade: Hotel Barceló Orense or similar in Orense
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Casa de Caldelas (Castro Caldelas)
- Casa Grande de Cristosende (Cristosende)
- O Balcón da Ribeira (Parada de Sil)
- O Remanso dos Patos (Penalba)
- Pazo de Turbisquedo (Turbisquedo)
- Hotel Zarampallo (Orense)
- Hotel Novo Candido (Orense)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Parador de Santo Estevo (San Estevo)
- Hotel Barceló Orense (Orense)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included for 6 days (not included in Orense), one packed lunch is included in Cristosende and one dinner in Turbisquedo. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for seasoned walkers and requires a good fitness level; the average walking time is 5-6h per day (read more about difficulty grades). The paths are waymarked only in some parts, but the itinerary is easy to follow as the route notes are very accurate and to the point, and the maps are very detailed. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from late March to June, and from September to the end of October. The best time to visit is late April and May, as well as late September to mid-October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
For further information, see our blog Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this holiday are Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ), A Coruña Airport (LCG) and Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a train station in Orense. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe, or use the Omio planner above.
- If travelling from any of the airports, take a train to Orense, and then bus or taxi to Castro Caldelas. For more information, visit the national rail operator Renfe, or use the Omio planner above.
- From Orense, there are buses to Castro Caldelas: weekdays 14:45 & 18:30, Sunday 18:30, no Saturday service (7€). For more details, use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in small hotels
- 6 breakfasts (no breakfast in Orense)
- 1 picnic lunch (on day two) and 1 dinner with wine (on day six)
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days
- Transfer on day five (Parada de Sil to Santo Estevo)
- Digital and printed tour materials including GPS tracks, route notes, maps and important telephone numbers
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Flights and airport transfers
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as snacks, drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘included’ in the programme
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Optional taxi lifts or train tickets for shorter walks
- Taxi from Orense to Castro Caldela
- Extra night in Orense after the tour
- Extra nights in Santiago de Compostela, before or after the tour
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
