Ribeira Sacra and the canyon of the Sil
Inland Galicia keeps its grandest landscape well away from the coast. The Sil has cut a gorge five hundred metres deep, and on its walls men have terraced vines at angles no machine can work: viticultura heroica, picked by hand and carried out on shoulders. Benedictine monks settled these slopes a thousand years ago and left more Romanesque churches per square kilometre than anywhere in Europe. It is a long day and worth every hour of it.
Why this day
- An hour and a quarter on the Sil by catamaran, looking up at the terraces
- The viewpoints of Cabezoás and Os Balcóns de Madrid, straight down into the gorge
- Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil, a Benedictine monastery with three cloisters
- Heroic viticulture: vines worked by hand on slopes of up to 85 per cent
- The quietest of the three days, with no coach parks and very few visitors
Itinerary
Pickup
At your accommodation in Santiago. This is the longest day, so we start early.
Monforte de Lemos
A brief stop below the Torre da Homenaxe, at the gateway to the Ribeira Sacra.
Catamaran
Doade pier. An hour and a quarter through the Sil canyon, with the vine terraces above you.
Viewpoints
Cabezoás and Os Balcóns de Madrid, the two balconies over the gorge.
Lunch
In Doade or Sober: country cooking and local wine.
Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil
The Benedictine monastery and its three cloisters, today a Parador.
Return
Back by Chantada and Lalín.
Arrival
At your accommodation in Santiago.
Frequently asked questions
Is the price per person or per vehicle?
Per vehicle. €749 covers up to 4 passengers and €949 up to 8; at eight, €119 each.
Why does this one need notice?
The catamaran runs to a fixed timetable with limited places, and the whole day is built around the sailing we get. Three or four days ahead is usually enough; in August, more.
What happens if the catamaran does not sail?
In high water or bad weather the operator cancels. We tell you as soon as we know and either move the date or run the day without the sailing at the lower rate, as you prefer.
How long is the day, really?
Eleven hours, around 320 kilometres. It is the longest of our Galician days and we would rather you knew before booking.
Is it a good day for someone with limited mobility?
The catamaran and the viewpoints are manageable. The monastery and some of the village streets are not level ground. Tell us in advance and we adjust the stops.
- Vehicle for up to 8 passengers with a professional driver
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Passenger insurance
- Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in Santiago
- Catamaran booking arranged for you
- Bottled water on board
- Catamaran tickets
- Meals and drinks
- Official guide inside monuments
Photographs: Sil canyon by Arsenio Blanco (CC BY-SA 4.0). Mosteiro de Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil by José Antonio Gil Martínez (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
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