# Las Médulas The largest open-cast gold mine of the Roman Empire, in El Bierzo: red pinnacles, chestnut trees, galleries and paths for a day or a weekend. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/las-medulas · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Las Médulas isn't a mountain: it is what was left of one. Between the 1st and 2nd centuries, Rome took gold from this Bierzo sierra by washing it away with water, and what it left behind are pinnacles of red clay, open caves and centuries-old chestnut trees. The Junta estimates more than 400 km of channels to bring the water from the Aquilanos mountains, and up to 60,000 people working in the mine. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is explored on foot, with paths for every pair of legs. ## How do I get there from León? By car, along the A-6 to Ponferrada, and from there about 25 km along the N-536 towards Carucedo, where the turn-off to the village of Las Médulas is. Allow a little over an hour and a half from León and an hour and three quarters from Lugo, also along the A-6. From Ourense you arrive via O Barco de Valdeorras and Puente de Domingo Flórez. There is no practical public transport to the village: without a car, the realistic option is an organised excursion from Ponferrada. ## Where do I park? There are two places and it is best to use both. In the village of Las Médulas, the car park is at the entrance, about 400 m from the visitor reception centre, from where the Valiñas path and the Lago Sumido path leave. For the Orellán viewpoint and its galleries you park at Orellán, in the municipality of Borrenes, ten minutes by car: the León tourist office gives €4 per car. ## How much time do I need? A day covers the essentials: the Orellán viewpoint and the galleries in the morning, lunch at Orellán or in the village, and the Valiñas path in the afternoon. With two days you add a long route, the Perimetral or the Reirigo one, a walk round Lake Carucedo or a horse ride, and a visit to the Templars' castle in Ponferrada or to Cornatel. ## When should I go? In spring and autumn. In October and November the chestnut trees turn yellow and the clay, in the low afternoon light, looks orange. In summer it is hot on the open paths: walk early and bring water. In winter it is a good visit, with short days; the visitor centre closes from 22 December to 2 January. ## How to see the landscape First, from above. The Orellán viewpoint is the view from the photos: the amphitheatre of red pinnacles among chestnut trees. Just before it, the galleries let you into about 200 m of tunnels dug by the Roman miners. Then, from inside: the Valiñas path leaves from the village and makes a loop of about 3 km through the Valiñas cirque, at the foot of the walls. The visitor reception centre runs it with a guide for €5, by reservation. If you have legs left, the Junta has signposted other paths: the Lago Sumido one, 1.9 km each way to a lake formed by the remains of the mine; the Perimetral, 10.5 km and 404 m of ascent around the whole complex, also by bike; and the Reirigo one, 5.4 km along a ridge with viewpoints to Carucedo. ## What else is nearby Lake Carucedo, five minutes away, has a flat 6.5 km loop and the Park Visitor Centre. In Ponferrada, half an hour away, is the Templars' castle, Tuesday to Sunday. The Cornatel castle, in Villavieja, looks over a ravine and is open Wednesday to Sunday. And in Salas de la Ribera, horse rides leave through the Natural Monument, from age 9. ## Eating and sleeping In the village of Las Médulas you have the restaurant of the Hotel Medulio and the Agoga bar. At Orellán, the dining room of O Palleiro serves Bierzo cooking with views, with botillo to order; book at weekends. To sleep, the Hotel Medulio in the village, the O Palleiro rural hotel at Orellán, six doubles without television, and La Peregrina in Carucedo, with an indoor pool and dogs admitted. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Curious Places, Horse riding routes in Spain - Cerca: Lake Sanabria and Puebla de Sanabria (a 37.8 km), Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon (a 58.6 km), Leitariegos and the Laciana Valley (a 66.4 km), Somiedo (a 81.9 km) ## Qué hacer - **Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries** (1 h 30 · For everyone · Viewpoint free · gallery €4, free up to age 14): The Orellán viewpoint is the classic view of Las Médulas: the red clay pinnacles among chestnut trees, seen from above, in the municipality of Borrenes. Just before the viewpoint you enter the Orellán gallery, a tunnel the Romans cut into the mountain to bring the water with which they brought it down and washed the gold: the system known as ruina montium. It is best to start here: from above you understand the whole landscape before exploring it from below. Inside the mountain The visit follows the old water channel through the interior of the rock, about a hundred metres according to Castilla y León Tourism, and ends at an exit that is a balcony in the middle of a vertical cut in the mountain, with Las Médulas at your feet. The floor is uneven and there are steps: closed shoes, and a torch or your phone just in case. The viewpoint, restored after the fire The outdoor viewpoint is free to enter. The fires of summer 2025 damaged its structure and the Junta restored it: new wooden floors, benches, railings and fencing, finished in November 2025. The Borrenes Town Council is also rebuilding the building at the entrance to the gallery. Opening hours and price 27 March to 1 November: every day from 10:00 to 20:00. 1 November to 8 December: every day from 10:00 to 18:15. 9 December to 1 March: the gallery is closed. Last entry is half an hour before closing, and the hours may change with the weather. Admission costs €4, €3 for groups; under-14s go in free. Payment is cash only, because there is no signal. Car parking at Orellán costs €4. Gallery telephone: 649 701 216. Along the LE-6202 to Orellán From the road from Ponferrada to Las Médulas, take the turning to Borrenes and Orellán (LE-6202). From the car park you walk up a short stretch to the entrance to the gallery and the viewpoint. And then, below From the viewpoint you see the landscape; below, you walk through it, on the Valiñas trail or the perimeter trail. To eat without leaving Orellán, O Palleiro has a dining room with views of the valley. - **Valiñas Trail with a Visitor Centre Guide** (2 h · 3 km · Families · Guided €5 · on your own free): This is the walk that takes you inside the mine: it leaves from the village of Las Médulas, beside the visitor reception centre, and makes a loop of about 3 km through the Valiñas amphitheatre, one of the mine's workings that the Romans left abandoned. You walk among centuries-old chestnut trees to the foot of the red walls and look into the great hollows, such as La Cuevona. With a guide or on your own The visitor reception centre organises the guided visit with prior booking: in winter it leaves at 10:00, 12:00 and 13:00, and in July, August and September at 10:00, 10:30 and 11:00. It lasts about two hours and costs €5 per person (€2 for groups of more than 20). A minimum of six people is needed for it to go ahead, so book and confirm on 987 420 708, 619 258 355 or at medulas@ccbierzo.com. On your own, the path is signposted and free. Getting there and parking Park in the car park at the entrance to the village of Las Médulas. The centre is about 400 m away, on the main street, behind the church, and about 50 m from the start of the Valiñas amphitheatre. It is open every day from 9:45 to 16:30 in winter and from 9:45 to 14:30 and from 16:00 to 18:00 in summer; closed from 22 December to 2 January. - **Las Médulas Perimeter Trail** (4 h · 10.5 km · Regular walkers · Self-guided · free): Trail L1 goes round the core of the Roman mine through the three municipalities that share it: Borrenes, Carucedo and Puente de Domingo Flórez. The Junta describes it as circular, 10.5 km and 404 m of ascent, of medium difficulty; allow about four hours on foot with stops. It can also be done by mountain bike: in the cycling version the perimeter variant rises to 14.5 km, five hours and high difficulty. What you will see It is the route for seeing Las Médulas from every side in one day without repeating yourself: chestnut groves, pinnacles, channels and hamlets. Las Médulas was a Roman gold mine, now a World Heritage Site, and the landscape is the work of the miners: according to the Junta, more than 400 km of channels were dug and up to 60,000 people came to work there. Going round the whole, you grasp the scale of the work better than from any single viewpoint. Along the way you find chestnuts, heathers, brooms and carqueixa, and in the hills live wolves, wild boar, partridges and rabbits. How to organise it The practical thing is to start in the village of Las Médulas, where the entrance car park is and, 400 metres away, the Visitor Reception Centre, with trail maps. You can also set out from Carucedo, next to the Park House. Look at the map in one of the two before setting off: the route links with other trails in the Natural Monument and it is useful to know at which junctions to continue. Bring water, because in summer the sun is strong on the open stretches, and mountain footwear. The best time is spring and autumn; in October and November, the chestnut trees are golden. With children, it is long: better for youngsters who already do half-day outings. To complete it If you do not want the full loop, combine short stretches: the Valiñas amphitheatre from the village, the Sumido lake trail, flat and for small children, or the Reirigo trail, along the ridge towards Carucedo. The best overall view is at the Orellán viewpoint, with paid parking next to it. For eating afterwards, at Orellán there is O Palleiro, with views of the mine, and in the village of Las Médulas, the Medulio restaurant. If you do the loop by bike, they can also be rented at the visitor centre. - **Sumido Lake Trail** (1 h 20 · 1.9 km · With children · Self-guided · free): It leaves from the village of Las Médulas and reaches, along 1.9 km of easy path, a small lake surrounded by reeds. It formed when the debris carried by the mine's water blocked a valley. The Junta gives it 40 minutes each way on foot and 20 by bike, low difficulty and barely any slope: it is the walk for small children. The return is by the same path. What you will see The trail crosses part of sector III of the mine, the last one worked before the Romans abandoned it, at the end of the 2nd century or the beginning of the 3rd. Along the way you come across the mining cuts and the picuezos, remains of extraction in the mountain. According to the Junta, the variants of the route let you understand the geology of the deposit, how the mine worked and how the gold was extracted. Las Médulas was, according to the Park House, the largest gold mine of the Roman Empire, and today it is a World Heritage Site. The Romans brought the water along more than 400 km of channels to bring the mountain down and wash the earth; the mud and the leftover stones, the waste, built up in the valleys. The Sumido lake is one of the consequences. When and how It can be done all year. In summer it is best to go early or late, with water and a cap; in autumn, the chestnut trees of the Natural Monument change colour. The path is suitable for bicycles; at the Visitor Reception Centre, on the village's main street, they rent bikes and give you the map. Watch out for the figures: the Junta's leaflet gives 19 km and 66 hours, an obvious misprint; what is consistent with the rest of the leaflet and with the 40-minute time is 1.9 km. With children It is the easiest walk in Las Médulas and the best to start with small children. You can extend it with a visit to the Valiñas amphitheatre, 50 metres from the visitor centre: the Valiñas trail goes through La Cuevona and La Encantada. If you want to see the mine from above afterwards, drive up to the Orellán viewpoint. Parking and eating Park at the entrance to the village of Las Médulas, 400 metres from the visitor centre. For eating, in the village there are Agoga and the Medulio restaurant. - **Reirigo Trail, from Las Médulas to Carucedo** (3 h · 5.4 km · Regular walkers · Self-guided · free): The Junta presents it as one of the most beautiful and distinctive routes in the Natural Monument: 5.4 km linear, about three hours, from Las Médulas to Carucedo along a ridge with remains of the Roman mine and views of the pinnacles and, at the end, of Carucedo lake. The difficulty is medium-high because of the slopes. As it is linear, leave a car in Carucedo or allow for the return by the same path. What you will see Las Médulas was the great Roman gold mine of the north-west, now a World Heritage Site. To get the gold out, the Romans dug more than 400 km of channels and brought down entire mountains with water; the result is the peaks and walls of reddish sand you see among chestnuts and oaks. The Reirigo trail runs along them from above, on a ridge between the mine and the lake, with several viewpoints over the pinnacles. At the end, on the way down, Carucedo lake appears, which gives its name to the Las Aves route. How to organise it Start in the village of Las Médulas, where the entrance car park is and, 400 metres away, the Visitor Reception Centre: there they give you the trail map and tell you what condition they are in. The finish is Carucedo, on the shores of the lake, where the Park House is. If there are two cars, leave one in Carucedo. If not, the return by the same path doubles the day. Allow three hours one way with stops for photos. Difficulty and season The Junta rates it medium-high: there are steep climbs and descents. Wear mountain footwear, and bring water and sun protection: in summer, on the ridge, the sun beats down. The best time is spring and autumn, when the chestnut trees are green or golden. With children, better if they already walk well for several hours on sloping terrain. To round off the day If you have energy left, go round Carucedo lake on the flat Las Aves route, 6.5 km. Before starting, the Valiñas amphitheatre from the village of Las Médulas is worth seeing, and the Orellán viewpoint gives the view from the other side. For eating in the village, see Agoga or the Medulio restaurant; for sleeping in Carucedo, La Peregrina. - **Walk Round Carucedo Lake** (1 h 20 · 6.5 km · Families · Self-guided · free): Carucedo lake, five minutes by car from Las Médulas, can be circled by the Las Aves de Carucedo route: 6.5 km circular, an hour and twenty on foot or about twenty minutes by bike, according to the Junta. Beside the shore there is also an accessible path of 600 m. It is the plan for after lunch, or for anyone who wants no more slopes. What you will see The lake lies within the Las Médulas Natural Monument, at the foot of the Roman gold mine. The route is called Las Aves (The Birds) because the lake is a good place to watch them, and the Junta recommends it in every season. According to the Park House, fishing on Carucedo lake was one of the region's traditional trades, along with the care of chestnut trees and vineyards. The two versions The short one goes round the lake: 6.5 km flat, medium difficulty according to the Junta for the length rather than the terrain. The long one climbs up to Las Médulas: 9.95 km, about two hours and three quarters on foot or an hour by bike. If you want a full day, you can start at Las Médulas on the Reirigo trail, which comes down the ridge to Carucedo, and finish with the walk round the lake. The accessible path, of 600 metres and about fifteen minutes, is designed as an accessible path, also for pushchairs. Getting there and parking The lake is next to the village of Carucedo. In Carucedo is the Natural Monument's Park House, on Calle de Abajo, where you can start: there they explain the zones of Las Médulas and how to visit them, and the hours change with the season. Tips Bring binoculars if you are interested in birds and go first thing or at dusk. In summer, bring water and sun protection. With children, the short version by bike is a good plan; if you have no bikes, they can be rented at the Visitor Reception Centre in Las Médulas. For sleeping by the lake, La Peregrina is in Carucedo. And if you come from Ponferrada, Cornatel castle is on the way. - **Horse ride through Las Médulas from Salas de la Ribera** (2 h · From age 9 · Desde 35 € per person): The rides leave from a ranch in Salas de la Ribera, in the Puente de Domingo Flórez part of the Natural Monument, between the River Sil and the old gold-washing sites. They are run by Turismo Bierzo Rural and are a different way of seeing Las Médulas, at a horse's pace and with a guide. The rides The one-hour ride, for €35 per person, is a relaxed outing along tracks and paths around the ranch, within the Natural Monument, with no previous experience needed. The two-hour ride, for €60, also needs no experience and reaches the La Palombeira cave and the El Valgón spillway, where the gold-washing took place. There are also half-day or full-day outings, from €85 and from three and a half hours, that climb through the mine's waste zones, passing the La Palombeira cave, the Sumido lake and the abandoned hamlet of La Balouta. They are not for beginners: they require previous riding experience. Requirements and what is included The minimum age is 9 and the maximum weight 95 kg, because of the type of horses. There are at most six riders with one guide; the group may be smaller if a horse needs rest. The price includes helmet, insurance and a professional guide. Wear long trousers, which are compulsory to avoid chafing, and high-ankle footwear. In summer, a cap and water. Booking Book by appointment, by phone or with the form on the website, or by writing to hola@turismobierzorural.com. The company does not publish a fixed calendar: the date and time are agreed when booking. Its website links its cancellation policy; read it beforehand, especially if you depend on the weather. The context Las Médulas was a Roman gold mine, now a World Heritage Site. The washing sites you see from the rides were at the end of the process: that was where the gold was separated from the earth carried down by the water. To understand the whole before getting on a horse, call in at the Visitor Reception Centre in the village of Las Médulas or at the Park House in Carucedo. For the rest of the day, the Sumido lake trail is short and flat, and the Orellán viewpoint gives the full view of the mine. If you come with children under 9, who cannot ride, Carucedo lake and its accessible path are a good alternative. - **Cornatel Castle** (1 h · For everyone · 3 €): In Villavieja, in the municipality of Priaranza del Bierzo, a step from the road from Ponferrada to Las Médulas. The castle looks out over a ravine from a spur of rock and from the walls you can see the Sil valley. It is a shorter and simpler visit than Ponferrada's. History Castilla y León Tourism places its origin in the 10th century. Like the one in Ponferrada, it belonged to the Templars and later became the property of the Count of Lemos. What remains today is a fortress adapted to the terrain, built on the height to watch over the valley. What you will see The visit follows the westernmost section of the castle, between the wall and an impressive precipice, with two gun openings along the way. The best thing is the setting: hanging over the rock, with the ravine on one side and the Sil valley beyond. Inside, temporary exhibitions are mounted from time to time. Allow an hour for the castle and the views. The Priaranza del Bierzo tourist office, run by the Town Council, operates in the castle itself. Opening hours and tickets Open Wednesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. In winter, from 30 October to 31 March: from 11:00 to 18:00. In spring and summer, from 1 April: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. General admission costs €3; €1 reduced, pensioners included, and €1.50 per person for groups. Telephones: 987 420 806 and 606 898 140; email, castillodecornatel@gmail.com. The official leaflet itself has some contradictions between season dates, so if you go first thing in the morning or on a public holiday, call ahead. Getting there and tips It is in Villavieja, near the road between Ponferrada and Las Médulas, half an hour from Las Médulas. Wear comfortable shoes and watch the children on the stretches beside the precipice. It is a good stop on the way there or back from Ponferrada. Combining It fits on the way between the Templar castle of Ponferrada and Las Médulas: a morning of castles and the afternoon at the Roman mine, with the Orellán viewpoint or the Valiñas trail. If you are staying in Carucedo, La Peregrina is next to the Carucedo lake. - **Templar Castle of Ponferrada** (1 h 30 · For everyone · €6 · reduced €4): If you arrive from León or Lugo, you pass through Ponferrada: the castle is at the top of the old town. In the Middle Ages it was one of the largest fortresses in the north-west of the peninsula, and today it is the essential monumental visit in El Bierzo before or after Las Médulas. A little history According to Castilla y León Tourism, in 1211 Alfonso IX signed peace with the Order of the Temple and handed it the town of Ponferrada; by 1226 the Templars had already fortified it, and they remained there until the dissolution of the order in 1312. The castle is attributed to them, but it reflects several periods of construction: what you see is the result of centuries of work. What you will see It is a large polygonal enclosure of more than 8,000 square metres, with double and triple defences forming barbicans, towers and living quarters. Inside there is a large lower courtyard, the albacar. The predominant style is Gothic. Allow an hour and a half to go round the walls, towers and courtyards at leisure. Opening hours and tickets Open Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays, with seasonal hours: 1 November to 28 February: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. In March: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00. 1 April to 30 September: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30. In October: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00, with Sunday afternoon closed. Closed on Mondays. The ticket office closes half an hour earlier. Admission costs €6, €4 reduced. Closed on 24, 25, 30 and 31 December and on 1 and 6 January. Telephones: 987 402 244 and 669 462 629. The Junta warns that hours and prices may change: confirm them if you go on a public holiday. How to fit it in with Las Médulas Ponferrada is about 25 km from Las Médulas, and the road passes near Cornatel castle, in Villavieja: in one day you can see both castles and reach Las Médulas in the afternoon, for the Orellán viewpoint in the last light. If you sleep in the area, the Hotel Medulio is in the village of Las Médulas itself. With children, the walls, the towers and the great courtyard of the albacar make for an entertaining visit. The address is Avenida del Castillo, no number, at the top of the old town. ## Dónde comer - **O Palleiro do Pé do Forno Restaurant** (Restaurant, Orellán, €€€). Qué pedir: the botillo or the roast lamb, which must be ordered when booking. - **Hotel Medulio Restaurant** (Restaurant, Las Médulas, €€). Qué pedir: the set menu after the Valiñas trail, or botillo if available. - **Agoga** (Bar, Las Médulas, €). Qué pedir: something simple between the trail and the viewpoint. ## By car: By car, unhurried and with two car parks Las Médulas is seen by car: there is no practical public transport to the village, and the day is split between two points ten minutes apart, the village of Las Médulas and the Orellán viewpoint. You get there on the A-6 as far as Ponferrada and continue about 25 km along the N-536 towards Carucedo. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **O Palleiro do Pé do Forno Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 57 € / night): O Palleiro do Pé do Forno is a six-room rural hotel in Orellán, the Borrenes village above Las Médulas, about 2 km from the viewpoint. It is run by Isabel, who also cooks, with more than twenty-five years of welcoming travellers. The rooms are named after emperors and empresses, have no television on purpose, and at night the sky over Orellán is free of light pollution. Six rooms with Roman names The three on the ground floor, Augusto, Claudio and Vespasiano, have 1.80 m beds and open onto the traditional wooden corridor; Augusto has direct access. The three on the first floor, Livia, Agripina and Flavia, have 1.50 m beds and a balcony with views of the Bierzo valley. There is also a two-single-bed configuration. All have a bathroom with shower, climate control and free wifi. Fixed price all year The house charges the same all 365 days, with no increase in high season or at weekends: Double: €62 a night for two; €57 booking on its website, with an 8% discount. Single: €50; €46 on its website. Extra bed: €20, only in the first-floor rooms. Cot: free, with prior booking. Breakfast: €5 per adult and €4 for ages 8 to 13. Cancellation is free up to five days before. Animals are not admitted. Loaf-bread breakfast Breakfast is continental and home-made: toasted country bread, butter, olive oil, house jams, pastries, coffee, cocoa or tea and juice. It is served from 9:15 to 10:30 and booked the night before; there is a gluten-free option if you let them know. Dining without taking the car The house restaurant, with large windows onto the valley, serves lunches from 13:30 to 15:15 and dinners from 21:00 to 22:15, with Bierzo cooking and the odd dish of Roman inspiration; the botillo and the lamb must be ordered in advance. Average price, €30 to €35. The hotel also sells getaways with dinner and a guided route through Las Médulas for two people, for €74. Las Médulas from the door The Orellán viewpoint and galleries are in the same village, and the perimeter trail goes round the mining landscape. Isabel recommends routes to anyone who asks. - **Hotel Medulio** (Hotel): Sleeping inside the landscape The Hotel Medulio is at the entrance to the village of Las Médulas, on Calle General, the main street, a few steps from the visitor reception centre. It is the village's big hotel: the website speaks of 70 places in rooms with full bathroom, telephone, television, heating and terrace, and from the terraces you can see the landscape of the ancient Roman gold mine, a World Heritage Site since 1997. The rooms are spacious and accept one, two and even three extra beds, which makes it practical for families and groups. It has its own parking for cars and coaches, and a large dining room that it also uses for celebrations such as weddings and communions. Eating at the hotel The restaurant serves Bierzo cooking, with botillo and other local products, as a set menu of the day or a wider à la carte menu. The café has views of the landscape. Both are open to non-guests; having a dining room in the same house is welcome when you return from the trails. The website does not publish hours or the menu. Walking from the door From the hotel itself start the signposted routes of the Natural Monument. The shortest is the Valiñas trail, a loop of about 3 kilometres through the amphitheatre of the mine, among centuries-old chestnut trees, to the great hollows of La Cuevona and La Encantada. The visitor reception centre, open every day from 9:45 to 16:30 in winter, organises guided visits of about two hours with prior booking. The hotel also offers guided visits with professionals and canoe descents of the River Sil. For the classic view from above you have to drive to the Orellán viewpoint; its galleries are open until 9 December 2026 from 10:00 to 18:15, with admission of 4 euros. Ponferrada is about 20 kilometres away. Booking The website does not publish prices or check-in and check-out times: write to recepcionmedulio@gmail.com or call 987 42 28 89 or 987 42 28 33. Direct-booking offers are on its offers page. - **La Peregrina Rural Hotel** (Small hotel, desde 75 € / night): La Peregrina is a rural hotel on the Las Médulas road, in Carucedo, about 2 km from the village of Las Médulas and on the winter Camino de Santiago. It has ten rooms and a family attic among tree-filled gardens, designed for those travelling with children or a dog: indoor pool, padel, play area and pets welcome. Between the lake and Las Médulas The location serves the whole valley. Carucedo lake, a natural lake a kilometre across where people walk, row and, in summer, swim, is less than a kilometre away. Las Médulas, 2 km; Cornatel castle, 5 km. For the overall view, the Orellán viewpoint is a few minutes by car, and for exploring the Roman workings from inside, the perimeter trail. Rooms for two to six Double: 1.50 m bed, private bathroom and fan; from €75 a night. Superior double: for three, with two 1.35 m beds; from €85. Family suite: for four, with two 0.90 m beds and one 1.50 m bed, and an option for an extra bed; from €130. Family attic: for six, with separate entrance, two bedrooms, bathroom with jacuzzi, kitchen, living room, two terraces and air conditioning; accepts up to two extra beds. No room service. From €150. Prices change with the season. Cots are available, and the rooms are cleaned every morning. Indoor pool, padel and library The pool is indoors, in the middle of the garden, open 24 hours, and has a summer terrace. In the garden are the playground and the padel court. Inside there is a library and a dining lounge with a fireplace, for a glass of Bierzo wine by the fire. Breakfast with village bread, and dinner Breakfast is generous: freshly baked village bread, roscón, pastries, biscuits, cereals, fried eggs, cured meats, fruit and produce from the vegetable garden. The restaurant opens for breakfasts and dinners; at midday, go down to eat in Las Médulas or at O Palleiro, in Orellán. Dogs and times Dogs are welcome for €10 a night. Check-in is from 13:00 and check-out at 11:00; late check-out costs €20. Bookings on 669 39 83 48 or at info@laperegrina.es. Activities they suggest The hotel recommends local companies for kayaking and paddle surfing on Carucedo lake, horse rides along the Las Médulas trails, paintball and electric bikes. ### Servicios - **Las Médulas Visitor Reception Centre**: Route information, audiovisual, guided visits to the Valiñas and bike hire, 400 m from the village car park. - **Orellán Viewpoint Car Park**: Paid car park next to the Orellán viewpoint and galleries · €4 for cars, €10 for minibuses. ## As a family: Tunnels, chestnut trees and a lake, over short distances Las Médulas works with children because everything is close by and there is something to touch: a Roman gallery you walk into, a forest of giant chestnut trees and a hidden lake. ### What works best The Orellán galleries, about 200 m of tunnel, and the viewpoint next door The Valiñas trail, 3 km and about two hours, with or without a guide The Sumido lake trail, 1.9 km each way, flat Horse rides from age 9 at Salas de la Ribera ### Sleep La Peregrina, with an indoor pool, padel and family suites Hotel Medulio, with extra beds in the rooms ### Eat Hotel Medulio restaurant, at the foot of the trail O Palleiro, with booking and a menu of around €30 ### Keep in mind In the galleries there are steps and the floor is uneven: no pushchairs In summer, walk early: there are stretches without shade The guided visit needs a minimum of six people ### Qué hacer as a family - Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries - Valiñas Trail with a Visitor Centre Guide - Sumido Lake Trail - Walk Round Carucedo Lake - Horse ride through Las Médulas from Salas de la Ribera - Cornatel Castle - Templar Castle of Ponferrada ## With young children: Short walks without slopes for the smallest With children under six, choose the short walks and leave the Perimeter and Reirigo trails for another trip. With a baby carrier you can reach everything essential. ### What works best The Orellán viewpoint, a few minutes from the car park The Sumido lake trail: 40 minutes each way and low difficulty The walk round Carucedo lake, flat, and its 600 m accessible path ### Sleep La Peregrina, with a play area, garden and cots O Palleiro, with a free cot ### Eat Hotel Medulio, in the village, without taking the car after the trail ### Keep in mind In the galleries there are steps and little light A pushchair works at Carucedo lake, not on the mine trails ### Qué hacer with young children - Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries - Sumido Lake Trail - Walk Round Carucedo Lake ## With teenagers: A Roman mine to explore on foot, on horseback or by bike Teenagers get hooked by the history: thousands of people bringing mountains down with water to extract gold. Give them a challenge and a map. ### What works best The Reirigo trail, 5.4 km along a ridge with viewpoints The Perimeter trail, 10.5 km and 404 m of ascent, also by bike The two-hour horse ride to the La Palombeira cave The Templar castle of Ponferrada ### Sleep La Peregrina, with an indoor pool and padel Hotel Medulio, at the foot of the trails ### Eat O Palleiro: botillo ordered in advance, to taste the real Bierzo ### Keep in mind There are bikes for hire at the visitor centre The half-day horse rides are not for beginners ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries - Valiñas Trail with a Visitor Centre Guide - Las Médulas Perimeter Trail - Reirigo Trail, from Las Médulas to Carucedo - Horse ride through Las Médulas from Salas de la Ribera - Cornatel Castle - Templar Castle of Ponferrada ## Consejos ### Start at Orellán From the viewpoint you understand the whole. Down in the Valiñas, you already know what you are looking at. ### Book the guided visit It leaves at fixed times and with a minimum of six people. Call the centre the day before. ### Order the botillo It is the Bierzo dish, and in small restaurants it is prepared to order. ### Wear closed shoes The paths are earth and sand, and in the galleries there are steps and little light. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How much does it cost to visit Las Médulas? The paths are free. The Orellán galleries cost €4 and its car park €4, and the visitor centre's guided visit, €5. ### Do I need to book? Only the Valiñas guided visit, which leaves with a minimum of six people. ### Can I go with children? Yes. The viewpoint, the galleries, the Lago Sumido path and the Valiñas one are short. With a pushchair, only the walk round Lake Carucedo. ### Can I go with a dog? The paths are inside the Natural Monument: ask about the rules at the Park Visitor Centre or the visitor centre before going. La Peregrina, in Carucedo, admits dogs. ### How long does it take from León? A little over an hour and a half by car, along the A-6 to Ponferrada and the N-536. ### What should I see first, the viewpoint or the path? The Orellán viewpoint. It gives you the overview and then the Valiñas path makes sense.