O Palleiro do Pé do Forno Restaurant
What to order: the botillo or the roast lamb, which must be ordered when booking.
Lunches from 13:30 to 15:15 and dinners from 21:00 to 22:15. Booking recommended at weekends.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.46° N · 6.77° W
Las Médulas: the viewpoint, the tunnels and the chestnut trees.
In the morning, the Orellán viewpoint and its Roman galleries; a Bierzo lunch with views at Orellán and, in the afternoon, the Valiñas trail among chestnut trees.
Leaving from
Part of Las MédulasCurious PlacesHorse riding routes in Spain
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car1 h 45 each way
Walking3 km · 2 h
DifficultyEasy
Cost€40–60 pp
Best timeApril – November
With childrenYes
With a dogAsk at the Casa del Parque
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave León 1 h 45 by car
via the A-6 to Ponferrada and the N-536 towards Carucedo
-
1
Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries
Galleries and Orellán viewpoint · 1 h 30 · €4 and €4 for parking
- 15 min on foot
-
2
O Palleiro do Pé do Forno Restaurant
O Palleiro, in Orellán · Bierzo cooking · €€€ · booking required
24444 Orellán · +34 649 711 439
Restaurant €€€Book - 10 min by car6,5 km
-
3
Valiñas Trail with a Visitor Centre Guide
Senda de las Valiñas independently · 3 km · 2 h
-
Back home
You reach León around 19:45
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Orellán Viewpoint and Galleries
This Sunday sees Las Médulas in both ways: from above and from inside. In the morning, the Orellán viewpoint and the tunnels through which the Romans channelled water to bring the mountain down. At midday, a Bierzo lunch in Orellán itself. In the afternoon, down below, the Valiñas trail among chestnut trees to the foot of the red pinnacles.
The Day, Hour by Hour
9:00 · Departure. From León, take the A-6 to Ponferrada and the N-536 towards Carucedo and Orellán: a little over an hour and a half. From Lugo, along the A-6, similar. From Ourense, via O Barco and Puente de Domingo Flórez.
10:45 · Orellán galleries and viewpoint. Park in Orellán (€4) and climb to the entrance of the galleries: about 200 m of Roman tunnel, €4 admission. Until 9 December 2026 they are open every day from 10:00 to 18:15. On the way out, the viewpoint is next door: it is the full view of the amphitheatre of pinnacles.
13:30 · Lunch at O Palleiro. It is in Orellán itself, with the dining room facing the valley. It serves lunch from 13:30 to 15:15 and asks you to book, especially at weekends; confirm when you call that it is open that Sunday. Order lacón with Bierzo peppers and, if you have ordered it, botillo. Average menu €30 to €35.
16:00 · Valiñas trail. Drive down to the village of Las Médulas, ten minutes. Park at the entrance and walk 400 m to the visitor centre, behind the church. The trail makes a loop of about 3 km through the Valiñas circus, at the foot of the red walls. In the afternoon it is done on your own: the winter guided visit leaves at 10:00, 12:00 and 13:00.
18:00 · Return. You reach León at a quarter to eight.
If You Prefer the Guided Visit
Reverse the day: arrive at the visitor centre at 10:00 for the guided Valiñas visit (€5, by reservation and with a minimum of six people), eat at the Hotel Medulio and go up to Orellán in the afternoon, with better light at the viewpoint.
With Children
They love the galleries, but they have steps and little light: no pushchairs. For the youngest, swap the Valiñas trail for the Lago Sumido one, 1.9 km each way and low difficulty. From age 9 they can do the horse ride from Salas de la Ribera, by reservation.
Time1 h 30
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Agoga
What to order: something simple between the trail and the viewpoint.
Hotel Medulio Restaurant
What to order: the set menu after the Valiñas trail, or botillo if available.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Las Médulas
In spring and autumn, when the chestnut trees change colour. In summer, reverse the order and do the trail early. Until 9 December the galleries open from 10:00 to 18:15.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book lunch
Orellán is small and the O Palleiro dining room fills up at weekends.
- 2Closed shoes
The trails are sand and in the galleries the ground is uneven.
- 3Bring cash
For parking and tickets in a small village, better to carry it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from León?
A little over an hour and a half by car, along the A-6 to Ponferrada.
How much does the day cost?
Galleries €4, parking €4, lunch about €30–35 per person. The trail on your own is free.
Is the visitor centre open on Sundays?
Yes, every day from 9:45 to 16:30 in winter, except from 22 December to 2 January.
Can you do it in the rain?
The galleries are under cover; the trails are sand and turn to mud. In heavy rain, stay at the viewpoint and the galleries and add Ponferrada castle.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/las-medulas/itineraries/las-medulas-orellan-viewpoint-and-valinas-trail
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.