Nova
What to order: the eight-course Raíces menu if it is your first time; with the pairing if you are not driving
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.34° N · 7.88° W
The Sil canyon among autumn vines, and hot water beside the Miño.
A catamaran through the Sil canyon as the terraced vines turn ochre, a roots menu at Nova and, at nightfall, two hours at the Outariz hot springs beside the Miño.
Leaving from
Part of OurenseThermal getaways
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car7 min each way
By boat1 h 15 through the canyon
DifficultyEasy
Cost€95–130 pp
Best timeOctober – November
Hot springsNo booking · closed Tuesdays
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Ourense 7 min by car
from Ourense via Luíntra to the Santo Estevo landing stage, about 40 min
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1
Catamaran Cruise Through the Sil Canyon from Santo Estevo
Hemispheres from Santo Estevo · 1 h 15 · €12 · choose the morning slot when booking
+34 626 793 228
- 45 min by car30,7 km
- 2
- 15 min on foot
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3
Roman Bridge
370 m above the Miño · 20 min on foot
- 6 min by car4,2 km
- 4
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Back home
In Santiago, Lugo or Pontevedra around 20:15
Approximate cost
About €80–140 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Catamaran Cruise Through the Sil Canyon from Santo Estevo
In autumn, the vines climbing in terraces up the walls of the Sil canyon turn from green to yellow and red, and the morning mist stays at the bottom of the river. It is the best time to see it from the water. This plan leaves Ourense for the Santo Estevo landing stage, sails the narrowest stretch of the canyon, returns to the city for lunch at Nova and ends the afternoon, by now cold, in the hot water of the Outariz springs.
The day, hour by hour
9:45 · Set off. From Ourense, via Luíntra, about 40 minutes to the landing stage, below the monastery of Santo Estevo. From Santiago, Lugo or Pontevedra, add the hour and a quarter to Ourense.
10:45 · Catamaran through the canyon. Hemisferios sails every day of the year and the timetable changes according to the date: choose the morning sailing when you book. It is 1 h 15 with a guide on board, heating and a toilet, for €12 adults, €10 over-65s and €6 ages 5 to 17. Animals and pushchairs are not allowed.
13:30 · Lunch at Nova. In the centre of Ourense, with a Michelin star and Galician roots cooking. There is no à la carte: three menus that change every week, from the €65 Raíces. In winter, on Sundays it opens at midday. Book on their website or on 988 217 933.
16:00 · The Roman bridge. A short stroll over the Miño to work off lunch, on the way to the springs.
16:45 · Outariz hot springs. At the end of the thermal promenade, beside the river. The paid ones have two circuits for €6.95 for two hours, with no booking and in order of arrival; next to them are the free public pools. In November 2026, on Sundays they open from 9:00 to 23:00; closed on Tuesdays.
19:00 · Head home. In Santiago, Lugo or Pontevedra around a quarter past eight.
What to order
If it is your first time at Nova, the Raíces menu, of eight courses. With the wine pairing only if you are not driving: around Ourense you have Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Monterrei.
Autumn in the Ribeira Sacra
The canyon's vineyards are heroic: terraces on the river wall where everything is worked by hand. The harvest ends in early autumn and then comes the colour. On the water it is a good deal colder than up above: bring a layer even if it is sunny.
Time1 h 15
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
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 Ourense
In October and November the terraced vines of the canyon turn yellow and red. Hemisferios sails every day with a timetable depending on the date. Nova opens on Sunday at midday and the Outariz hot springs on Sundays from 9:00 to 23:00 in November 2026.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the boat and the table
The catamaran and Nova are booked in advance; the springs cannot be booked.
- 2Keep swimwear and a towel in the car
At Outariz they rent towels, but you are quicker with your own.
- 3Check the state of the springs that day
The river pools close in bad weather or if the Miño rises; Turismo Ourense publishes it.
We'd skip it
If you are after a cheap day: Nova is a tasting menu. Swap lunch for the tapas of the Os Vinos area in the old town.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the day cost?
Catamaran, €12; hot springs, €6.95; and the Nova menu from €65. Without the wine pairing, about €95 per person.
Does the boat run in November?
Hemisferios sails every day of the year, with a timetable depending on the date.
Is it a good plan in the rain?
Yes: the boat has heating and at the springs the rain is easy to put up with. Only the river pools close if the river rises.
Can children go?
On the boat, yes, without a pushchair. At the paid springs, from age 5.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/galicia/ourense/itineraries/autumn-in-the-sil-canyon
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.