© ParadoresHotelParador de Monforte de Lemos
Why we like it: Parador in the San Vicente do Pino monastery and the palace of the Counts of Lemos, at the top of Monforte: rooms around the cloister, outdoor pool and jacuzzi.
Duration2 nights
From LugoOne hour to Monforte
Best timeMay, September and October
Budget€220–330 pp
Getting thereBy car
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive in Monforte on Friday afternoon. Out of season, check which days each place opens in the monthly guide from the Monforte tourist office.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival in Monforte
Leave the car at the Parador and walk down into the centre. Have dinner at the De Lemos restaurant, in the Parador itself.
Saturday
- 110:30Catamaran from A Abeleda
Take the OU-0605 to the Ponte do Sil bridge. The 11:00 boat sails for 1 h 30 among terraced vineyards. Arrive half an hour early.
- 213:30Lunch at the Algueira winery
O Castelo, in Doade, has a terrace among the vines: caldo with turnip greens and kid from the Caurel. Closed on Wednesdays.
- 316:00Tasting at Regina Viarum
Three minutes away: a guided visit and a tasting of three to five wines, with a glass on the terrace above the canyon.
Sunday
- 19:30Balcones de Madrid
Cross to the Ourense bank via Castro Caldelas to Parada de Sil. First thing, with the mist at the bottom of the canyon, the granite balconies are the best viewpoint in the Ribeira Sacra.
- 211:00Monastery of Santa Cristina
Romanesque among centuries-old chestnut trees, a few minutes away. Tuesday to Sunday, €2, booking on the Turismo Ribeira Sacra website.
- 313:30Back through Monforte
Lunch in Monforte and, if you make it, the Colegio de la Antigua at 16:45, with its El Greco paintings. Or a tasting at the Wine Centre before heading home.
The Ribeira Sacra deserves two days: one for water and wine, the other for viewpoints and monasteries. Monforte de Lemos, an hour from Lugo and under an hour from Ourense, is the base; the canyon starts 20 minutes away. This plan sleeps in the Parador, at the top of the town; if you prefer the countryside, swap it for Casa Grande de Rosende or the Rectoral de Anllo, in Sober.
Where to sleep
The Parador de Monforte occupies the monastery of San Vicente do Pino, with rooms around the cloister; it closes from 3 January to 1 March 2027. In Sober, Casa Grande de Rosende is a 16th-century pazo with a garden and vineyard that accepts dogs with notice, and the Rectoral de Anllo is a country house with a vegetable garden and home-cooked dinners.
Getting around
By car, without rushing. The canyon roads are narrow and winding, and to cross the Sil you have to go as far as a bridge: from Doade to Parada de Sil allow almost an hour. Don't try to see both banks on the same day.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
A canyon explored by car
The Ribeira Sacra has no useful public transport between jetties, wineries and viewpoints: it is done by car. The roads are narrow and winding, and crossing from one bank of the Sil to the other means finding a bridge. Plan fewer stops than the map suggests.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepParador de Monforte de Lemos…
- Getting aroundFrom Monforte to the Ponte…
- EatO Castelo, at the Algueira…
- ServicesMonforte tourist office, every day
Sleep
- Parador de Monforte de Lemos, at the top of the town
- Casa Grande de Rosende, a pazo with garden in Sober
- Rectoral de Anllo, a manor house with a garden near Os Chancís
Getting around
- From Monforte to the Ponte do Sil and A Abeleda jetties, about 20 minutes
- Doade and its wineries, ten minutes from the bridge
- To Parada de Sil and the Balcones de Madrid, via Castro Caldelas: allow almost an hour
Eat
- O Castelo, at the Algueira winery, open on Sunday at midday
- Vértigo, at Regina Viarum, with a Michelin star
- De Lemos Restaurant, at the Parador, every day
Services
- Monforte tourist office, every day
- Free parking at the jetties
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
© ParadoresHotel
Casa Grande de Rosende
Why we like it: 1511 pazo in Rosende, Sober, with 13 rooms, a chapel with frescoes and over 10,000 m² of walled garden and vineyard; breakfast and dinner extra.
From €67
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Rectoral de Anllo
Why we like it: 18th-century manor house with Castinandi frescoes in Anllo, Sober, between the Cabe and the Sil: bathrooms with baths, library with fireplace, own garden and home-cooked dinner at €29.
From €80
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© ParadoresHotelParador de Santo Estevo
Why we like it: Parador in the Benedictine monastery of Santo Estevo, above the Sil canyon: rooms in the former monks' cells, three cloisters and a spa in the cellars.
From €119
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Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Monforte de Lemos | Parador, museums, tourist office and services | |
| Doade and Sober | Bodegas, landing stages and rural houses | |
| Parada de Sil | Viewpoints, Santa Cristina, Mao walkways and a bodega | |
| Belesar, Chantada and Pantón | Boats on the Miño, a bodega and a monastery |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon
Vértigo
What to order: the Esencia menu if it is your first time; dishes without meat or fish, only on the menú carta
Open at midday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
O Castelo, restaurant of Adega Algueira
What to order: the Galician caldo and the Caurel kid, or the €49 wine-tourism menu with four house wines
© ParadoresDe Lemos Restaurant, at the Parador de Monforte
What to order: home-made empanada, pulpo á feira and the caramelised filloa
Vía Romana Tavern
What to order: a house mencía with some tapas, before or after the winery visit
In summer, Thursday to Sunday
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you only have one day, keep the Saturday: boat, lunch at Algueira and a tasting.
We'd skip it
If you want a beach or nightlife. And at Christmas: the A Abeleda catamaran does not sail.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Lugo or Ourense?
A little under an hour to Monforte from both, and another 20 minutes to the canyon.
How much does the weekend cost?
With two nights at the Parador or a pazo, the boat, a tasting and meals, between €220 and €330 per person.
Can I bring a dog?
To the viewpoints and trails, on a lead. Not on the Diputación catamaran. Casa Grande de Rosende accepts animals with notice.
When is the best time?
In May and from September to October, with the grape harvest and the colour of the vines.