If you arrive in Galicia from central Spain you are likely to pass through its one land-locked province, Ourense. Many guidebooks devote little time to Ourense but it still has plenty to offer. The countryside is as green and beautiful as anywhere in Galicia and the River Miño is more spectacular the further it winds inland... plus,we offer some of the country's most charming rural properties here.
For visits within rural Ourense, we recommend the village of Los Peares where the Rivers Sil and Miño meet. Close by is the Monastery of Ribas de Sil, and along the banks of the Miño to the west, surrounded by vineyards and forests is Ribadavia with a fine position overlooking the river. The Dominican Monastery and the Jewish quarter are both worth a visit here.
Two breathtaking natural parks also find their home in Ourense: the Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurès and the Monte O Invernadeiro. Partly surrounded by Portugal to the south and west, Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés shows a great contrast of landscape. From the wide flat banks of the river Limia, to the high mountain peak of Nevosa, the wildlife inhabiting these parts ranges from wolves and wild boar to eagles and kestrels.
Further north and bordered by river valleys, Monte O Invernadeiro comprises a series of mountain ranges - the Sierra de Queixa, the Sierra de San Mamade and the Montes Do Invernadeiro making this area perfect for hill-walking and also nature-watching: fallow deer, stags and their predators the wolves are all present in an area where man is notable for his absence.
The provincial capital, Ourense may not be Spain's most attractive city but it does boast the largest stone bridge in Spain, spanning the River Miño over thirty metres below and has a charming old quarter, all very tastefully restored, making this knot of old streets one of the region's urban bright spots. Museums worth looking out for are the Museo Arqueològico Provincial and the Museo Catedralicio, housed within the cathedral.
