discover Galicia thirteen day tour
Full 13 day tour itinerary
Day One Santiago de Compostela
- Arrive in Santiago and make your way to the hotel (an escort can be pre-arranged on request). Check in available after 12:00 noon.
- Lunch on your own, we suggest you enjoy one of the restaurants found throughout the old quarter of the city.
- Later it's a welcome meeting while enjoying some Spanish dinner/tapas and sipping wine from Denomination of Origin Rias Biaxas.
- Receive tour package and orientation.
- Lodging: Santiago area
Day Two Santiago de Compostela
- Spend the day in a guided tour of the Capital of Galicia built in the year 813. Since the 9th the city marks the end of the famous pilgrim "Camino de Santiago". The city was built around the Cathedral where one can find the remains of the apostle James (Santiago). The Cathedral has been declared the second most important Cathedral in the world after the Vatican.
- The tour includes a three course lunch hosting some delicious Galician cooking and wine of the region, D.O. Rias Biaxas.
- The tour also includes some late afternoon dinner/tapas in the old quarter next to the Cathedral.
- Lodging: Santiago area
Day Three Ribeira Sacra (Orense)
- Breakfast at the hotel and then off we go over to Galicia's interior. Our first stop will be at the Pazo (stately home) where we will be lodging to check in and drop off our luggage.
- We spend the rest of our morning visiting Orense, one of Galicia's six major cities and spend some time visiting its many sites, such as; its medieval buildings, squares, las Burgas spa, and more.
- Stop and enjoy a three course lunch typical of the region accompanied by local wine from the famous Amandi area of the D.O. Ribeira Sacra.
- We begin our afternoon visiting the Monastery of San Estevo de Ribas de Sil which dates back to the 12th century.
- Next we go into the woods of the forest Esgos we will find one on the oldest monasteries of Galicia, San Pedro de Rocas.
- Our next stop is Castro Caldelas to visit its medieval castle and museum. Before heading back and ending the day we will stop to taste some of Castro Caldelas' famous Bica.
- We will visit the monastery of San Cristina and the Balconies of Madrid, depending on time of day.
- Days end head back to the Pazo, where we will enjoy a home cook meal and enjoy the Pazo's beautiful grounds and charming surroundings.
- Lodging: Ribeira Sacra area
Day Four Ribeira Sacra (Lugo)
- After enjoying our breakfast, we start the day visiting San Estevo de Minho, noted for its beautiful rose window.
- Next we will make our way to Monforte de Lemos, a town in the provenience of Lugo considered the gateway of the Ribeira Sacra region.
- Enjoy a beautiful three course Galician lunch while enjoying some of the regions wine, D.O. Ribeira Sacra.
- After lunch we make our way to Doade where we will embark the Catamaran and spend the next couple of hours travelling through the spectacular canyons of the Ribeira Sacra learning of the areas legends and history.
- Now it's over to visit a local winery and a wine tasting.
- We will then head over to visit 1000 year old chestnut trees and stop at a view lookout point for a stunning photos opportunity.
- Days end we head back to our Pazo where we will enjoy dinner and its lovely grounds and charm.
- Lodging: Ribeira Sacra area
Day Five - Lugo - Ribadeo
- After enjoying breakfast, we check out of our Pazo and head over to Lugo, capital of one of Galicia's five provinces. Here we will spend some time within the 3RD century Roman Walls of this great city.
- We stop to enjoy a delicious three course lunch accompanied by wine from the area, D.O. Ribeira Sacra.
- After lunch we make our way to Ribadeo on the Lugo coastline. In Ribadeo we will visit the main square of O Campo, to admire the neoclassical Pazo de los Ibanez and the Modernist Tower of Los Moreno.
- From Ribadeo we make our way over to beach of the Cathedrals, famous for their impressive rock formations.
- Days end we head back to our Pazo where we will enjoy dinner and its lovely grounds and charm.
- Lodging: Lugo North Coast
Day Six - Mondonedo - Pontedeume
- After breakfast, we check out of our Pazo and head over to Mondonedo, a city of illustrious history. We will visit the Romanesque Cathedral first built in the 13th century. Next to the cathedral is the Bishop's Palace, which houses paintings from the Prado collections.
- We stop in Cervo to visit the Sargadelos factory, unique and typical Galician ceramic.
- Stop for a three course lunch served with wine of D.O. Ribera Sacra.
- After lunch we make our way over to Viveiro, a popular summer resort on the Cantabrian coastline. We will visit some of its numerous monuments of historic and artistic importance.
- Next we go to Pontedeume, a town standing on the estuary of the Eume, sheltered by mountains. Here we will visit its monuments and walk its steep streets redolent of its medieval past.
- Then it's over to Carballo to check into our Pazo. After getting settled in we will have a little bit of time to enjoy the charms of the Pazo and its grounds before enjoying a home cooked Galician dinner.
- Lodging: Carballo area
Day Seven - Coruna - Betanzos
- After breakfast we make our way over to Betanzos, acclaimed a Historic and Artistic Interest in 1970. In Betanzos we will visit its various churches such as the Church of Santiago, which exhibits 15th century art.
- Then we head over to Coruna, we enjoy a delicious three course lunch accompanied by wine from the area, D.O. Ribeira Sacra.
- After lunch we spend the rest of the day visiting and exploring this old city also declared a Historical Artistic Monument. We will visit the Castle of San Anton and its archaeology museum, the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse which still guides seamen, and the Maria Pita Square.
- Lodging: Carballo area
Day Eight Finisterra (end of the world) - Vimianzo
- After breakfast, we head over to the coast of Finisterra, the most western point of Europe, once believed to be the end of the World.
- Next stop is Muxia, where we will visit the Sanctuary of our Virgin of Boats.
- We stop in Vimianzo to spend time visiting the Castle de Vimianzo dated back to the 8th century and see the mastery of embroidering in the works.
- Stop for a three course lunch, accompanied by local wine of the region, D.O. Rias Biaxas.
- After lunch we make our way to Camarinas, world famous for its hand embroidering (encaje de Bolillos). We will also visit the lighthouse Cabo Vilan.
- Driving along the coast we make our way to Malpica, a lively fishing village with good cheer and an old quarter of quaint narrow streets.
- Before heading back we make a stop in at Buno, ceramic capital of Galicia.
- Days end, we make our way back to the Pazo to enjoy its charms and grounds before enjoying some homemade cooking for dinner.
- Lodging: Carballo area
Day Nine - Arousa North and Cambados Rias Biaxas
- After breakfast, we check out and head over to Noia to visit the city and all its charm.
- Then it's over to Barona to visit the "castro", stone walls of century old Celtic fortress.
- Stop for a three course lunch served with wine of the region, D. O. Rias Biaxas.
- After lunch we make our way to Catoira to visit the famous West Towers.
- After lunch we head over to the heart of Rias Biaxas, the town of Cambados where time seems to have stood still.
- We make our way over to Pontevedra where we will be lodging to check in and prepare for dinner.
- Dinner served with wine of the region.
- Lodging: Pontevedra area
Day Ten Rias Biaxas
- After breakfast we head over to the beach A Lazada and visit the area.
- Then we stop to visit the quaint town of Combarro.
- Our next stop is over to Poio to visit its Monastery.
- Time for lunch, a three course meal served with wine of the region, D.O. Rias Biaxas.
- After lunch we spend the afternoon in Pontevedra taking in all that this historical and cultural city has to offer.
- Dinner and a special treat!
- Lodging: Pontevedra area
Day Eleven Cangas - Soutomaior
- After breakfast we head over to the Morrazo area where our first stop will be In the town of Hio to visit its elaborate stone cross, carved from one single piece of rock.
- Continuing along this coastline we make our way over to the coastal point of Cabo Home.
- Stop to have lunch, a three course meal served with wine of the region, D.O. Rias Biaxas.
- After lunch we spend we make our way to Soutomaior to visit its famous medieval castle. The castle was built in the 12th century by the Soutomaior family. It overlooks the Verdugo river valley. The castle is complete with its own chapel and hosts a beautiful garden with chestnut trees that are over 800 years old.
- Dinner served with local wine.
- Lodging: Pontevedra area
Day Twelve Tui - Portugal
- After breakfast we head down to Tui the border town with Portugal to visit its Cathedral-Fortress.
- We then head into Portugal to Valenca, and spend some time walking around and shopping in this ancient little town of Valenca do Minho which lies above the left bank of the River Minho.
- We enjoy a typical Portuguese lunch in this forted town while savouring a typical Portuguese wine of the area.
- After lunch we head back over the Spanish side where we head up to A Guarda to visit the famous Monte Santa Tecla.
- Then we stop to have a wine tour and tasting at a winery of the subzone O Rosal D.O. Rias Biaxas.
- Our final stop is Baiona, a beautifully situated little port town. Here we will visit the fortress Monterreal where from its 16th century walls you will find breathtaking views of the sea.
- Dinner served with local wine. Lodging: Pontevedra
Day Thirteen
- After breakfast, check out and an escort will be available to take you to either the Santiago Airport or train station depending on your means of transportation.
- When arranging your transportation please be sure to schedule departing flights or trains after 12:00 noon to accommodate travelling time.
- Tour ends!
To book this tour please quote reference GMT2007/15