Eastern Ribeira Sacra Route

The route begins in Monforte de Lemos, and you will have an opportunity to visit that city’s sights and attractions either at the beginning or end of the route*. The banks of the Cabe River, the old bridge, the medieval walls, the Jewish quarter, and an extensive network of museums are some of the attractions this city offers. 

From the city centre, first travel in the direction of the N-120, then follow that highway until crossing the railway tracks and turn onto the LU-V-6013 in the direction of "Vilachá de Salvadur".

Stay on LU-V-6013, then turn right onto LU-P-4702 just before reaching Vilachá. You will make your first stop in that village, to visit its historic wine storage buildings, which are some of the oldest of their type in the entire Iberian Peninsula (be sure to follow the signs marked on the highway, not the instructions from the GPS navigator). To visit the indoor areas, you need to make a booking in advance (you can get more information by phoning the Municipal Hall of A Pobra do Brollón: 982 430 001). 

After visiting this magnificent complex, go back to the highway you arrived on, and follow the signs towards your next stop, the A Capela Viewpoint (you can also just walk to it). Park your vehicle at the start of the unpaved road, then walk to the viewpoint. After about 1 kilometre, you will be rewarded with some of the most spectacular views found in this municipality. 

Next, go back in the same direction, until you reach A Pobra do Brollón. Once there, take the N-120 in the direction of Ponferrada. When you reach Quiroga, drive into the centre of the town, then follow the signs to your next stop: the Quiroga Geological Museum. Here you can explore the world of geology and learn about some of the unique characteristics of this part of Ribeira Sacra. This area contains so many resources of geological importance that UNESCO has recognised the Ribeira Sacra municipalities of Quiroga and Ribas de Sil as a geopark, along with the neighbouring Folgoso do Courel, and together these form the Courel Mountains UNESCO Global Geopark. 

After visiting the Geological Museum, you will next have an opportunity to get a first-hand look at some of the places you just learned about. First, you will visit the Campodola Geoviewpoint, where you will see the place where this spectacular geological fold, formed more than 300 million years ago, has its maximum curvature.

Next, you will go back to Quiroga, and from there you will travel again on the N-120 in the direction of Ponferrada. About 10 minutes after leaving Quiroga, follow the signs to arrive at the Montefurado Tunnel. This is a massive work of engineering created by the Romans, to facilitate their gold mining operations (they completely changed the course of the Sil River by boring a tunnel through the mountain!). You can then get another perspective on this tunnel from the Anguieiros Viewpoint, this time from a higher elevation. 

To complete the day’s itinerary, we recommend a visit to the village and meander of A Cubela (also written as A Covela) , in the municipality of Ribas de Sil. To get there from Montefurado, first travel on the N-120 in the direction of Monforte de Lemos, then after about 15 minutes, follow the signs towards Torbeo. In A Cubela you will find one of the most unusual meanders that the Sil River makes as it passes through Ribeira Sacra; forming a curve of almost 355 degrees. 

To return to your starting point, Monforte de Lemos, go back to the N-120 and follow the signs from there. 

*Note: this route can be done as a circular loop, by starting and ending in Monforte de Lemos, or in A Pobra do Brollón, or any other point close to either of them. However, it can also be done as a linear route, for those arriving to or leaving from Ribeira Sacra on the N-120 in the direction of Ponferrada.