A Leira 116

The surrounding area is dotted with religious buildings, starting with the Romanesque Igrexa de Santiago de Barbadelo church (15 minutes’ drive), a national monument since 1976. Built in the Middle Ages, hilltop Samos Monastery (15 minutes) is also well worth a visit for its frescoes and elegant cloisters. Unmissable sights in Lugo (40 minutes) include the exceptionally well-preserved Roman walls, dating from the third century and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the intricately decorated floors at the Casa dos Mosaicos. For (relatively) more recent architecture, step inside the 13th-century cathedral, which combines Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. Carved by the Sil river, the dramatic gorge of Cañón del Sil (45 minutes) is home to vineyards, monasteries, oak forests and birds of prey. You can take it all in from above, by climbing up to one of several observation points (such as the Miradoiro da Ribeira Sacra), or from below: river boat trips depart from the Embarcadero de Os Chancís.