Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

76  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

Environs decorated with coats of arms. In
In Bande, 26 km the Real Monasterio de Santa
(16 miles) south of Clara, visitors can admire a
the village, is the 7th- Gothic ivory figure of the Virgin
century Iglesia de Santa and a crystal cross dating from
Comba, one of the few the same period. Also worth
surviving Visigothic visiting is the shrine of San
shrines in Europe. Built Benito, with a lofty 17th- to
on the plan of a Greek 19th-century tower, and the
cross, with thick walls, Parque Etnográfico do Río
the barrel-vaulted Arnoia, in which there are
Horses on the road to Celanova church contains the museums of leather crafts
tomb of St Torcuato. and textiles as well as a mill.
j Celanova
Ourense. Road Map B3. * 5,800. k Allariz
n Praza Maior 1; 988 43 22 01.
_ As Marzas (1–3 Mar), San Roque (16 Ourense. Road Map B3. * 6,000. £
Aug). ∑ concellodecelanova.com @ n Paseo da Alameda; 988 44 20
08. ( 1st & 15th of each month.
This village of Celanova is _ San Benito (11 Jul); A Empanada
known for its unusually grand (3rd weekend Aug). ∑ allariz.com
Praza Maior. The Benedictine
Monasterio de San Salvador, The most attractive feature
which offers guided tours, was of Allariz is its location by
founded in the 10th century, the Arnoia river, crossed by a
though the current church medieval stone bridge, next
dates from the 18th century. In to which you can swim and
the garden is the well-preserved hire rowing boats. The town is
10th-century Mozarabic Capilla built on a medieval plan, with The portal and façade of the Iglesia
de San Miguel. narrow streets and old houses de Santiago in Allariz

x The Sil River Valley 0 kilometres 10
0 miles 5
This picturesque Sil river valley, replete with chestnut and
oak trees, is part of the wine-producing region of Ribeira
Sacra. Fresh white wines from the godella grape, and a
few reds using the mencía grape, are produced here.
The region owes its name to the local monasteries Rí o C a b e
– for centuries, the monks were involved in the Miño Embalse
cultivation of vines. The Sil valley and its de San Pedro
branches are often extraordinarily Santiago de
steep, with vineyards seeming to Compostela Luíntra R í o S i l
climb up near-sheer valley sides.

R í o M a o

Ourense Esgos
Verín
Leboreiro

1 The Sil Canyon 2 Monasterio San Pedro
The Sil river flows through a deep de Rocas
gorge with walls rising 300 m (984 ft). The ruins of this early Christian
According to legend, Juno disfigured monastery include altars in
the “face” of Galicia with a gorge so that the form of a table and eight
Jupiter would not find it appealing. anthropomorphic tombs.

For hotels and restaurants see p204 and pp216–17

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