Portomarín combines striking architectural history with a specific section of the French Way. Anyone looking for accommodation in Portomarín can plan their stay around culture, the route or the date of an annual festival. Distinctive points of interest include a Romanesque fortified church, a granite staircase incorporating a reused bridge arch, and a Roman bridge that is part of the historic ensemble. These themes offer different ways to focus your trip.
Church and Historic Buildings
The Church of San Juan (San Nicolás) was built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries as a late Romanesque fortified church by the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. Side chapels with canopies preserve wall paintings. The church thus brings together late Romanesque military architecture and surviving paintings. If you are interested in church architecture, you can consider these two aspects separately: the fortified church design and the chapels’ decoration.
The Pazo de Berbetoros, also known as Casa de la Marquesa, also tells a story of changes to the building: it was partially moved to its current location. Only the solana, the building’s most distinctive feature, remains there. The historic ensemble of Vila de Portomarín also includes a Roman bridge dating from the 2nd century. It forms a distinct part of the town’s history and should not be confused with the medieval bridge arch reused in the Escalinata.
Escalinata and the French Way
Built of granite, the Escalinata de Portomarín incorporates an arch from the old medieval bridge and leads to the small Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows. The staircase has 46 steps. Known as the Escalinata e Capela das Neves, the ensemble serves as an entrance to Portomarín for pilgrims on the French Way, just after they cross the Miño.
At the Escalinata e Capela das Neves, a relocated church offers panoramic views of the reservoir on the Miño. Visibility can vary with the weather and vegetation. For planning the next stage, the stretch from Portomarín to Gonzar is a useful reference point: it is 8.2 kilometres long, rated moderate to difficult, and has an estimated duration of one hour and 35 minutes. This duration is an estimate; it is worth checking the latest route information when planning.
Festivals, the Miño and Practical Information
The Festa da Augardente e da Anguía is held every Easter Sunday in honour of Portomarín’s augardiente. Its date therefore depends on the date of Easter. Each year, the Cabildo Xeral da Orde Serenísima da Alquitara appoints new knights and ladies. They pledge to defend, promote and honour Portomarín’s augardiente. If you would like to plan your stay around the festival, check the date for the relevant year.
Ponte Novo can be crossed by car. There are pedestrian paths on both sides where you can walk alongside the reservoir. Portomarín town centre also has a municipal motorhome parking area with four spaces; services are nearby. Capacity and facilities may change, so it is advisable to check the conditions on site. Portomarín is part of the Ribeira Sacra e Serras do Oribio e Courel area. This stretches across the middle reaches of the Miño and its main tributary, the Sil, as well as the surrounding mountain ranges. This places the town in a broader geographical context without losing sight of its own architectural history and local routes.
Discover more destinations: A Lobagueira, Camposo, Vilamor, San Cosme De Barreiros, Vilar, Viveiro, Chao De Pousadoiro, Bembribe.
For the broader travel overview: Lugo.
