Tag: Spain

Today was our second day at the Parador de Santo Estavo. It’s a beautiful Parador and it was nice to be here two nights. This area is called Ribera Sacra (Sacred Riverbank) because there were so many monasteries in this area.

Jo Ann suggested that we go to the monastery of Oseira today. She brought a Rick Steves map of northern Spain with her and Oseira is on of the highlighted places to visit. It is one of the large and beautiful monasteries in this area and it is still a working monastery. The monastery was first established in the 12th century. We took a guided tour. The tour was in Spanish so we didn’t understand much of the tour but we got to see a lot. I bought a guide book which helped.

Back at the Parador we had a picnic lunch and played cards. Then we went out to explore the ruins behind the Parador. There are ruins of a Celtic Castro and of the monastery kitchen.

It is a lovely area. There were lots of birds singing during our walk. I have never used Merlin to identify bird songs before but Jo Ann was doing it so I gave it a try. I think it’s really fun.

This morning we checked out of the Parador of Muxía and drove two and a half hours south east to a little town near Ourense where we are staying at the Parador of Santa Estevo. On our way we stopped at another wonderful spot for a picnic lunch. This time we were overlooking the Miño River.

After our arrival at the Parador we had our welcome drinks and then played cards for a bit. Then, after a bit of a rest, we took a mile and a half hike from the Parador to some abandoned Muiños (mills). It was a beautiful hike with great views and lots of wildflowers.

For dinner we ate in the Parador dining room.

It is so nice and to be staying in one place for two nights. You never know ahead of time if a place you are staying is someplace you will want to stay two nights, but The Parador of Muxía is definitely a 10 out of 10. I’m so glad we got two spend some extra time here. love this spot

After breakfast we went for a hike along the coast. From above you wouldn’t even know that the Parador is in front of you but from the coast it is a big place.

After we had gone about half a mile the trail went steeply up. We went up a ways and then turned around.

Back at the Parador we played some cards then drove over to Muxia and the point across from the hotel. We hade a picnic lunch then went on another short hike.

We had dinner at the Parador restaurant. Europeans eat later than Americans. Our reservation was for 9 and we finished eating after 11. There was a little girl about 3 years old eating at a table next to us. She and her parents were still there when we left.

This morning before we left the Parador of Baiona we walked the coastal path around the castle walls. they have scaffolding up and are cleaning the walls in a couple of places. It is interesting to see what a difference the cleaning makes.

We also saw a lot of people out fishing and some people scraping some kind of mollusk off the rocks,

We have seen a lot of pelegrinos (pilgrims) the last few days. They were all on the Camino de Santiago from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. This morning when we left Baiona we drove to Santiago de Compostela. We parked and walked to the main square. The cathedral in the square is the end destination of the Camino.

We went into the cathedral and looked around, then stopped for coffee at a nearby bar.

Then we got back in the car and drove west to Muxía. The nearby parador has only been open since 2022. It is very modern and is in a beautiful spot.

For dinner we had a great dinner in the Parador Restaurant.

This morning before we left Tui, Duke, Brian and Jo Ann waited in the car while I ran into the post office to mail some cards. I had a nice chat with the lady who sold me the stamps. She asked if we were on our way to Santiago de Compostela and I told her no, today we are going to Baiona. She said she was from A Guarda and that if we go through there we should really go to the lookout at the top of Monte Tecla.

A Guarda is due west of Tui right at the mouth of the Minho River. We drove to the top and enjoyed the wonderful view of the Spanish coast going north and the coast of Portugal going south.

Just below the summit we stopped at the ruins of a Celtic Castro. It’s the foundations of the Castro wall and buildings of a town of about 3000 people who lived here in the 1st century B.C.

From A Guarda we drove north along the coast to the town of Baiona. Along the way we stopped for a picnic lunch.

In Baiona we are staying at the Parador in an old castle. Baiona is where Columbus’ ship the Pinta and its crew first landed in Europe after their voyage of discovery. We played cards and then walked into town to see a bit of Baiona.

For dinner we walked back into Baiona and ate outdoors at a Taberna La Boqueria. Jo Ann had mussels, Brian had squid, and Duke and I shared cockle and shrimp rice.

When we walked back to the Parador the castle was all lit up.