Turismo de Galicia

The pendellos are the only mediaeval fairground in Galicia; constructed in the eighteenth century, they were the markets round which revolved the local economy.
Follow the murmur of the water that slips among the abundant ash and birch trees, and you'll head straight to one of the highest waterfalls in Galicia.

Other information of interest...
- Monastery of Carboeiro: More information at www.mosteirodecarboeiro.com

Just a few metres from the Town Council Square, and round a large oak tree, we can take a walk through our commercial roots thanks to the pendellos de Agolada (typical constructions that are a kind of shed, used in this case as market stalls). The pendellos are part of the architecture as much as are the pallozas (traditional circular huts housing people and animals), the granaries, the mills or even the manor houses. They make up one of the best-preserved fairgrounds in Galicia. Built in the eighteenth century, they formed the market round which revolved the entire local economy. Built of stone, tile and wood, they underwent an intense process of restoration. If we're lucky enough for it to be rainy or misty, we can take an almost magical tour through their irregular stonework, touching the big, rough stones of the mediaeval counters or listening to the patter of the water on the tiles. All we have to do have is close our eyes to create the leap in time that we came looking for. If we pay attention, we can still hear the echo of the bellowing of the animals reaching the market as they pull their carts, the voices of the past extolling the wonders of their products, and the crowd rushing about among the crowded counters.

To keep the tradition alive, for some years now in the month of August a three-day festival has been held that features various activities. The most unique is the reproduction of a mediaeval market. Specialist artisans come from all over Galicia to exhibit their work while workshops are held and a pilgrimage made. Be sure to taste the delicious bacon with corn bread along with some wine or queimada (a spirit-based punch) while listening to the live music of pipers. If you're still feeling peckish, near Agolada is the town of Lalín, known internationally for its cocido (stew) and its way of preparing lacón (a regional dried pork speciality). You simply must take a break to try it in any of the town's many restaurants that serve this dish. But the town of Agolada has even more hidden treasures, such as the small Romanesque church of Santa María de Ventosa. Hidden inside this small thirteenth-century church is a beautiful secret nobody looking at its rustic appearance would ever guess: it houses the tomb of Abbot Lope de Ventosa, which experts have classified as a small reconstruction of the Pórtico da Gloria. But its most spectacular feature is the wonderful collection of mediaeval sculptures and frescoes that seem to jump out of the walls.

Now arriving in the town of Dozón, we find the church of San Pedro de Vilanova de Dozón awaiting us, surrounded by untamed wilderness. This jewel of Galician Romanesque, built in 1154, was part of an former convent of Benedictine nuns. Located right on the Way of St. James, is very common to come upon pilgrims of all nationalities. The church of San Pedro is constructed over a base of large, perfectly squared, quarried granite stones. Take a close look at the geometric and plant motifs most likely inspired by the neighbouring monastery of Santa María de Oseira.

The next stop on our itinerary focuses on the Benedictine convent of Carboeiro, in the heart of Silleda. To get there, we'll have to immerse ourselves in a lush and beautiful scenery and cross a mediaeval bridge. At the height of a craggy promontory of a meander of the River Deza, we'll discover – hidden among nature – this most notable late (or transitional) Romanesque architectural gem of Galicia. The name "Carboeiro" comes from the area's forest vegetation, long used for making charcoal. The Carboeiro church has many influences from the Cathedral of Santiago; for example, the use of the new ribbed vaults tested in Compostela and the decoration of the main entrance, which depicts the elderly musicians of the Apocalypse, just as the Pórtico da Gloria does.  Don't pass up the opportunity to discover all of its nooks and crannies with a guided tour that covers both the church and the monastic areas restored in the late twentieth century. Soaked through with monastic life, you can end the tour with a short walk through the area around the monastery, where you will find beautifully crafted constructions such as its dovecot or a Ponte do Demo (Devil's Bridge), whose name comes from its being a strategic point for robberies and thefts at one time.

To finish of the day, there's nothing better than a visit to the river Toxa waterfall. Follow the murmur of the water that slips among the abundant ash and birch trees, and you'll head straight to one of the highest waterfalls in Galicia. There, sitting on the river beach and lulled by the sounds of nature, you can disconnect from everything around you thanks to the peace that can be felt in the heart of inland Galicia.