Turismo de Galicia

Four Ways to Santiago form the backbone of this geodestination, permeating it with traces of Jacobean culture. The Vía de la Plata (The Silver Way) crosses through the towns of Vedra and Boqueixón. The Portuguese Way reaches Santiago through Padrón, Rois and Teo, the Muxía – Fisterra Way crosses through Ames, Negreira and Santa Comba. Historically, the Sea Route of Arousa ended in Padrón.

Over the centuries, the passing of pilgrims through this destination left behind a trail of artistic, architectural and cultural expression that has survived to our day and that identifies this land as a tourist destination. 

The magnificent and rich heritage of Terras de Santiago makes this geodestination a world of possibilities for anyone interested in Jacobean worship and culture, but also in civil architecture, in natural settings, fortifications and in popular customs and traditions.

Among the religious heritage of this part of Galicia, worth highlighting are shrines such as Santa María de Herbón and the Church of Santiago de Padrón that keeps watch over the Pedrón (a Roman altar dedicated to Neptune, where – according to tradition – the stone boat carrying the body of St. James was moored). Also of great importance are the Churches of San Vicente in A Baña, the Church of Santa María de Lampai in Teo, the Church in Bastavales (to which Rosalía de Castro sings in her poems).   

The Way of Saint James gives rise to the appearance of numerous historic and heritage elements associated with the route scattered throughout the entire area, such as the Baroque fountain and the Chapel of O Santiaguiño in Vedra. In Negreira – besides the magnificent Pazo do Cotón and unique area of A Ponte Maceira with the Pazo de Baladrón – is the Pazo da Chancela, on whose coat of arms one can see the bridge that, once destroyed, cut off access to those pursuing the disciples of Saint James fleeing the Romans in Finisterre. In Brión, there is the Castro Lupario – dominated by Queen Lupa and bounded by walls – in Boqueixón, the Pico Sacro presides over the surrounding landscape and is linked to the tradition of the Traslatio of the Apostle from Iria to Compostela. There are also local museums of great importance, such as the Casa da Matanza in Padrón, where Rosalía de Castro lived and died.

Terras de Santiago offers amazing natural sites as the Ulla-Deza river system, and the Sites of Community Importance the River Tambre (and part of its estuary) and the Serra do Careón. Other sites with nature as their attraction are the Carballeira de Santa Minia in Brión and the Xardín Botánico in Padrón.

In terms of local products with a Protected Geographical Indication or Designation of Origin, noteworthy items include Galician chestnuts, Galician turnip greens, Santiago-style cake, Tetilla cheese, Arzúa-Ulloa cheese and wine with the D.O. Rías Baixas, though they are produced in other geodestinations as well.
 
Besides being home to famous writers such as Rosalia de Castro and Nobel Laureate Camilo Jose Cela and its being a town of great importance in Xacobean worship and culture, Padrón is known for one of its farm products: Padrón peppers. though the Protected Designation of Origin of this product is 'Pemento de Herbón', due to the place name of the parish that is the location the Convent of Santo Antonio de Herbón, who is linked to the introduction of this pepper from America. Interestingly, not all of these peppers are hot; the spiciness actually only occurs occasionally, hence the popular saying: 'Padrón peppers: some are hot, and some are not'. 

With regard to the most important local tourism-related celebrations and events, there are Galician Tourist Events of note such as the Filloa festival in Lestedo, the Festa do Queixo in Arzúa, the Pemento de Herbón festival (in Padrón), the Trucha de Oroso festival, the Festa do Galo de Piñeiro and Mostra Cabalar in O Pino, and the only festival declared as an International Tourism Event: the Festividade del Apóstol Santiago. During Carnaval, in the municipalities of Boqueixón, Teo and Vedra, the atranques or altos of the Xenerais da Ulla are celebrated. The Xenerais da Ulla are popular characters of the Galician Carnivals along the river Ulla. Each village has their own xeneral, (general), who parades around the municipality on horseback, stopping occasionally to say the vivas, or cheers, to the people who donated money “to the cause”. But when the xenerais of two neighbouring municipalities come across each other, the atranques o altos take place, a dialectical battle in which both xenerais face off with ingenious rhymes aimed at making fun of the opponent.