Portomarín: Church, Pilgrimage Route and Miño Landscape
Accommodation in Portomarín
Culture
In Portomarín, 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. The two names San Juan and San Nicolás refer to the same church. Side chapels with canopies preserve wall paintings in this building.
File:Rúa e igrexa de San Pedro de Portomarín eue.jpg
Photo: Lmbuga (Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The historic ensemble of Vila de Portomarín includes a Roman bridge from the 2nd century. The Pazo de Berbetoros, also known as Casa de la Marquesa, was partly relocated to its present site. The name Casa de la Marquesa is an additional name alongside Pazo de Berbetoros. Only the solana, the building’s most characteristic element, has been preserved there.
Routes
Built of granite, the Escalinata de Portomarín uses an arch of the old medieval bridge, leads to the small Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows and has 46 steps. The chapel is therefore named Our Lady of the Snows.
The Escalinata e Capela das Neves provides pilgrims on the French Way with access to Portomarín immediately after crossing the Miño. The section of the French Way from Portomarín to Gonzar is 8.2 km long and has a moderate to high level of difficulty. Its estimated duration is 1 hour and 35 minutes. Portomarín is specified as the starting point of this section, and Gonzar as its destination.
You can cross the Ponte Novo by car. There are pedestrian paths on both sides, where you can walk along the reservoir. The pedestrian paths of the Ponte Novo therefore run along both sides of the crossing at the reservoir. The relocated church near the Escalinata e Capela das Neves now offers a beautiful panoramic view of the reservoir on the Miño.
Festivals
The Festa da Augardente e da Anguía takes place every Easter Sunday in honour of Portomarín’s augardiente. The date of the festival is therefore tied to Easter Sunday.
At the Festa, the Cabildo Xeral da Orde Serenísima da Alquitara appoints new knights and ladies each year. This appointment takes place as part of the Festa. They undertake to defend, promote and honour Portomarín’s augardiente.
Landscape
Portomarín belongs to the Ribeira Sacra e Serras do Oribio e Courel area. This area extends across the middle river basins of the Miño and its main tributary, the Sil, as well as the surrounding mountain ranges. Its geographical classification therefore includes both the middle river basins and the surrounding mountain ranges.
Orientation
In the centre of Portomarín, there is a municipal motorhome parking area with four spaces; services are nearby. Anyone wishing to stay overnight in Portomarín can look for a holiday apartment for their stay.
You can find more destinations for planning your trip at Pedrafita Do Cebreiro, Baralla, Monterroso, Mondoñedo, Ourol, San Cibrao, O Corral de Abaixo and Campos de Vila.
For the overview of the wider travel region: Lugo.
