Nogueira de Ramuín: Culture, Nature and Holiday Apartments

Nogueira de Ramuín has more than 500 hórreos distributed across its parishes; they are particularly numerous in Eiradela. Luíntra is still home to residents who speak Barallete, and it preserves the last remaining traditional workshop for itinerant knife sharpeners in Spain. Nogueira de Ramuín is considered the birthplace of Galician knife sharpeners; the first are said to have set out from there with their “tarazanas”.

Culture

The Benedictine monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil has been documented since the 10th century; its origins may date back to the 6th or 7th century. The Romanesque church of San Martiño de Nogueira dates back to the Romanesque period. Construction of the church began in the second half of the 12th century and continued through the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century.

The megalithic necropolis of As Cabanas de Moura consists of burial monuments erected between 3500 and 2000 BC. A Torre da Cidá, between Valdopereiro and San Miguel do Campo, is a large Romanized castro that was fortified again in the Middle Ages. In Loña do Monte stands the Ermida da Virxe do Monte, an 18th-century hermitage dedicated to the memory of the Virgin Mary, at an altitude of more than 900 metres.

Nature

The Sil has carved a deep gorge through river erosion; monks and hermits sought refuge on the walls of this gorge and built monasteries there. The Sil Canyon features granite outcrops as well as oak and chestnut forests. Mediterranean species such as cork oaks and strawberry trees grow in sheltered locations; the high cliffs of the gorge are occasionally considered one of the last refuges of highly endangered birds of prey. The Fervenza do Rego de Loureiro plunges over granite walls, overcoming a total elevation difference of more than 100 metres.

Experiences

Catamaran trips on the Sil operate from the Santo Estevo landing stage in Nogueira de Ramuín. A catamaran trip of approximately one and a half hours runs from the Santo Estevo landing stage through the Sil Canyon. On 15 August, a large pilgrimage and procession take place at the Ermida da Virxe do Monte.

The PR-G 178 Maquino Largaño circular route begins in Luíntra or at the Parador and monastery of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil. It passes through cultivated landscapes, dense oak, chestnut and birch forests, and viewpoints overlooking the Sil Canyon. Centro BTT Ribeira Sacra has a reception point in the Luíntra sports pavilion in Nogueira de Ramuín.

Orientation

The Nogueira de Ramuín tourist office is located at Estrada de Esgos 2 in Luíntra.

Other places

Other places to discover include Sarreaus, A Rúa, A Manchica, Casdenodres, Riós, Vilarchao, Xares and A Peroxa.

For the broader travel overview: Ourense.