Discover Silleda: Trails, Monasteries and Nature

The Sendeiro do Deza follows the course of the Deza River on foot and passes through specially protected areas. The route is low in difficulty and connects the Fervenza do Toxa with Carboeiro Monastery. The watercourse, protected landscape and Romanesque monastery thus lie along a single route.

The route of the Sendeiro do Deza maintains the river course as a continuous point of reference while connecting two specifically named destinations. Its low level of difficulty and its route on foot are among the explicitly stated characteristics of this trail.

On the Trail and the Pilgrimage Route

The Mozarabic Way, also known as the Vía da Prata, runs for 11 kilometres through the municipality of Silleda. This section is therefore one of the local features of this pilgrimage route, while the Sendeiro do Deza is a route of a different character: here, the river course, specially protected areas and the connection between the Fervenza do Toxa and Carboeiro Monastery are the focus.

The figure of 11 kilometres describes the course of the Mozarabic Way within the municipal area. This keeps the local connection of the Vía da Prata clearly distinct from the independent route of the Sendeiro do Deza.

Culture and History

The Iglesia de Santiago de Taboada is a Romanesque church built in the 13th century. Its features include significant capitals and archivolts, which display typical architectural details of the building.

Ansemil is home to a pre-Romanesque monastic church that belonged to San Pedro de Ansemil Monastery. At the same time, the monastic church in Ansemil forms part of the Romanesque Route. Carboeiro Monastery is one of the most striking Romanesque complexes in Galicia. A tourist information point at the monastery provides information about its history and architecture as well as the surrounding routes.

Festival Traditions

The Festa da Empanada da Bandeira has been declared a festival of national tourist interest. Its programme includes gastronomic, musical, cultural and traditional activities. The name of the festival thus refers both to its culinary aspect and to its connection with music, culture and traditional forms of celebration.

Nature and Landscape

The Brañas de Xestoso area includes the Sacra de Olives lagoon. It lies in a hollow in the terrain at an altitude of approximately 650 metres and is a wetland. The lagoon usually dries up in summer, so its appearance is also shaped by the seasonal cycle.

The lagoon’s seasonal change is an integral part of its described landscape character. In addition to its wetland character, the hollow in the terrain and its approximate elevation of 650 metres define the spatial setting of Sacra de Olives.

The Carballeira de Trasfontao is an oak woodland with centuries-old trees and is located near the Pazo de Trasfontao. The woodland provides a habitat for the stag beetle. The stag beetle is considered Europe’s largest beetle. Thus, in this landscape area, old oak trees, the nearby Pazo and a characteristic representative of the native wildlife are directly connected spatially.

Other Places

Soutelo, A Escardia, Bandeira, A Guarda, Raxó, Hervés, San Bieito and Arbo

To the main travel overview: Pontevedra.