Soutomaior: Castle, Ría and the Way of St. James
File:Biblioteca Luis Seoane de Arcade, Soutomaior.jpg
Photo: Estevoaei via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Soutomaior Castle is situated at approximately 119 metres above sea level and overlooks the valley of the Río Verdugo as far as the Enseada de San Simón.
Culture and history
The original construction of Soutomaior Castle dates back to the 12th century.
At A Peneda, parts of the defensive walls of the Castrizán fortress from 1477 have been preserved.
The sanctuary of da Virxe de Nosa Señora de A Peneda dates from the mid-17th century.
A Peneda offers extensive views over the Ría and the neighbouring municipalities.
The A ponte de Pontesampaio bridge has ten arches, eleven pillars and is 144 metres long.
The main Way of St. James from Portugal crosses Soutomaior from the south and continues via the A ponte de Pontesampaio bridge towards Pontevedra.
At Soutomaior Castle, staged guided tours of the historic gardens are offered, featuring María Vinyals, Emilia Pardo Bazán and Coco Chanel as characters.
Soutomaior Castle can be visited independently without a guide; tickets are available online or at the on-site ticket office.
Ría and river landscape
The Río Verdugo and the Río Oitavén meet near A Ponte Colgante.
The section of the Río Verdugo near Soutomaior is fully navigable; its calm waters are suitable for canoeing and kayaking without any particular difficulty.
Soutomaior has two fully equipped and accessible beaches on the Ría de Vigo.
Praia de Sameán has a recreational area.
Nature and camellias
The grounds of Soutomaior Castle cover 35 hectares with native woodland, vineyards, orchards and a botanical park.
The botanical garden of Soutomaior Castle is part of Galicia’s Camellia Route and has held the status of an International Camellia Garden of Excellence since 2012.
On the grounds of Soutomaior Castle, visitors can observe a diverse range of wildlife in the woodland, cultivated areas and gardens.
The O xardín de camelias con nome de muller camellia garden was created in honour of important women from history, science, art and society.
The first planting in this camellia garden was Camellia japonica 'Maria Vinyals', a variety named after the writer and pioneer of Spanish feminism María Vinyals, who was born in Soutomaior Castle.
The circular O bosque trail at Soutomaior Castle passes the San Caetano chapel and a small stream and offers beautiful views.
Trails and waterfalls
At the Fervenzas de Aranza, a narrow path leads down to a mill where the first waterfall is located.
Below the first waterfall of the Fervenzas de Aranza are several water cascades, each 5 metres high, and several pools.
The path to the Fervenzas de Aranza has slippery sections and is not signposted.
Festivals and oysters
The Festa da Ostra is recognised as a gastronomic festival of tourist importance and takes place on the first weekend of April in Arcade.
At the Festa da Ostra, visitors can taste oysters farmed on the shores of the Ría de Vigo.
The tidal flats of the Enseada de San Simón, exposed by the tides, are rich in shellfish, including oysters from Arcade, as well as waterbirds.
To the higher-level travel overview: Pontevedra.
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