Strengths

Beautiful castles, walls and towers witnessed a thousand battles.

Landscape and history blend in perfect harmony in the province of Pontevedra through its rich fortified heritage of castles, fortresses, walls and towers. They bear witness to a past of battles, invasions, fiefdoms, revolts and power struggles in Galicia and the other kingdoms of Spain and Portugal during the Middle Ages. The route through As Rías Baixas holds exciting stories sculpted on these enclosures located in idyllic surroundings.

The castle of Soutomaior, a centre of power of great importance in Spain and Portugal in medieval times, from where Pedro Madruga ruled in the 15th century, rises imposingly at the end of the Vigo estuary, surrounded by a Garden of International Excellence. Sobroso, where Queen Doña Urraca was besieged, dominates the area between Mondariz and Ponteareas. Both represent the jewels in the crown of the province's fortified heritage and should never be missed on a visit to the Rías Baixas.

The robust and monumental fortresses are other great attractions of this destination. They stand in stunning landscapes, such as the one on Mount Boi, with its three kilometres of walls, guarding Baiona, an international tourist landmark. Or those of Salvaterra de Miño, Goián (Tomiño) and Santa Cruz (A Guarda), once defending the territory on the banks of the river Miño. And O Castro in Vigo, whose walls are now surrounded by a peaceful forest, and which offers impressive views of the estuary and the Cíes Islands from its summit.

The towers of the province are proud vestiges of a time of landings and invasions. In A Lanzada (Sanxenxo) and San Sadurniño (Cambados) they stand in extraordinary coastal locations. The Torres de Oeste (West Towers) in Catoira, where the river Ulla flows into the Arousa estuary, were part of the same defensive system. This is where the Vikings would arrive to raid Compostela and take their treasures.