Cidade Turismo
Spain

Before you go

Your trip to Ponferrada.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Get it on Google Play

Ponferrada – Castela e Leão Destination Burgos and León

How to get there

  • Aeroporto de Santiago de Compostela (Aeropuerto de Santiago-Rosalía de Castro) (SCQ) Santiago de Compostela · 210 km
  • Aeroporto de León (Aeropuerto de León) (LEN) La Virgen del Camino · 110 km
  • Estação de trem de Ponferrada (Estación de Ponferrada) 2 km
  • Rodoviária de Ponferrada (Estación de Autobuses de Ponferrada) 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before buying. International flights arrive to Madrid and Santiago de Compostela; León airport is about 110 km away. Ponferrada station has trains to León, Madrid and Galicia, and the bus station has buses to Astorga, León, Santiago and the villages of Bierzo. By car, take the A-6 motorway, which links Madrid to Galicia.

How many days

One day is enough for the castle, the old town and one of the museums. With two days you can visit the Médulas, about 25 km away, or Peñalba de Santiago, about 20 km away, with time for walking.

When to go

From May to October is best for walks in the Médulas and in the Valle del Silencio. October brings autumn colors in the chestnut trees and the harvest season in Bierzo. In July, the Templar Night fills the castle and the town with medieval pageantry.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

For the town itself, no: the castle and the old town are done on foot. For the Médulas and Peñalba de Santiago a car makes a difference, as public transport is limited; there are organized tours departing from Ponferrada.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Ponferrada
  1. Morning
    Castelo dos Templários

    Start with the castelo dos Templários, walking the walls, towers and courtyard, and see the library of reproductions of old books.

  2. Afternoon
    Old town

    Follow the Rua do Relógio to the clock tower, enter the basílica da Encina and visit the Museu do Bierzo, housed in the former palace of the Counts of Toreno.

  3. Late afternoon
    Museu da Energia

    Walk down to the Sil riverbank and visit the Museu da Energia in the old power station, or stroll along the riverbank.

  4. Evening
    Dinner with Bierzo wine

    Bars and restaurants in the old town serve botillo, a typical embutido of Bierzo, and red wines from the mencía grape.

2 days in Ponferrada

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Castle

    Castelo dos Templários.

  2. Afternoon
    Old town

    Clock tower, basílica da Encina and Museu do Bierzo.

  3. Late afternoon
    Museu da Energia

    The old power station on the banks of the Sil.

  4. Evening
    Centre

    Dinner in the old town.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    The Médulas

    Drive to the Médulas, about 25 km away, and walk the trails among the red formations and chestnut trees, down to the galleries of the ancient mines.

  2. Afternoon
    Mirador de Orellán

    Climb to the Mirador de Orellán, offering the best-known view of the Médulas, and have lunch in one of the nearby villages.

  3. Late afternoon
    Lake of Carucedo

    On the way back, stop at the lake of Carucedo, formed by sediments from Roman mining.

  4. Evening
    Return to Ponferrada

    Dinner in Ponferrada.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Why is the town called Ponferrada?

Because of the iron-reinforced bridge, the pons ferrata, that a bishop of Astorga ordered built in the 11th century over the Sil for pilgrims.

How to get from Ponferrada to the Médulas?

By car about 25 km, a little over 30 minutes. Public transport is limited, and there are organized tours from Ponferrada.

Is the castle of Ponferrada really Templar?

Yes, partly. The Order of the Temple received the town at the end of the 12th century and fortified it. After the order was suppressed, the castle passed to nobles who expanded it until the 15th century.

Is Ponferrada on the Camino de Santiago?

Yes. The Caminho Francês crosses the town, between Astorga and Villafranca del Bierzo, about 200 km from Santiago.

What wine is typical of Bierzo?

Red wine from the mencía grape, from the Bierzo denomination of origin.

Back to Ponferrada
Back