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Before you go
Your trip to Ourense.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Ourense – Galicia Destination Santiago de Compostela and Galícia about 105 km from Santiago de Compostela
How to get there
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Aeropuerto de Vigo (VGO) Vigo · 100 km
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Aeropuerto de Santiago-Rosalía de Castro (SCQ) Santiago de Compostela · 110 km
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Estación de Ourense (Ourense-Empalme) 2 km
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Estación de Autobuses de Ourense 2 km
Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.
Check before purchasing. From Santiago de Compostela the train takes about 40 minutes; from Madri, high-speed trains take a little over two hours. Ourense station and the bus terminal are about 2 km from the old town. The nearest airports are Vigo and Santiago, about 100 km away.
How many days
One day covers the cathedral, As Burgas, the Praza Maior, the Roman bridge and a bath in the thermal pools on the Miño riverbank. With two days you can visit the Ribeira Sacra, including the mosteiro de Santo Estevo and the boat trip through the cânion do Sil. Pilgrims often spend one night before starting the walk.
When to go
From May to October the weather is usually drier. Summers are hot in the valley, with afternoons above 30 °C, and the thermal baths are nicer at night. In autumn the vineyards of the Ribeira Sacra change color. Winter is wet and cold, but it is the season when the outdoor thermal baths are most pleasant.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
There is no stop in the old town, which is explored on foot. To reach the Outariz thermal baths there are city buses and a tourist little train along the riverbank, plus pedestrian paths along the river. For the Ribeira Sacra and the cânion do Sil, a car or an organized tour helps, because public transport is scarce.
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 Ourense
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Morning
Catedral and As Burgas
Visit the cathedral of San Martiño, with the Pórtico do Paraíso and the chapel of the Santo Cristo. Walk down to the As Burgas springs, where hot water emerges in the middle of the city.
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Afternoon
Praza Maior and the Roman bridge
Have lunch in the old town and stroll through the Praza Maior. Then walk to the Roman bridge over the Miño and follow the riverbank to the ponte do Milénio.
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Late afternoon
Termas de Outariz
Follow the thermal promenade along the river to the Outariz baths for an evening soak. Bring swimwear, flip-flops and a towel.
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Evening
Wines in the old town
Return to the old town to eat tapas in the streets around the cathedral, paired with wines from the Ribeira Sacra and the Ribeiro.
2 days in Ourense
Day 1
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Morning
Old town
Catedral, As Burgas and Praza Maior.
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Afternoon
Roman bridge and the river
Roman bridge, walk along the Miño riverbank and the ponte do Milénio.
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Late afternoon
Thermal baths
Bath in the Outariz thermal baths.
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Evening
Dinner
Tapas and wines in the old town.
Day 2
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Morning
Mosteiro de Santo Estevo
Go by car or on an organized tour to the mosteiro de Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil, about 30 km away, overlooking the cânion do Sil.
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Afternoon
Cânion do Sil by boat
Take the catamaran trip through the cânion, with terraced vineyards on the slopes. Check schedules, which vary by season.
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Late afternoon
Miradores of the Ribeira Sacra
Stop at a viewpoint overlooking the cânion before returning to Ourense.
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Evening
Return to Ourense
Dinner in Ourense or overnight in the Ribeira Sacra.
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
Is Ourense a good place to start the Camino de Santiago?
It is the most popular starting point of the Via de la Plata: from Ourense to Santiago is about 109 km, in 5 stages, enough to request the Compostela.
Can you bathe in Ourense's thermal waters?
Yes. The Outariz thermal baths on the Miño riverbank have outdoor pools. The As Burgas springs in the center are too hot to touch and are only for viewing.
How to get to Ourense from Santiago?
By train, in about 40 minutes. By car, it's about 105 km.
Is Ourense close to the Ribeira Sacra?
Yes. The mosteiro de Santo Estevo and the cânion do Sil are about 30 to 40 km away, a half-day or full-day drive.
What to eat in Ourense?
Polbo á feira, empanadas, chestnuts in autumn and tapas in the streets of the old town, with wines from the Ribeiro and the Ribeira Sacra.