What to see in Ourense in 3 days
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What is it about Ourense that makes visitors fall in love with it at first sight? Could it be its streets of stone buildings, its secluded squares full of details that recall the city’s history, its grand houses with their coats-of-arms, or its impressive historic monuments? If you can spend three days in Ourense, we can promise that you won’t be bored, and in fact, you’ll wish you could stay longer. Three days is just long enough to wander calmly around Ourense’s historic quarter; to see the essential attractions such as the Cathedral and the main square; to go on a tapas tour, trying the local delicacies; and to round off the day enjoying one of the thermal spas scattered around the city and along the bank of the river Miño.
Whatever your tastes, in Ourense you can find activities to suit you, along with traditional gastronomy or creative cuisine. This city will captivate you with its Roman history and seduce you with its fountains gushing with hot water. It is, without a doubt, a place to cure ills of both the body and the mind. In a nutshell, unhappiness is simply not allowed in Ourense.
Itinerary day 1
10.00 a.m.-11.00 a.m.
Market
The best place to learn about the local gastronomy is the Plaza de Abastos [Market Square]. Ourense’s market was built in 1924, and is near the Alameda. Inside, as well as the usual stalls, you will find direct traders, known as ‘rianxo’, smallholders who sell off their excess produce here. Saturday mornings are particularly lively. And if you like, you can even have your purchases cooked in a number of the market’s bars and snack bars.
11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
A tour of the squares
Walk on around Ourense’s attractive squares and look carefully at their exquisite details. Among those you shouldn’t miss are Plaza de la Magdalena, Plaza del Hierro, Plaza de San Martiño, Plaza del Corregidor, Plaza de los Santos Cosme y Damián, Plaza del Trigo and, of course, Plaza Mayor. The squares have terrace bars where you can chill from time to time.
2.00 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
Lunch at A Casa do Pulpo [House of Octopus]
If you love octopus, and you can see it in your mind’s eye whenever Galicia is mentioned... this bar will make you happy, because octopus in all its forms (grilled, Galician style, and more) is its star dish, and the portions are generous. Also on the menu, you will find salads, meat dishes (pork sirloin and steak, beef fillet, etc.), fish and seafood.
4.30 p.m.-8.30 p.m.
Evening excursion
If you’re staying in Ourense for three or more days, you might be interested in spending a morning or an afternoon visiting some local town or village, which will leave you with an image of true Galician rural architecture. Local possibilities include Ribadavia (30 km), Allariz (20 km), and O Carballiño (27 km). A little further away are Verín (73 km) and As Ermidas (115 km).
9.00 p.m.-11.00 p.m.
Dinner at the Lagarza restaurant
This restaurant offers two equally appealing settings: a gastrobar where you can have skewered snacks, toasted snacks or, for example, oxtail ravioli; and the restaurant, which offers a full menu including beef sirloin, wild sea bass ceviche, beef cheek, and excellent rice dishes. Without the shadow of a doubt, a superb way to round off your three-day break in Ourense.
Itinerary day 2
10.00 a.m.-11.00 a.m.
As Burgas and the Interpretation Centre
Historical interest alone justifies a visit to the As Burgas springs, as the archaeological remains found here show that here the Romans founded the city. The water that gushes from these springs at a temperature of over 60ºC comes from a kilometre below the surface. Visit the three sections: the Burga de Abaixo, the esplanade with its swimming pool, and the Burga de Arriba. Another essential visit is to the As Burgas Interpretation Centre, where you can learn all about the history of the place.
11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
San Lázaro Park
This space, half park and half square, is regarded as the centre of the Ourense. Around it, the city goes about its business in the many administrative buildings. Unexpected features of the park are a Baroque fountain that came from the Cistercian monastery at Oseira, and the Franciscan Church, transferred here in 1929.
1.00 p.m.-2.00 p.m.
Shopping
While you’re in the area, you could spend some time looking around the streets close to San Lázaro Park, such as Rúa Santo Domingo,, which has a good selection of shops. If you love fashion, you’ll already know that Ourense has nurtured some of the industry’s top designers, such as Roberto Verino and Adolfo Domínguez. This is the place to come if you want to buy souvenirs.
2.30 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
Lunch at A Taberna
This traditionally-decorated restaurant specialises in food from the land — with no shortage of Galician stews, spider crab croquettes, grilled Galician scallops, turnip tops with seafood from the Atlantic Ocean, or good sirloins or fillets of Galician beef. Ribeiro wines feature heavily on the wine list, but there is also a selection of Portuguese and French wines.
4.30 p.m.-8.30 p.m.
Bridges of Ourense
If you’re interested in works of engineering, we suggest that you might like to see some of the bridges that cross the river Miño as it courses through Ourense. There is a striking contrast between the Puente Mayor and the Puente del Milenio [Millennium Bridge]. The former dates from Roman times, while the latter was built at the start of the twenty-first century. Both are remarkable, but they are very different. Don’t stop until you’ve seen all eight bridges.
9.00 p.m.-11.30 p.m.
Dinner at Nova
This restaurant, headed up by two homegrown chefs (Julio Sotomayor and Daniel Guzmán), has a shiny Michelin star and a cuisine described as “de raíces” [with roots]. They offer three tasting menus that vary according to the seasons: “Raíces”, “Nova” and “Cima”, with prices that are very reasonable given the quality of the establishment.
Itinerary day 3
10.00 a.m.-11.00 a.m.
Plaza Mayor [Main Square]
Our day starts in the Plaza Mayor [main square] - regarded as the heart of the historic quarter, and home to many of Ourense’s most iconic buildings. Although the Bishop’s Palace, the church of Santa María Madre and the Casa Consistorial [Town Hall] are all noteworthy, we can assure you that the beautiful colonnades and street terraces of the side of the square known as “Espolón” will remain in your memory forever.
11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
Cathedral of San Martiño
From the Plaza de las Damas, you can reach the southern door of the Cathedral of San Martiño (also, take the opportunity to see the neighbouring square, the Plaza del Trigo). Inside, the cathedral has some not-to-be-missed treasures such as the Pórtico del Paraíso (take time to look at it because it truly is a wonder), the High Chapel, and the attractive Chapel of Santo Cristo.
1.00 p.m.-2.00 p.m.
The church of Santa Eufemia and the church of Santa María Nai
With its impressive Baroque façade, the church of Santa Eufemia was once part of a Jesuit school — and could never pass unnoticed. Striking features include its unusual curved forms, the use of granite, the massive columns, and the split pediment with a cross in the centre. It is the city’s second-largest church. Not far away stands the church of Santa María Madre (Santa María Nai), the third of Ourense’s trio of major churches.
2.30 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
Lunch at the Tapanegra Gastrobar
In the pleasant setting of the Plaza de la Magdalena, you will find this gastrobar, serving excellent food with a local flavour. Try the Galician-style octopus, the sea scallops, the Galician-style pasty... or even the grilled pig’s ear on toast with crispy soya. They also serve good breakfasts.
4.30 p.m.-7.30 p.m
Thermal springs along the river Miño
As you let your lunch go down, we recommend the Ruta Termal del Miño [Miño Thermal Trail], which stretches for 3 or 4 km, and which can be covered on foot, on a bicycle, or even on the train (the Tren de las Termas, which departs from the Plaza Mayor). Don’t forget to take a rucksack with your swimsuit, towel and flip-flops, and you can try out each of the thermal spas as you come across them.
8.00 p.m.-11.00 p.m.
Tapas in the “Os Viños” area
Between the Plaza del Hierro and the Cathedral lies a maze of streets where every bar and tavern deserves a monument to commemorate their tapas and small plates. In Orellas, order the pig’s ear; in O Eironciño, try the squid; in Bar Fuentefría, the anchovies; the octopus in A Casiña do Pulpo; in the Roa grill, the suckling pig; in Casa Toñita, the lightly fried eggs, and so on.