Ourense's Praza Maior is the heart of the old town and one of the more handsome squares in Galicia, ringed by arcaded buildings in characteristic Galician granite. The baroque town hall closes one end; the market building another. The square has been the commercial centre of the city since the medieval period and still functions as a meeting place and the focal point of local festivals.
The arcades shelter a row of cafés and bars where you can sit with a coffee and watch the city go about its business. The lanes leading off the square to the north and east are the core of the tapas district and also the best place to find the local Ribeiro wine served in the traditional ceramic cups.