The best time to visit the Ribeira Sacra is late September and October, when the grape harvest transforms the terraced hillsides into a hive of activity and the autumn light makes the canyon spectacular. The vendimia héroe (heroic harvest) in October is one of the most dramatic agricultural events in Spain, as workers abseil down near-vertical slopes to pick grapes by hand.
Spring (April–June) is also excellent — wildflowers on the canyon walls, greenery at its richest, and the river at full flow. Summer is warm and the boat trips are running, but the canyon heat can be intense in July and August.
Winter is quiet. The parador in Monforte stays open and the monasteries remain accessible, but some smaller bodegas close and the catamaran trips may be suspended.