The Ribeira Sacra is a river-canyon region in the interior of Galicia, where the Sil and Miño rivers have carved deep gorges through the granite hills south of Lugo and north of Ourense. It is one of the most atmospheric landscapes in north-western Spain: steep, forested canyons dropping to the green water of the reservoirs below, terraced vineyards clinging to the hillsides at impossible angles, and a scattering of medieval monasteries perched on the high ground above the rivers — the "sacred banks" that give the region its name.
The monasteries are the historical spine of the place. From the early Middle Ages, monks settled the river gorges in extraordinary numbers: at its peak, the Ribeira Sacra held more than twenty monasteries and hermitages along the banks of the Sil and Miño. Several are still visitable: the Mosteiro de Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil, dramatically built into a cliff face above the Sil (now a state-run parador hotel); the Mosteiro de San Pedro de Rocas, which has the oldest monastic inscriptions in Galicia, carved into bare rock; and the Mosteiro de Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, hidden deep in the chestnut forest above the gorge and reached by a walking path that descends through the trees.
The other reason to come is the wine. The vineyards of the Ribeira Sacra Denominación de Orixe are among the steepest in Europe — some terraces can only be worked by hand, and harvest requires lowering baskets on ropes down the hillside. The grapes are predominantly Mencía for reds and Godello for whites, and the wines have gained a strong reputation in recent years for their fresh, mineral-driven character. Several bodegas (wineries) are open for visits and tastings — ask at the tourist office in Monforte de Lemos, the main town of the region, for the current list.
The best way to see the canyon is by catamaran — tourist boats run through the gorge from several embarkation points and give a perspective on the terraced vineyards and monastery walls that you can't get from above. Alternatively, drive the narrow roads along the canyon rims — the miradoiros (viewpoints) at Cabezoas, Cividade, and Balcones de Madrid look straight down several hundred metres to the river.
The Ribeira Sacra is best reached by car from Ourense (45 minutes), Santiago de Compostela (90 minutes), or Lugo (an hour). Come in October for the grape harvest and the autumn colours, or in spring when the chestnut forests are in bloom.