O Barco de Valdeorras is the commercial and administrative centre of the comarca, a workday town of around 8,000 people on the banks of the Sil. It's not a place of grand monuments — the main square, the market hall, and a handful of wine bars and restaurants are what you'll find — but it has an honest, unpretentious energy that makes it a comfortable base. The weekly market draws farmers and winemakers from across the valley and is a good place to buy local cheese, charcuterie, and the occasional bottle of Godello at producer prices.
The town's wine bar scene punches above its weight for a place this size. Bars along the main street typically pour by the glass from small local producers, and the food — empanada, grilled meats, local cheeses — is exactly what you want alongside a glass of cold Godello on a warm afternoon. The train station connects directly to Ourense and, with a change, to Madrid, making O Barco the most practical arrival point for visitors without a car.