It is one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, but unknown: a magical place, like a fairy tale, with waterfalls and granaries

Galicia has corners so beautiful that they could have perfectly come out of the imagination of Tolkien or the Brothers Grimm. They range from stunning cliff beaches to fairytale forests. The latter, in fact, is perfectly embodied by a small town in the province of A Coruña that you have probably never heard of before (unless you have done the Camino de Santiago because it is one of its transit towns) and in which you will want to get lost this autumn.

This is Ponte Maceira, a village of just 60 inhabitants in the parish of Portor (and belonging to the municipality of Negreira) that, as it could not be otherwise, is included in the famous list of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain Association, where only 126 villages in the entire country have the honor of having been included.

It is an inland town, but bathed by the waters of the Tambre River, and which still retains all the charm of its origins in the 13th century. It was at this time that the great jewel in the architectural crown of the village was built: the great Romanesque bridge that connects the towns of Ames and Negreira. Called A Ponte Vella, the pillars of an ancient Roman bridge were used for its construction.

However, its cobbled streets also stand out for other reasons. In fact, next to the bridge, we find the Chapel of San Blas, which dates back to the 18th century. And, if you like sacred art, you cannot miss the Romanesque church of Santa María de Portor, built in the 12th century although it has undergone later modifications.

Of course, if religious art bores you, you can go closer to El Pazo de Baladrón, built between 1945 and 1955, and which has a large garden in which you can see a pombal and several granaries, in addition to being surrounded by a low stone wall.

And another of the great charms of this village are its beautiful gardens, in addition to all the dovecotes and granaries that tell the history of the place. However, like any place where nature is the protagonist, it is also an ideal location for hiking lovers.

Cover photo | amaianos

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