Ribadavia combines a protected historic townscape with the Festa da Istoria and a route along the Avia. When planning your trip, you have a clear choice: should the festival determine your travel dates, or would you rather focus on churches, walls, the museum and the fortress? The town’s history offers different points of interest, from the development of its parishes to the pilgrims cared for by a medieval military order.

Historic Traces in Ribadavia

In 1947, Ribadavia was designated a historic-artistic site under protection. Its walls and gates also tell the story of a long period of development: they date from the 12th to the 15th centuries. The Barrio Judío is part of a walking tour of Ribadavia recommended by the municipal tourism office. This offers a chance to explore the town’s history from different perspectives—through its fortifications, the Jewish Quarter and the buildings associated with religious communities.

Churches and Their Different Histories

The Igrexa de Santiago was commissioned at the end of the 12th century to house Ribadavia’s oldest parish. The Igrexa de San Xoán was built in the 12th century under the jurisdiction of the Knights of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. They cared for pilgrims travelling to Santiago from Braga and the interior of Portugal. The two churches therefore represent different historical connections: the town’s oldest parish on the one hand, and a religious order and the pilgrim movement on the other.

Another trace of the past is the 12th-century Capela de San Lázaro. It is the only surviving evidence of a leprosarium that stood there from the 12th to the 18th century and disappeared entirely in the 18th century. Along with the dates of the walls and gates, the chapel extends the historical timeline you can discover as you explore Ribadavia’s past.

Festa da Istoria in the Barrio Judío

The Festa da Istoria is celebrated in Ribadavia on the last Saturday in August and is recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest. It takes place in the Jewish Quarter. During the festival, stalls selling food and craft products are set up there; payment is made in maravedís. If you would like to plan your trip around the Festa da Istoria, check the programme and packages for that year in advance. This lets you make the festival date a distinct focus of your plans, without treating it as the same thing as a visit to the historic sites.

Museum, Fortress and Camino del Vino

The Museo Etnolóxico de Ribadavia is located in the town’s historic centre, in a palace known as the Pazo de Baamonde or Casa de la Fundación. The municipal tourism office also offers visits to Ribadavia’s fortress, where visitors can learn about its history and the remains found inside. As this is part of the visitor programme, it is advisable to check the packages before your trip.

The Camino del Vino offers a different perspective: from Ribadavia, the route follows the left bank of the Avia to the villages of Sto André de Camporredondo and San Clodio. The return journey passes through Berán and Beade. This gives you a choice of different themes for your plans: a historic walking tour of the town, individual buildings and a route that takes in several villages along the Avia. The Festa da Istoria provides a clear seasonal focus; churches, walls, the museum and the fortress offer further historical highlights.

Discover more destinations: A Peroxa, A Mezquita, Sobreira, Verín, Mosteirón, Cenlle, O Irixo, Dornelas.

For the broader travel overview: Ourense.