During a stay in Silleda, nature and cultural heritage can be brought together through specific trails and places. The Sendeiro do Deza runs on foot through specially protected areas along the river and connects the Fervenza do Toxa waterfall with Carboeiro Monastery. There are also Romanesque and pre-Romanesque churches, a wetland and an oak grove that provides a habitat for wildlife. Whichever of these themes you choose to focus on gives your trip a clear direction, without turning the individual places into a fixed itinerary.
Trails along the Deza and through Silleda
The Sendeiro do Deza is considered an easy route and runs on foot through specially protected areas along the Deza River. It connects the Fervenza do Toxa waterfall with Carboeiro Monastery. This route therefore directly links a natural attraction with a site of Romanesque cultural heritage. If this connection interests you, you can consider the trail one of the specific ways to explore Silleda’s landscape and history.
The Mozarabic Way, also known as the Vía da Prata, offers a different perspective: it runs for 11 kilometres through the municipality of Silleda. The two routes have different points of focus. The Sendeiro is characterised by its connection between a waterfall and a monastery, as well as its easy difficulty level; the Vía da Prata can be described in terms of its course through the municipality and its specific distance. This lets you decide which route profile interests you more.
Romanesque and pre-Romanesque architecture
Carboeiro Monastery is considered one of Galicia’s most distinctive Romanesque complexes. A tourist information point at the monastery provides information about its history and architecture, as well as the surrounding routes. A visit to Carboeiro therefore focuses not only on the Romanesque complex itself, but also on its historical context and the trails nearby.
The Iglesia de Santiago de Taboada was built in the 13th century and is a Romanesque church. Its notable architectural features include capitals and archivolts. Ansemil is home to a pre-Romanesque monastic church that belonged to the Monastery of San Pedro de Ansemil. It is also part of the Romanesque Route. The two churches bring different historical and architectural connections to your exploration.
Wetland, oak grove and wildlife
The Sacra de Olives Lagoon is part of the Brañas de Xestoso area. The wetland lies in a hollow at an altitude of about 650 metres. It has an important seasonal feature: the lagoon usually dries up in summer. This change gives the landscape a different character from that of a body of water whose appearance remains the same throughout the year.
The Carballeira de Trasfontao is an oak grove with centuries-old trees, located near the Pazo de Trasfontao. The grove also provides a habitat for the stag beetle, considered Europe’s largest beetle. Alongside the landscape features of Brañas de Xestoso, this offers another aspect of nature: the connection between ancient trees and wildlife at a named location.
A festival with several cultural dimensions
The Festa da Empanada da Bandeira has been declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. Gastronomic, musical, cultural and traditional activities were announced for 2026. This range of activities offers a distinct way to experience Silleda alongside its trails, churches and natural areas: for travellers who also want to explore food, music and tradition, the festival is a specific point of interest.
Discover more destinations: A Igrexa, Lantaño, A Illa De Arousa, Lantañón, Ardia, Paxariñas, Poio, Barro.
For the broader travel overview: Pontevedra.
