Speaking of lovely Galician towns...Allariz! This Medieval town of 6,000 is a favorite for many. It only took me four years to visit, and it did not disappoint. The buildings and narrow streets are delightful, as well as the riverside walk. And Allariz doesn't feel too small. The night we went out for dinner there was plenty of ambiance. There must be at least two dozen café/bars and in the center the terraces were nearly full. Our visit also happened to coincide with the Ox Meat Tapa Contest (ox meat being the specialty in that region). So we jumped at the chance to have ox without paying an arm and a leg.
Apart from its Medieval charm, Allariz is also known for its annual international garden festival. The festival lasts spring through autumn. We went later in the season, so the props weren't in the best condition. Last year's theme was eroticism, and the 12 gardens were designed by people from Europe, South America, and Japan. Some were strange. But in general, all were a nice place to take a quiet walk.
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Hollow tree near the church
and fountains |
We also took a short hike nearby called Santa Mariña de Augas Santas. It started at a church with three sacred fountains. The legend says that a woman from the area resisted a Roman leader's sexual advances. So, ¨the usual¨: he ordered her execution. (Huh, sounds a lot like the present day
machista attitude of ¨if I can't have you, nobody can¨...) She was in the oven, awaiting being burned to death when St. Peter appeared and rescued her through the tiny chimney. Later, however, she was decapitated and where her head bounced sprung up the fountains that nowadays are said to be sacred. From the church, a stone path leads down through the forest. The next stop is an unfinished basilica. It's hard to imagine them building a
basilica back in the day, in what is now the middle of nowhere. A hole in the ground is supposedly the chimney through which the damsel escaped. You can go down into the crypt too, which is quite cool. There you can see the oven where the damsel was to be burnt. There's also a small pool.
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| Castro Armea |
Continuing the hike, there's an `everlasting fountain´ under an old oak tree. Later, you run into a post-Roman castro: Castro Armea. You can tell it's from after the Romans because the buildings are square instead of round. This stop offers a nice view of the surroundings. Further along the trail, close to the beginning is what's left of an old Roman house. What's left is the floor. What might normally appear to be just a big, odd boulder is clearly carved into flooring. It has several levels (plus the ones underground) with stairs uniting the different terraces. This must have been quite the palace for the middle of Gallaecia!
Speaking of lovely Galician towns...Allariz! This Medieval town of 6,000 is a favorite for many. It only took me four years to visit, and it did not disappoint. The buildings and narrow streets are delightful, as well as the riverside walk. And Allariz doesn't feel too small. The night we went out for dinner there was plenty of ambiance. There must be at least two dozen café/bars and in the center the terraces were nearly full. Our visit also happened to coincide with the Ox Meat Tapa Contest (ox meat being the specialty in that region). So we jumped at the chance to have ox without paying an arm and a leg.
