Parador de Santo Estevo prior to Camino Sanabres - how to go around?

[Anamya]

Hi everyone.
We are starting to plan a Camino Sanabres and would love to spend some time in the Parador os Sto Estevo, in Ribas de Sil, to recover from jetlag before we start walking. (Getting there from Australia is no joke! )
I know how to get there: train to Ourense, taxi to the hotel. But once at the Parador, is it possible to simply walk around to visit places? Or do you need a car or tour to reach the most interesting points of the Ribeira Sacra?
Any info and recommendations will be welcome! Cheers!

(I was unsure about posting here or on the Sanabres section, apologies if I chose wrong)

 

[lt56ny]

You should ask the hotel. Probably the best source of information.

 

[Corned Beef]

A location I have look at over time but never came up with a reasonable plan, or reason to be there. For hypothetical purposes you could taxi back and forward from Ourense. Or there is a small ADIF rail station (Santo Estevo do Sil) with one train a day to Ourense on the Monforte de Lemos line. (Love these small regional stations in the back of beyond).




According to OSM there is a path downhill to the river and across the bridge to the station.



There is a longer trail going south but it ends up well short of the Sanabres on a road. There may be a bus from there but it's a bit out of the way. Depends if you do not mind walking the road from there to Ourense. but as has been mentioned, the hotel will have a better idea of local routes

 

[peregrina2000]

But once at the Parador, is it possible to simply walk around to visit places? Or do you need a car or tour to reach the most interesting points of the Ribeira Sacra?

Oh, what a wonderful choice of parador! I think that my favorite long weekend trip ever was in that area. There are nice walks from “behind” the parador that will take you up to little villages, but all of the glorious sites are driving distance. There is so much to see there, but I will stop gushing and just link you to my earlier (and equally gushy) comments about the trip.

I described it here.

 

[Anamya]

There is so much to see there, but I will stop gushing and just link you to my earlier (and equally gushy) comments about the trip.

Your previous posts about this location, plus the legend of the nine rings were the reasons we decided for this Parador!
I see you had a car on your trip. We are toying between hiring a vehicle (not a preferred option) or maybe hiring a driver that could take us around. I hope we can find some options online, the place just looks too stunning to miss, if we are starting a Camino in Ourense.

 

[Anamya]

You should ask the hotel. Probably the best source of information.

Already did! They sent me a link to the official tourism website of the Ribeira Sacra, there are some companies that tour the area and may be able to help.
According to the hotel, there's no public transport at walking distance to the Parador (kinda funny to say that to a pilgrim/camino walker...), so they recommended hiring a car, contacting a driver in advance or joining a tour.

 

[peregrina2000]

or maybe hiring a driver that could take us around.

I know that the cultural guide I had for my visit to Santas Mariña de Aguas Santas also does guided tours. The company is Xeitura. Looking at their website, I can see they have really grown in the 7 years since I met them. Even if they don’t offer the driving part, maybe they can recommend someone local who could help you out. There are so many beautiful places in such a short distance, I hope you can find something.