Questions about Ribadavia

[peregrina2000]

I am starting to think that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to walk the Geira this fall. And that maybe I will have 10 or even 11 days to walk it! Which would give me time to follow @jungleboy and @Wendy Werneth’s example and stop in Ribadavia for a visit.

My questions are two (for now, anyway)

Has anyone visited the preromanesque San Ginés that is about two kms down river from town? Looks like it would be a very nice walk, following the river. The camino goes on the east side of the river, and the church is on the west side. Since the nearest bridge before Ribadavia, I think, is right outside Cortegada, likely the nicest way to visit the church would be to walk into town, leave stuff, and walk back out on the other side of the river than I walked in on.

Iglesia Prerrománica de San Xes de Francelos. En Ribadavia, Provincia de Ourense.

1000-lugares-en-galicia.blogspot.com

And what about lodging? I see that jungleboy stayed a ways out of town. There is mention of a Hotel Caracas, but I can‘t find it anywhere. I see a Hostal Plaza on the Plaza Mayor. But all that the guide mentions is the Evencio, which is where jungleboy and Wendy stayed.

Thanks all, buen camino, Laurie

 

[Isca-camigo]

Hi Laurie Hotel Caracas is this link
Restaurante Caracas
+34 988 47 01 10

Restaurante Caracas · Rúa do Ribeiro, 8, 32400 Ribadavia, Ourense, Spain

★★★★☆ · Restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

don't think it has a website, the rooms may be quite basic as well but it is central.

You will probably arrive at 10ish to 11ish, which was my intention as well, and it gives you a full day to look around. I am drawn to the Judea quarter and some of its hidden gems, so if I get to go this way, which is looking unlikely at this moment that would have been my intention.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie Hotel Caracas is this link
Restaurante Caracas
+34 988 47 01 10

Restaurante Caracas · Rúa do Ribeiro, 8, 32400 Ribadavia, Ourense, Spain

★★★★☆ · Restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

don't think it has a website, the rooms may be quite basic as well but it is central.

You will probably arrive at 10ish to 11ish, which was my intention as well, and it gives you a full day to look around. I am drawn to the Judea quarter and some of its hidden gems, so if I get to go this way, which is looking unlikely at this moment that would have been my intention.

Just had a very funny conversation with the Caracas. Lots of noise in the background, lots of shouting — digame diga diga, he finally heard me and said no problem, peregrinos can sleep here, no need for a reservation. Looks like I have a place in Ribadavia! Thanks for this info. Yes, I should arrive in the morning, since it is just a 14 km day from Cortegada.

Aside from the walk along the river to the preromanesque church, the Judería, the ethnographic museum, and the castle in ruins, I think I will have plenty to do!

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Hi Laurie!
I had hoped to visit that church, but because of the rain we didn't make it there. We could just about spot it from the other side of the river as we passed by, but as you rightly said, there is no bridge near there. And we just didn't feel like going back out in the rain again that afternoon.

The church sounds lovely, though. From what I read, it's rarely open, but there are some interesting sculptures to see on the exterior.

As you can see from @Isca-camigo 's link, Google lists the Caracas place as a restaurant, so we didn't look into it any further. But we probably should have, as it's definitely better located than the place where we stayed. Good job calling them!

 

[FreeCat]

Hi Laurie.
From Ribadavia to the church of San Xes de De Francelos there are 2 kilometers by road. On the dirt road next to the river there are 2.6 kilometers but it is worth it.
I leave you a map and my word that it is fully passable.

Ribadavia - Francelos - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1MTxxUYzTkpMMfecsn82xI9HtkrUoEFJL&usp=sharing

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie.
From Ribadavia to the church of San Xes de De Francelos there are 2 kilometers by road. On the dirt road next to the river there are 2.6 kilometers but it is worth it.
I leave you a map and my word that it is fully passable.

Ribadavia - Francelos - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1MTxxUYzTkpMMfecsn82xI9HtkrUoEFJL&usp=sharing

Thanks so much @FreeCat. I will definitely take the river walk.

Do you happen to know anything about visiting the interior? Though as @Wendy Werneth has pointed out, the exterior seems to be the main attraction!

 

[peregrina2000]

Funny follow-up. I wrote to the Ribadavia tourist office to ask about visiting the church, explaining that I was walking the Geira.

The response included the following. Knowing the background and the dispute, I thought it was a perfect bureaucratic assertion.

Bo día Laurie:
Actualmente el camino oficial a Santiago es el Camiño Miñoto Ribeiro wwwcaminominotoribeiro.com, que en algunas asociaciones llaman Geira e dos Arrieiros

To visit the church, I have to get in touch with the Ribadivia parish, and I will report back.

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Funny follow-up. I wrote to the Ribadavia tourist office to ask about visitng the church, explaining that I was walking the Geira.

The response included the following. Knowing the background and the dispute, I thought it was a perfect bureaucratic assertion.

Bo día Laurie:
Actualmente el camino oficial a Santiago es el Camiño Miñoto Ribeiro wwwcaminominotoribeiro.com, que en algunas asociaciones llaman Geira e dos Arrieiros

To visit the church, I have to get in touch with the Ribadivia parish, and I will report back.

Well well, it's clear which side they're on! I guess that's not too surprising, coming from a government office. The dispute does seem to be heating up. A few days ago, there was a group of 87 scouts who walked the Geira, and the Miñoto Ribeiro association is trying to claim them in their own statistics:

Los peregrinos robados de A Estrada

Codeseda Viva acusa a la asociación del Camiño Miñoto Ribeiro de contabilizar como propios a los caminantes del Camiño da Geira

www.lavozdegalicia.es

 

[Isca-camigo]

Funny follow-up. I wrote to the Ribadavia tourist office to ask about visiting the church, explaining that I was walking the Geira.

The response included the following. Knowing the background and the dispute, I thought it was a perfect bureaucratic assertion.

Good morning Laurie:
Currently the official road to Santiago is the Camino Miñoto Ribeiro wwwcaminominotoribeiro.com, which in some associations is called Geira e dos Arrieiros

To visit the church, I have to get in touch with the Ribadivia parish, and I will report back.

It looks like the Xunta is pushing for their choice to succeed, which is a different route in some places, and as @jungleboy mentioned is top/tourist orientated led.

 

[jungleboy]

Aside from the walk along the river to the preromanesque church, the Judería, the ethnographic museum, and the castle in ruins, I think I will have plenty to do!

Opposite the castle (more or less) there are two churches. The one further back (San Domingos) is the most interesting. I climbed the spiral staircase to find some impressive capitals with vineyards and other fun motifs on them.

 

[peregrina2000]

Looks like the Parish is in on the anti-Geira campaign too too. I wrote to ask about visiting the churches in town on my upcoming Camino da Geira and got this response:

Nos alegra oír que quiere realizar el Camiño Miñoto Ribeiro, una de las rutas Xacobeas más antiguas que unió el norte de Portugal con Santiago de Compostela. También nos alegra saber que desea visitar las iglesias de nuestro municipio.

But I did get useful info.

San Xes is only open for mass, but you can see the inside through the Visigothic lattice window.

San Juan and Santiago (románicas ?) are open all day. The inside of Nuestra Señor del Portal (Our Lady of the Doorway?) can be seen through a big window. The rest of the churches are typically closed except during services.