Galicia Tourist Guide 2018

Castro de Santa Trega. A Guarda

Celtic settlements (castros), mil l s and "sambenitos "

This journey begins in Tui and ends in Mondariz-Balneario ; both municipalities are located in the province of Pontevedra. Tui, known for its defensive-loo- king cathedral and typical medieval streets, shows vestiges of what was once a prominent Jewish quarter. A walk through its historic centre will take you back to another time, as you replenish your strength at bars and taverns that serve up only the most typical fare, including elvers caught in the Miño River. At the Diocese Museum you will find the only collection of sambenitos

that remains in Spain today. Sambe- nitos are large scapulars used to hu- miliate people accused by the Court of the Holy Inquisition , which would force them to walk barefoot while wearing these garments and holding a lit altar candle. The purpose of this type of public ridicule was to make an example out of them in front of the rest of society. On the way to Tomiño is the Goián Fort . It is located on the banks of the Miño River, which at this point is close to its mouth. What you will see is a set of defensive constructions on both sides of the river that date back to the 17th century.

En route to A Guarda is a cluster of mills of O Folón and O Picón , which date back to the 17th and 18th centu- ries, respectively. Laid out in a stair- case fashion to take advantage of the power of the descending water, to- day you can walk among the 67 that remain. The Santa Trega hill-fort , located in A Guarda, is one of the best preserved in all of Galicia. Climb up to the hilltop for some unforgettable views of the mouth of the Miño River . In addition to the excavated remains, which reveal how inhabitants of the past once lived, you can check out the different types of houses and various petroglyphs.

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