scenic viewpoint
Ribeira Sacra
A hidden canyon landscape of vertigo-inducing terraced vineyards, Romanesque monasteries, and the Sil River gorge.
38 km · about 45 min drive
EuropeSpainGalicia
Xinzo de Limia
Galicia, Spain · Europe
About Xinzo de Limia
Xinzo de Limia sits on the route: 15 minutes from Blancos, 50km from Peneda-Geres National Park.
Xinzo de Limia is in Galicia, Spain, with about 10,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Blancos, about 8 km away.
Xinzo de Limia is a town and municipality in the province of Ourense, in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the comarca of A Limia. It lies on the important Autovia das Rias Baixas in the fertile valley of Antela, approximately 33 km from Verín and 43 km from Ourense. The Límia (Lima inRead more
Portuguese) river passes through the town on its way south towards the Portuguese border.
Xinzo is a town of services and an important stopping point on the main Vigo-Madrid highway. There are several small industries, including a glass factory, and many pig, cow and dairy farms in the surrounding area. The drained lakebed of Antela, once Spain's largest freshwater lake until the 1950s, produces cereals, hay, and especially potatoes. Xinzo is in fact one of Spain's largest producers of potatoes.
There is a legend connected to Xinzo. Several classical authors of antiquity reproduce the myth of the loss of memory connected to crossing the Límia River, referred by them as Lethes or Oblivionis (compare the river Lethe of Greek mythology). In 138 BC the Roman chieftain Decimus Junius Brutus put an end to the myth told by the Galicians when, on crossing the river, he began to call each one of his legionnaires by their names from the opposite bank. That historical fact has been now represented in an historical party called Festa do Esquecemento. Seeing the Límia today it is difficult to imagine this tiny river provoking such a fear.
Xinzo has few monuments but is famous for hosting one of Galicia's most typical carnivals. The characteristic figure is the pantalla, which symbolizes the devil. The pantalla is the guardian of the carnival, and runs through the streets in groups of two or three with two swollen pig bladders in the hands making huge noise. If the pantallas finds a male relative or neighbour of Xinzo de Limia not dressed with carnival clothes, they will take him into a bar, to pay the fee for not been dressed properly, which is a glass of wine.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Xinzo de Limia?
Within an hour or so of Xinzo de Limia: Ribeira Sacra (38 km), Espigueiros do Soajo (49 km), Peneda-Geres National Park (50 km).
Are there any good drives near Xinzo de Limia?
The nearest famous roads are N222 Peso da Regua to Pinhao, EN222 Régua–Pinhão Road and Estrada Nacional 222 (Peso da Régua–Pinhão).
Where is Xinzo de Limia?
Xinzo de Limia is in Galicia, Spain, about 8 km from Blancos.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 10,161
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Galicia
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 42.0635, -7.7246
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Xinzo de Limia
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Espigueiros do Soajo
Two dozen granite espigueiros, slit-walled corn granaries raised on staddle stones, some dating to the 18th century: clustered on a bare rock threshing floor above the village of Soajo in the Peneda-Gerês hills.
49 km · about 55 min drive
national park
Peneda-Geres National Park
Portugal's only national park, a wild landscape of granite peaks, oak forests, waterfalls, and ancient Roman roads in the north.
50 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Xinzo de Limia
4 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 38 kmRibeira SacraA hidden canyon landscape of vertigo-inducing terraced vineyards, Romanesque monasteries, and the Sil River gorge.
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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