It would be understandable if, caught up in the road system in the grim outskirts of Ourense as we were, visitors decided to just move on somewhere else. The outskirts of most towns are ugly and uninspiring, but Ourense has gone the extra mile to make you question visiting. Luckily, this is a town worth the effort. Once you find yourself tucking into truly delicious tapas after a day exploring the historic medieval centre, chances are Ourense will have a special place in your heart.
The roasted pork in a bun at Fuentefría certainly has a place in my heart. This bustling tapas place, run by some young Cuban guys, served up not only excellent food, but a tremendous atmosphere. This came on top of lunch at Arrocería Entrepedras, the best of our trip. It’s a small place in a long, dark room where we had a shellfish fideuá so sublime it left me questioning my life choices.
Ourense has two Michelin-starred restaurants, which have definitely put it on the culinary map, but with food this good around town it really doesn’t need the extra hype. One word of caution though, if you find yourself in Bar Orellas being offered orejas, politely decline. Unless, that is, you have a taste for boiled pig ears. The sight of other people chewing down on these pasty-looking lumps of brawn almost put me off my beer.
In between eating, we did actually explore the town. Although no one here would judge you if you just stuck with eating. Ourense’s Casco vello, the Old Town, is an attractive maze of narrow streets, small squares, ancient churches and centuries-old houses. Despite temperatures that soared to 35ºC in the afternoon, slowly wandering around the atmospheric centre was a real pleasure.
This is the main attraction in Ourense. There are no museums or galleries of note, so the Casco vello is the open air museum. Those who aren’t here for the food are, like the Romans before them, probably taking the waters. The Romans were drawn here by gold found in the River Miño, but they did love a thermal spring. Some hot springs by the river are free to use. We didn’t, 35ºC is not optimal for hot springs.
We began our explorations in a small pleasant square, Praza Bispo Cesáreo, where there is a large sculpture of the name ‘Ourense’. A short walk away is the splendid Plaza Mayor, three sides of the square are covered in grand townhouses, the Town Hall is on the fourth. It’s a pretty square from which several narrow lanes lead off into other parts of the Casco vello, including to the cathedral.
The Catedral do San Martiño as it’s colloquially known, was built in the 13th century on the foundations of an earlier church that dates to 556AD. It claims to be the second oldest cathedral in Galicia, and squeezed into tightly packed streets of townhouses, it is an impressive sight. From here we simply wandered aimlessly through quiet lanes and pretty squares, some of which had interesting sculptures.
We eventually found our way to As Burgas, a small park where a Roman era hot spring wells up to the surface. The open air baths were closed, I assume because it was too hot, but there is a fountain in the park where the waters bubble up forming a stalagmite. The water that comes out is super-heated. A man appeared to be having a quasi-religious experience splashing himself in it. We decided to head to the river.
Here is one of Ourense’s most famous sights, the Ponte Vella. It’s often referred to as the Roman bridge, but while it is built on Roman foundations, this is a 13th century creation and it is quite superb. The bridge is car free – it wasn’t always – and walking across it feels a bit special. It’s a real shame the views from it are of sprawling roads and industrial estates.
Several families were camped on the riverbank and cooling of in the slow moving water, and by this time it really was too hot to be in the streets. We went back to the hotel for a siesta and to prepare for one of the best tapas experiences in Spain.
