Ribadavia

Muslim forces swept through the Ourense region in the eighth century, and it was not until the Asturian king Alfonso III reconquered and rebuilt the area that Christian settlement took firm hold. Over the following centuries, monasteries and fortresses spread across the region, earning it the name *tierra de castillos* — land of castles.

Between 1065 and 1071, Ribadavia held the title of capital of the Kingdom of Galicia under King García. Its rise rested on two pillars: church power and wine. The wines of the Ribeiro were praised for four qualities — vigour, aroma, colour, and flavour — and monasteries including San Clodio, Santa María de Melón, and Osera drove their production by contracting smallholders along the Miño to grow vines and establish farms and priories.

A Jewish community gathered around the Porta Nova, drawn by trade opportunities. At its height this population was substantial, and its members are thought to have played a significant role in exporting Ribeiro wine to northern Europe through their commercial contacts. Beyond commerce, Jewish residents also worked as blacksmiths, tailors, and cobblers. The Jewish Quarter survives today as a national monument, still retaining its medieval character.

In 1375, Enrique II granted lordship over Ribadavia to Pedro Ruiz Sarmiento as a reward for supporting him in the dynastic war against his half-brother Pedro I, ending the town's status as a royal town. In 1386, English forces under the Duke of Lancaster — who claimed the Castilian throne through marriage to a daughter of Pedro I — invaded and sacked Ribadavia. Townspeople resisted fiercely, including the Jewish community, who defended the walls of Magdalena and Porta Nova despite their homes being destroyed. The English occupied the town for nine months before the conflict was resolved by the Agreement of Bayonne in 1388.

By the following century, Ribeiro wine was being exported across Spain and throughout Europe — to France, Portugal, Italy, and particularly England — transported by raft and carriage to river ports along the navigable Miño. In 1592, records show 127 barrels were shipped from Ferrol to the Americas at 190 reales each. The wine's reputation reached the highest levels: Cervantes referred to Ribadavia as the "mother of wine of the finest quality." In 1476, the Counts of Ribadavia title was formally created when the Catholic Monarchs granted it to Bernardino Pérez Sarmiento in recognition of his support in the dynastic war against Juana la Beltraneja.

Ribadavia's main monuments include the castle, the pre-Romanesque chapel of San Xes de Francelos, and the monumental complex of the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora del Portal together with the church of Santo Domingo. The Jewish Quarter, declared a national monument, preserves its medieval layout. In the Sierra del Suído nearby, there are also distinctive traditional stone shelters known as *chozos*.

Ribadavia sits on the A-52 between Ourense and Vigo, where it meets the north-south A-9. A bus from Ourense runs roughly hourly and takes about 40 minutes, stopping through town; long-distance buses do not serve it. Only one train a day stops here, arriving from Ourense in 20 minutes and continuing to Vigo Guixar — most trains pass through without stopping.

The town is small enough to cover on foot. Taxis: Taxi Ribadavia (+34 69 093 6005, taxiribadavia.com) and Gorrión (+34 65 366 2989, gorriontaxista.es). The most central supermarket is Supermercados Froiz, Rúa do Progreso 10, open Monday–Saturday 09:00–21:30.

Restaurants and bars cluster around Praza Maior, including Rebus, La Terraza de la Vinoteca, Ribeiro e Xamón, Restaurante Plaza, O Castelo, A Comanda, Taverna Papuxa, and O Birrán; around a dozen more bars line the central alleys and the avenue to the north. Ribadavia is part of the Denominación de Orixe Ribeiro wine region — Galician wine is mostly white and crisp, similar in style to Portuguese wines. As of May 2025, the town and its approach roads have 5G coverage from all Spanish carriers.