The north of Spain is one of the most interesting areas regarding to landscapes. Galicia has a beautiful variety of places to enjoy mountain, Green valleys, coast villages... One of those beautiful places is placed in the province of Pontevedra: the Monte Aloia Natural Park, placed 5 kilometres apart from our Parador de Tui. Shall we go hiking there?
Parador de Tui
In the Serra do Galiñeiro, an outstanding rocky and mountainous area next to the coast, we find this Monte Aloia Natural Park. It is famous for its accidental topography an because of the variety of flora it has: cypresses, pines... as well as exotic plants that have been used there for repopulation. This place was declared Natural Park back in the year 1978.
The Mount Aloia presides the mountain range and the green valleys. This Mount is 700 metres high and if you get to the top of it, you can enjoy some of the most impressive panoramic views from the area, including the valley of the Miño River. There are, in fact, 5 vantage points in the Mount for you to do it.
In the past, historically, the Mount was considered a strategic point in the middle Ages, but it also was a religious place of pilgrimage. In fact, one of the must places in the Mount is the Ermita del Alto San Xiao, and old Romanesque sanctuary that has become one of the most visited places of the Natural Reserve and it was part of the religious side that was associated with the Mount. After, it became a place for people to spend their leisure time and to get introduced in environmental education.
Parador de Tui
The Natural Park has a Visitors Centre called "Casa do Eñxeñeiro Areses". This place is perfect for preparing your hiking experience there, as well as to start learning a bit more about the Natural Park and the Mount Aloia. There are some expositions there with archeologic information about the region. There are more than 10 kilometres of walking divided into 6 different routes to enjoy the Natural Park. They are the best option for you to discover this magical nature area. If you go with your children, there is no problem! These routes are perfectly adapted to all kind of people and they are so didactic and entertaining that your children will enjoy them even more than you will!
Because of what it was said about the variety of flora, the Mount Aloia and the Natural Reserve itself deserve part of their beauty to the mixture of colours and landscapes that this variety of fauna provides them. Scrubs, brooms, rockroses combine with fir trees, cedars and pine forests in a harmonic panoramic. Going around will let you enjoy also the presence of rabbits, raptors and amphibians, peacefully living in their own habitat.
You can just walk from the Parador to the Natural Park. It is just 5 kilometres away if you walk of drive along PO-340 road or the N-550 road. If you take the latter, you will walk along the Cathedral of Tui, and you will be a witness of the beauty of this rural village of Tui. Such a nice walk!
Parador de Tui
The Parador de Tui is located in this same area, characterised by the Miño River and the green spaces that can be enjoyed. In the centre of the village, we find our Parador de Tui. It is a traditional house from Galicia placed in the perfect spot if you are looking for a peaceful, relaxing getaway in nature. You will fully disconnect at this tranquil and charming village and you will be able to try some of the best traditional dishes of the Galician cuisine to recover from your hiking day at the Mount Aloia Natural Reserve.
What else do you need? Book now and enjoy this beautiful treasure nature gives us in the north of Spain!
How to get to Parador de Tui:
- Closest airports:
Aeropuerto de Vigo (26 kilometres)
Aeropuerto de Santiago de Compostela (115 kilometres)
- By car:
From Vigo: Take A-55 road and after 26 kilometres you will get to Tui
From Pontevedra: Take A-55 road to to the south and after 70 kilometres you will get to Tui.
From Santiago de Compostela: Take Ap-7 to the south for 112 kilometres and then follow the indications to get to Tui.
- By train:
From Vigo: Take the 12492 train from Vigo Guixar train station to Valenza do Minho. Get off after 4 Stops in Tui/Tuy.
