The road from Lugo to Ribadeo

posted in: Europe, Galicia, Home, Spain | 2

We decided to leave Lugo early and squeeze in a few days sitting in the Parador at Ribadeo. This would allow the less mobile member of the party to sit in more salubrious conditions than the rather scruffy and less than spotless AirBnB in Lugo. We set off with the temperature at 13C, and in the mist, on the road from Lugo to Ribadeo.

The road out of Lugo

On the road again! We set off on a gloomy day but it soon brightened up and it was an easy drive to Mondonedo.

On the road from Lugo to Mondonedo
On the road from Lugo to Mondonedo

Mondonedo on the road from Lugo to Ribadeo

Our first stop was MondoƱedo, a town down in a valley between two sets of mountains. The town was granted a charter (to hold a market) and the status of ‘city’ in 1156. We parked at the top of the town and followed one of the narrow streets down to the Cathedral Square.

Walking down to the Cathedral Square
Walking down to the Cathedral Square

The Cathedral in Mondonedo

The Cathedral, which has always been a Bishop’s seat, is in the centre of the town in a large square. Work on the building started in 1219 and I would have loved to see the interior but the building was closed to the public (for a wedding) and so we settled down with a coffee, and then a beer, to watch the proceedings. The cafe owner handed round a tray of tapas including very, very good tortilla. And it was fun!

Firstly there was the bicycle race; then two pilgrims passed through; and finally the ladies! All the guests were exceedingly well dressed and the ladies descended the steps down into the square as if they on a catwalk.

The Cathedral in Mondonedo on the road from Lugo to Ribadeo
The Cathedral in Mondonedo
The Rose Window of the Cathedral
The Rose Window of the Cathedral
Cafe opposite the Cathedral in Mondonedo
Cafe opposite the Cathedral
The bicyclists in Mondonedo
The bicyclists in Mondonedo
Pilgrims passing through Mondonedo
Pilgrims passing through Mondonedo

And finally the bride arrived and peace returned.

The bride arrives at the Cathedral
The bride arrives!

It would have been good to spend more time in the town but we only had time for a short walk ‘around the block’.

Lourenza on the road from Lugo to Ribadeo

Lourenza defeated us! I wanted to see the monastery but the town was hosting a huge ‘Festival of the Bean’. There was no parking anywhere, so we carried on to the coast.

The Beach of the Cathedrals

The sea has eroded a section of the coastline near Ribadeo, creating sea caves and archways in the rocks. I had little time but clearly this is a very beautiful stretch of the coast and deserves a lengthy visit.

ON the road from Lugo to Ribadeo

And finally the road from Lugo to Ribadeo deposited us at the Parador and two days of comfort!

Parador in Ribadeo
Parador in Ribadeo

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