A Aldea Vella: History and trails along the Río das Pedras

If you’re looking for a hotel in A Aldea Vella, the village’s historic traces and trails along the Río das Pedras can shape your choice of destination. Highlights include a medieval bridge, the remains of a former Franciscan monastery, and the village’s history as a group of mills. An archaeological excavation site adds another perspective on the past, while the routes offer different options and requirements. For planning, it’s worth considering the historical context and practical aspects of the routes separately.

Bridge, mills, and historical context

A Misarela is a medieval bridge over the Río Pedras. The remains of a former Franciscan monastery are nearby. The medieval bridge and the nearby monastery ruins thus provide distinct historical points of reference.

Aldea Vella is considered a village dating from the 9th century. The mills it consisted of are now in ruins. The village’s history therefore combines an early date with a distinctive built environment: Aldea Vella was a group of mills, not just a single building.

A report published by the municipality in October 2025 links the A Corte do Santo excavation site, as a hypothesis, to the end of the High Middle Ages and the beginning of the Late Middle Ages. This dating remains hypothetical, and should therefore be read differently from the clear description of A Misarela as a medieval bridge. The Ponte Romano do Miserela is on the Route do Mar de Arousa e Ulla.

Riverside routes and different requirements

The route along the Río das Pedras runs from A Aldea Vella to the natural pools of the Río das Pedras. You can do it independently or as part of a program with an official guide offered by the Concello da Pobra do Caramiñal. Organized departures may be seasonal. So if you’re planning a guided tour, check in advance whether the program fits your travel dates.

The Piscinas Naturais do Río Pedras comprise natural pools with waterfalls and small cascades where swimming is possible. Swimming conditions may vary. If you’re planning to swim, take these changing conditions into account when visiting.

The “Senderismo y Arqueología” route starts in Aldeavella. Confirm the details locally before including this route in your plans.

The “Barranquismo en el Río Barbanza” route has clear requirements: it is intended for people with practical canyoning qualifications who have mastered the necessary techniques. For the route to the natural pools, you can choose between doing it independently and joining an official guided tour; for canyoning, the stated qualification is essential. This lets you distinguish the options according to what matters for your trip: a route with a choice of two ways to do it, or an activity with a specific professional requirement.

Discover more destinations: Brión, Castro, A Igrexa, Gondollín, Manón, Nantón, Carnota, Biduído

For the broader travel overview: Coruña.