Ordes: River Walks, Heritage and Hotels

Ordes brings together riverside paths, longer hiking routes and cultural sites. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ordes, the length of the route and your travel interests may help you choose a destination: the Paseo Ramiro Recouso offers a short riverside walk, while the Roteiro do Río Mercurín takes considerably longer, at around four and a half hours. The area also has museums and a history of railways and architecture. The differences below can help you plan your days around the focus you prefer.

Riverside paths and longer hikes

The Paseo Ramiro Recouso is a riverside recreation area in the center of Ordes. Its riverside paths are less than one kilometer long; wooden boardwalks and bridges cross the Mercurín. Picnic tables are located beside the children’s playground and farther into the natural area. Compared with longer hikes, its short distance is the key difference.

The Roteiro do Río Mercurín is about 15 kilometers long and takes approximately four and a half hours. The full route is rated moderate, while shorter options are rated easy. When planning your day, you can weigh up the full route against a shorter option while keeping their different difficulty ratings in mind.

The Ruta San Paio Buscás–Poulo takes you through another landscape: it follows traditional paths through oak forests, meadows and eucalyptus groves, passing fields with traditional hedgerows and crossing two streams. Part of the route is also part of the Camiño Inglés. Within the Terras da Comarca de Ordes destination, the Camiño Inglés passes through the municipalities of Ordes and Oroso. The Igrexa Parroquial de San Paio de Buscás parish church is also located along the English Way. The Río Tambre area in Ordes is designated as a Site of Community Importance in the Natura 2000 network.

Cultural sites and history

The Mostra do traxe Juanjo Linares at Rúa da Feira 5 features a collection of more than 1,000 traditional costumes. Around 260 pieces are on display, mostly traditional costumes from around the world; costumes from Spain’s various autonomous communities make up the largest share. It is open daily except Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sundays and public holidays, the exhibition is closed in the afternoon. Opening hours may change, so check them before your visit.

The former A Pontraga railway station also tells the story of the area’s transport history. It was built in 1943 on the original Zamora–A Coruña railway line between Santiago and A Coruña. Architect Ramón Cortázar de Urruzola designed the building based on the station in Azpeitia. Items still found around the station include a rusted signal, several posts, wagon wheels and the remains of a switch mechanism.

The Pazo de Codeseda was founded in the 17th century by Don Domingo Rodríguez de Verea e Aguiar and his wife, Dona María López de Verea. It is privately owned and not open to the public. The main façade faces the road and features a balcony supported by sturdy corbels, with a carved stone balustrade. Ordes also has a surviving Roman-era bridge that formed part of the Via XX. Stone inscriptions on the Casa na que se aloxou Felipe II indicate that Felipe II spent a night there in 1554.

The DesOrdes Creativas festival transforms abandoned or unused spaces into new, colorful places for community use and is considered a major public, free open-air museum. In this way, contemporary art and the transformation of spaces complement the historic buildings and the Mostra collection.

Markets and planning your stay

The Praza de Abastos is primarily used for selling and marketing natural, locally sourced and other food products. The Mercadiño dos Mércores takes place on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Campo da Feira in the center of Ordes. The market schedule may change; check the times if you’re planning your visit around it.

You can choose between different focuses when planning your stay: short riverside walks, a longer hike with a stated duration, or cultural sites, each with its own history. Visiting hours are provided for the Mostra, while the Pazo de Codeseda is not open to the public. These specific differences can help you tailor your stay in Ordes to your interests.

Discover more destinations: Santa Cruz Santa Cruz De Montaos, Queo De Abaixo, Ponteceso, Culleredo, Porto do Barqueiro, Calvos, A Laracha, A Baña.

For the main travel overview: Coruña.