Parador de Santo Estevo: Sacred to secular.

Inching down a steep road in our group’s minivan, the first glimpse I had of Parador de Santo Estevo was of an ancient stone structure rising from a misty hillside. The lodging was in Galicia, in northern Spain’s lush, green Ribeira Sacra region. It felt like an area that time forgot, peppered with hidden Romanesque churches and monasteries that dated back to the Crusades.

Although near the city of Ourense, this hotel is not easy to get to. Apart from all the winding roads we had encountered, the descent to the former monastery is so sheer that big buses can’t make it down. Our driver told us that larger groups have to walk.

Parador de Santo Estevo: Once the Area’s Most Famous Monastery

Exiting our group’s small van, I took a deep breath of the pine-scented air. The parador looked like a mighty fortification against intruders and the elements. Walking through the massive granite entrance, I sensed a knight on horseback could gallop by any moment.

The site of Parador de Santo Estevo once housed a Benedictine monastery dating back to the 6th or 7th centuries. It was put on the medieval religious map in the 10th century. Nine bishops, having taken a vow of poverty, came to live out their last days at the monastery. Their bodies are buried in the chapel.

A Famous Spot for Miracles

Reading up on the site later, I learned that some of the bishops’ rings were discovered during renovations a few years ago. Legend had it that the rings could work miracles.  The chapel was closed during my stay, and the rings are now at the Vatican. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to test the theory.

The Benedictines left the monastery in 1836. In 1875, the monastery’s chapel became a parish church. The rest of the structure fell into disrepair until 2004, when it reopened as a parador, with added modern conveniences.

The Background on Paradores

Paradores are state-run luxury hotels in converted castles, monasteries, and manor houses. Almost 100 years ago, the Spanish government decided to create this accommodation network to preserve the country’s historic, culinary, and cultural heritage. Today, 96 Paradores in Spain (plus one in Portugal) foster the local economy and are devoted to sustainability .

Parador de Santo Estevo Rooms are Former Monks’ Cells

Upon check-in, I learned the Parador de Santo Estevo offers 77 guest rooms. The rooms, once monks’ cells, line three cloisters in Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles.

Passing six-foot-thick granite walls on the way to my room, I felt a sense of protection and permanence. It echoed what I had seen on the way to the parador. Huge slabs of granite continually passed our van, trucking the stone to construction sites. Even today, it is still the area’s main building material.

Taking in the View

Entering my second-floor Standard room, I was pleased to see rough granite framing my window while the floor was warm hardwood.

Looking out the window, I thought about the monks who once lived here. Centuries ago, they might have observed a similar tapestry of pine, oak, and sweet chestnut trees. A sliver of silver indicated the Sil River below.

Simple yet comforting, the room was kitted with a mini fridge, safe, flatscreen TV, and wingback chair. A tile-lined bathroom was up a step. I made a mental note in case I needed a midnight visit. The tub was long, deep, and narrow for soaking, with a section for showering.

Meals are a Generous Galician Affair

In the morning, I came down looking for breakfast. Following a glassed-in hallway, I noticed guests sitting at small tables, gazing out on the courtyard. Walking further, I discovered a large dining area filled with buffet items.

Fresh-baked breads, croissants, and Galician cakes were laid out in baskets and trays. Galician ham and various charcuterie beckoned from platters, as did an array of local cheeses, including buttery Queso Tetilla and smoky San Simon da Costa. Fruit bowls contained berries, melon, and pineapple. Plus, I noticed a giant press for fresh-squeezed orange juice.

In addition, you could order hot items such as eggs, sausage, bacon, and churros with chocolate dipping sauce.

Eat in a Stunning Former Stable

Galicia is all about the food, and when staying at a parador, every effort is made to showcase local specialities. That’s why, after a day of sightseeing, I was excited to freshen up and head to dinner.

The Parador de Santo Estevo’s restaurant, Dos Abades, is housed in the monastery’s stables. The two-story vaulted ceiling and forest views took my breath away. I opted for the pre-fix, a four-course meal featuring dishes from land and sea.

One of my favorites was the Vieiras gratinadas a la gallega. Served on the half shell, the scallops were au gratin, Galician-style, with onion, garlic, paprika, ham, and breadcrumbs.

Wandering through the parador the next day, I was curious to see that many of the hallways and cloisters had panels explaining the space’s historical significance.. In one room near the elevators, I spied a painting of a soldier with a bandaged leg on crutches. Reading the plaques, I learned the monastery was known as a place of healing during various battles and crusades. Were miracles wrested from the rings of the nine bishops?

After watching a BBC reel titled The Legendary “Miracle” Rings of Ourense, I got a better picture. After the bishops died, pilgrims came to the monastery seeking cures for diseases, broken bones, and festering wounds. Water was poured through the rings onto the sick. According to legend, many walked away whole.

These days, the Parador’s healing takes place at its spa and wellness center. My itinerary didn’t coincide with the spa’s opening hours, but the desk clerk told me it featured a hydrotherapy circuit, sauna, Turkish bath, and treatment rooms. Access was available to both guests and non-guests, and loyalty members of Amigos de Paradores received a discount.

Ancient Churches, Boat Rides, and Wineries are Close By

A smaller monastery we explored was the 10th-century Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, with a remarkable Romanesque church. Another was the area’s oldest site of worship, San Pedro de Rocas, featuring a church and caves dating back to the 6th century. Another afternoon was spent on a boat tour that wound its way through the deepest section of the Sil River Canyon.

Delicious wine is produced in Galicia. To understand the method of difficult, steep-slope “heroic harvesting” by hand, we stopped at Regina Viarum Winery. A flight of reds, made with the area’s Mencia grapes, had our taste buds tingling.

A less-travelled area of Spain, Galicia is worth a visit because it has kept its sacred, secular, and gastronomic treasures intact. 

Rates at Parador de Santo Estevo 

Standard rooms start at around $180 per night. Superior rooms start at around $220 per night. Rates change depending on the season. If you join the Amigos de Paradores loyalty program, you’ll receive a 5% discount on the online rate. When booking, you can request the breakfast package or half board for an additional fee. There are also spa packages available.

Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.

Hotel review by Toronto-based travel writer Maureen Littlejohn. Photos © Maureen Littlejohn. The Tourist Office of Spain arranged for her stay as she researched a larger piece. As always, her thoughts and opinions are her own.