Portomarín: The Drowned Town on the Camino de Santiago

A Town Moved Stone by Stone

Portomarín has one of the most remarkable stories of any town on the Camino. In the 1960s, the Spanish government built the Belesar Dam on the River Miño. The original town of Portomarín — with its medieval streets, Roman bridge, and churches — would be submerged.

Rather than lose everything, engineers numbered the stones of the most important buildings and reconstructed them on higher ground. The Church of San Nicolás (also called San Juan), a 12th-century fortress-church, was moved block by block to its current position on the hilltop.

What You Can Still See

When the reservoir water levels drop in summer, the ruins of the old town emerge — stone arches, fragments of the Roman bridge, and old walls rising from the mud. It is an eerie and haunting sight.

Top Sights

Church of San Nicolás

This Romanesque fortress-church looks like a castle from outside. Its massive walls and battlements were designed for defence as well as worship. Inside, the rose window and carved capitals are beautiful. It was declared a National Monument.

Church of San Pedro

A smaller Romanesque church, also relocated. Simple but elegant.

The Modern Bridge

Pilgrims enter Portomarín by crossing a long bridge over the reservoir. The views of the valley and water are stunning, especially at sunset.

The Arcaded Main Square

The town centre has a pleasant arcaded square with cafés and restaurants — a perfect spot to rest after the walk from Sarria.

Eating and Drinking

• Aguardiente — Portomarín is famous for this grape spirit, the local firewater
• Empanada and caldo galego at the restaurants on the main square

Getting Around

Portomarín sits between Sarria and Palas de Rei on the Camino. If you need transport to or from Portomarín — for example, if you want to skip a stage or reach the town from the airport — Taxi Castro provides transfers throughout this section. Contact us at +34 659 99 31 39.