Touring Bierzo

In honor of the Bierzo D.O. wine festival being held this week in neighboring Leon, I thought I would write up some info about touring this region which doesn't get featured in many travel guides.

The Bierzo D.O. is in northeastern Spain, between Galicia and Castille. The main town is Ponferrada. In early July, Ponferrada is the site of the Night of the Templars, a medieval themed event of food and celebration.

The region has an important wine making tradition that is capturing world attention with wines made from the local grape Mencía. Leading wines include Corullón from Alvaro Palacios, Tilenus from Estefania, and Pittacum, to name just three.

There are many castles and ancient monasteries, such as Santa Maria de Carrecedo, Santiago de Peñalba, and San Andres. The region also is home to Los Medulas, a Roman gold mine that has been declared a world heritage site.

For dining, the regional specialty is a style of pork sausage known as botillo. Leading restaurants in Ponferrada include El Leñador and the traditional La Casa del Botillo.

Notable hotels in the area are the Hotel Ancares and the Parador de Villafranca del Bierzo.

So, if you're bored with going places that everyone else has already been to, Bierzo could be the place!