O Milladoiro: Hiking and Heritage

O Milladoiro between Hiking Trails and Heritage

Hiking trails and local heritage give a stay in O Milladoiro different points of focus. If you are looking for hotels in O Milladoiro, the trails and historic sites can shape your travel plans: Would you like to explore a longer hiking route, discover trails through the two main towns, or learn about architecture and local history? The following distinctions can help you identify your interests.

Hiking in O Milladoiro and Bertamiráns

The Senda Verde is a 12-kilometre linear hiking trail of moderate difficulty. It connects the town centres of O Milladoiro and Bertamiráns and runs along paths and new forestry tracks through areas of cultural, historical and landscape value. Its length, route format and difficulty define its profile: the Senda Verde is a longer walking connection, not a circular route. The mix of paths and forestry tracks is also one of this route’s distinguishing features.

The Camiños da Saúde offer a different focus. Their various trails pass through notable spots in O Milladoiro and Bertamiráns and are suited to areas frequently used by local residents. Rather than a single connection, the focus here is on several routes through the two towns. This makes it possible to distinguish their trail network from the linear Senda Verde.

Other Circular Routes in the Municipality of Ames

Further hiking trails in the municipality of Ames lie beyond the immediate area of O Milladoiro. The Ruta de Riamonte is a seven-kilometre circular route of moderate difficulty that leads to the ethnographic mill complex of Riamonte. The Ruta do Andoriña is shorter: it covers 5.2 kilometres, is easy, and follows the course of a small stream. It starts and ends at Tapia beach.

The two circular routes can be distinguished by their length, difficulty and destination. Riamonte combines a moderate rating with the mill complex as its destination; the stream-side route and the start and end point at Tapia define Andoriña. The Senda Verde, in turn, differs in its linear format, its 12-kilometre length and moderate difficulty. These details provide clear points of comparison between a connection and a circular route, and between a shorter and a longer trail.

Capela da Madalena: History and Design

The oldest known reference to the Capela da Madalena in O Milladoiro dates from 1539. Its façade and bell tower feature Baroque design. There are two crosses on the chapel grounds. One depicts Christ crucified on the front and the Pietà on the back. In 2004, this cross was restored and returned to its original location.

There are several historical points of interest: the early reference establishes the chapel’s place in time, its façade and bell tower shape its architectural character, and the two sides of the restored cross offer insight into its religious imagery. The Capela da Madalena thus offers a different perspective on O Milladoiro from the trails through the towns and the surrounding municipality.

Landscape and Getting Around in Ames

In the municipality of Ames, Devesa de Sequeiros is an example of the Atlantic forest that once covered this land. Oak is the predominant tree species there, accompanied by chestnut trees, laurel and holly.

Waypoints are also named to help orient visitors on the Camino Portugués. The final mile runs along Calle do Porto and Monte Agro dos Monteiros; from there, the cathedral towers are visible. This route detail adds a distinct pilgrimage-route perspective to the hiking trails.

The Casa da Cultura do Milladoiro also adds a cultural dimension. In the first-half 2025 programme, it was one of the venues in Ames for the Rede Galega de Teatros e Auditorios network. Together with the Capela da Madalena, it forms a varied cultural context: historic architecture and religious imagery sit alongside a time-specific reference to performance venues.

Discover more destinations: Gondollín, Santiago De Compostela, Sada, Braño, Guitiriz, Porto do Barqueiro, Boaño, Foro

For the full travel overview: Coruña.