Tui Cathedral & Medieval Old Town
Tui's Romanesque-Gothic cathedral crowns a granite hilltop and doubles as a fortified castle, its crenellated towers watching over Portugal just across the river. The cobbled streets radiating from its base are some of the best-preserved medieval streetscapes in Galicia.
A Cathedral Built for Battle
Consecrated in 1225, the Catedral de Santa María de Tui is a rare hybrid of spiritual and military architecture — its thick walls, battlements and watchtowers were designed to repel Portuguese raids as much as to house a congregation.
Step inside to find a soaring nave, a richly carved Romanesque portal, and the tomb of San Telmo, the city's patron saint. The cloister is a quiet masterpiece of Gothic stonework, with orange-tree scent drifting through the arches on warm afternoons.
The Old Town Lanes
Below the cathedral, Rúa Serafín Parajó and Rúa da Corredoira wind past granite manor houses, Baroque fountains and tiny wine bars where locals nurse Albariño at noon.
Look for the Porta da Boa Nova, one of several original medieval gateways still standing in the walls, and the Praza do Concello, a lively square perfect for people-watching over a café con leche.
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