Founded by the Romans as Lucus Augusti, the city of Lugo boasts more than two thousand years of history and heritage. The finest and most famous testimony to this illustrious past is the Roman Wall, which has remained indestructible over the centuries and is now the quintessential symbol of this Galician city. But Lugo also has many other places of interest to visit and it’s well worth spending a few days here to stroll around the streets and discover the town. Make time to get to know all its different attractions: its monuments, its cuisine, its natural surroundings and its people.
More than two thousand years of history goes a long way. A visit to Lugo is like a trip into the past. You’ll need plenty of time to discover all the little hidden spots this magic two-thousand-year-old city has to offer. Visitors to the walled city can put aside their cares and stress for a while. Time seems to stand still in Lugo. Talk a wander through the pleasant streets and discover its thousand and one captivating corners.
If there’s one thing that characterises Lugo, it’s the extraordinary hospitality with which it greets visitors: the gates are always open in the Roman wall. Lugo is proud to boast the only fully intact Roman wall in the world. It has become a symbol of the city, especially since 2000 when it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travellers cannot but be amazed by the serene, solid beauty of this defence structure, its stones giving a sense of the passing of time. Take a walk along the ramparts, which stretch for over two kilometres around the city, and get a perfect bird’s eye view of the colours of the local countryside, the roofs and chimneys of the old quarter and the proud towers of the cathedral. What could be more romantic than to walk along the wall under the stars. Generations of local people have enjoyed this unique moonlit walk amidst the stones, in the quiet of the night.
History, monuments and cuisine… Visitors to Lugo cane enjoy the magic of its walls, its historical centre and the magnificent River Miño. And they leave with the enduring memory of a welcoming city where no one is a stranger and the gates are always open.
LUCUS AUGUSTI – Lugo, Galicia
- Roman Wall
- Roman Wall exibition and information office
- Roman Bridge
- Roman Thermal Baths
- Santa Eulalia de Bóveda
- Museo Provincial
- Porta Miñá Showroom
- Batitales-Mosaics house
- San Roque Archaeological Center
Roman Wall
Lugo’s heart of the city, the former Lucus Augusti, is surrounded by a Roman Wall which is over two kilometers long. One who knows some of the impressive medieval walls in many European cities will be amazed at the mighty appearance of this unique monument.
Because this impressive urban fortress, already one of the biggest at the time of construction, is the only case known to have preserved its entire length, in the vast territory across three continents which was once part of the Roman Empire.
This is the reason why on December 2nd, 2000, the UNESCO officially listed the Roman Wall in Lugo as a World Heritage Site, after the decision taken on the previous 30th of November.
It is well known that, in the year 15 BC, Paulus Fabius Maximus founded the city of Lucus Augusti, in honour of the emperor of Rome; this would be the capital of the Gallaecia Lucense.
At that time, Gallaecia had just been incorporated into the Roman Empire after the Cantabrian Wars; it was subsequently divided into three districts or judicial departments -Bracarense, Asturicense and Lucense. The country now known as Galicia comprises the entirety of the former Roman Gallaecia Lucense, a small part of the Bracarense and another, even smaller part, of the Asturicense.
Lucus Augusti was a great provincial city, strategically located at a crossroads. One should note that, as recorded by Plinius, Rome received ten thousand pounds of gold from Gallaeciaís mines every year.
Between the late III and early IV centuries, when the city was already three hundred years old, Lugo’s urban design underwent changes, its position shifted slightly towards the North, although it kept its old basic structure.
These were times of political and military crises and new fortifications were set up around Lugo: an impressive stone wall totaling 2.266 metres in length, crowned by 85 impressive semi-circular towers with 10 to 13 metre diameters, which bulged and rose two or three times the height of the battlements. Each of the towers was surmounted by large windows and had stony built-in stairs which at ground level probably had a wooden flight that could be lifted as a kind of draw-bridge. The average width of the Wall is 6 metres; on top of it there is a pedestrian walk; nowadays, it is from eight to twelve metres above ground-level; although it was presumably even higher at that time and also had battlements.
On the outer side, the Wall was surrounded by a five-metre deep and twentymetre wide moat; this made it more difficult to assault the city with either war machinery or tunnel excavations. The front of the wall, stretching between its two towers, is from 8.80 to 16.40 metres wide; this means that assailants would easily have been under cross-fire from the defenders.
But this was Lugo’s Roman Wall in the past. Now, the city is two-thousand years old. Seventeen centuries have gone by. The military role of the Wall has lapsed; its towers have been destroyed (except for one at A Mosqueira). New gateways have been cut open and the city has sprawled beyond its circle… However, the entire length of the wall has been preserved, and we can still see 71 round turrets from the walk on top, giving this astonishing fortress its unique character. Only three of the original gateways have been preserved without major changes, although one, Porta Miñá, has been kept virtually intact. Several of the original stairways can now be seen by the public. The walk on top, some four metres wide, is now an urban promenade that can be reached from several more recent stairways adjoining the Wall. During the day, this walk offers the best viewpoints of the old city (Roman, Medieval, Baroque and Liberal); at night time, thanks to the faint electric light, it is a poetic and mysterious promenade
Timetable
Open all year round
Roman Wall exibition and information office
The Wall has ten gateways, but there is now a new door (the eleventh) that can open its secrets. The “Centro de Interpretación da Muralla” is located on Praza do Campo, 11, right at the heart of Roman Lugo in a beautiful Baroque building. This also houses the Local Information Office; the three floors on top provide visitors with a journey into the past, with the help of state of the art audiovisual technology.
Praza do Campo, 11
27001 Lugo
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 43.0100626
Longitude -7.5607087
Timetable
- Monday, tuesday and wednesday: 11:00 14:00 h and 16:00 to 18:00 h
- From Thursday to Sunday: 11:00 to 18:00 h
Roman Bridge
On the XIX Roman Road, from Lugo to Braga, it was necessary to build a long bridge over the Miño River. In the late Middle Ages it was largely renovated and restored. In the following centuries several repairs were again necessary and, eventually, in 1893 it was widened and altered in structure with the suppression of the former slopes. However, the main features of the present-day bridge, called the old or Roman bridge, still bear the original imprint. The so-called Bridge Road goes down from Miñá Wall Gateway to this bridge, as part of the Primitive Way to Santiago, and is still used by pilgrims nowadays.
Rúa Río Miño
27004 Lugo
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 43.0018853
Longitude -7.5657442
Timetable
Open all year round.
Roman Thermal Baths
The remains of the Roman Baths in Lugo were included in the National Heritage Site list in 1931. They are now found inside a Hotel Spa (Hotel Balneario), on the banks of MiÒo River and can be visited free of charge. The most impressive section on these premises is the apodyterium, the place where bathers took their clothes off. First, there is a great hall with a floor made of opus signinum (a mixture of pieces of slate and lime). At the back of this hall, there are two archways leading to two twin rooms, both are vaulted and have slate floors. On the walls there are eighteen inset half-point niches that were used as lockers.
Rúa Camiño do Balneario s/n
27004 Lugo
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 43.001596
Latitude -7.5630594
www.balneariodelugo.com
Phone: +34 982 221 228
balneario@balneariodelugo.com
Timetable
- December 16 – March 1: Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Rest of the year: From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Santa Eulalia de Bóveda
In 1926, after two centuries hidden underground, an extraordinary monument was found next to the Santa Eulalia de Bóveda Parish Church, at 14 kilometres from Lugo. Five years later, this extraordinary late-Roman monument would be listed as a National Heritage Site. Since then, many theories have been put forward about its purpose, although it has yet to be agreed upon. One of the most enthralling, although perhaps not so credible, is that it was a temple related to Priscilianus. However, there is no doubt that this is a unique unparalleled monument in the Western part of the Roman Empire.
It is commonly thought that this was a temple devoted to some water gods or nymphs, and it also had a practical prophylactic function. It was built in the III or IV century. In later periods, this pagan temple was turned into a Christian church; some elements can be traced back to the Suebian and Visigothic periods. The primitive building, with an in antis structure, had two floors. There are only remnants of the upper part but the one on the lower floor still remains. There is only one façade, since the construction was made by boring into a nearby hill. There is only one vault with three arcaded naves, and a rectangular apse at the back, the central nave has a pool to contain the spring water. The paintings on the vault are very well preserved and the beautiful birds depicted still keep their splendour two thousand years later. The façade and porch underwent changes in the Christian era, but some remarkable reliefs on the stone slabs are probably original. Santalla is a rural village of the utmost interest, given its network of stone farm houses.
Bóveda de Mera, s/n
27233 Bóveda de Mera – Lugo
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 42.9681352
Longitude -5.7921077
Timetable
From September 16 to June 15
- From Tuesday to Friday: From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday: from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Sundays, Mondays and holidays: closed
From June 16 to September 15
- From Tuesday to Friday: from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday: from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday, Monday and holidays: closed
Museo Provincial
It is an important archaeological museum, holding paintings, sculptures and minor arts. Important collection of pre-Roman Jewellery. Within the precincts one can find the Romanesque cloister, the dining room and the kitchen of a former Franciscan monastery.
Praza da Soidade s/n
27001 Lugo
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 43.0113836673
Longitude -7.5588182863
www.redemuseisticalugo.org
Phone: +34 982 242 112
info@museolugo.org
Timetable
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Saturdays: 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sundays and holidays: 11 a 14 h.
Porta Miñá Showroom
Permanent exhibit about the Roman origins of the city, with the foundation monolith and many other important pieces.
Rúa do Carmen, s/n
27004 Lugo
Coordenadas GPS:
Latitude 43.0098356
Longitude -7.5631814
Timetable
- From Thursday to Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Closed: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Batitales-Mosaics house
Small museum and audiovisual installation of the architectural and decorative remains of a large Roman domus, called Domus Oceani for the representation of the main mosaic of the oecus or reception room of this roman house.
Doutor Castro, 20-22
27001 Lugo
GPS Coordinates:
Longitude 43.0104886
Latitude -7.5592262
www.lugo.gal
Telephone: +34 982 254 815
cultura@concellodelugo.org
Timetable
Summer season (16th June until 15th October)
- From Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00 to 13.30 / 16:00 to 19:30
- Sunday: 11:00 to 14:00
- Special timetable October 6th (local holiday): 11:00 to 13.30 / 16:00 to 19:30
Winter season
- From Thursday to Saturday: 11:30 to 13:30 /17:00 to 19:00
- Sunday: 11:30 to 13:30
San Roque Archaeological Center
Musealization of the remains of a Roman necropolis, a ritual pond and a ceramic oven, with audiovisual installation.
Emilio Pardo Bazán, s/n
Entry Trough San Roque Garden
27003 Lugo
GPS Coordinates:
Longitude 43.0092018
Latitude -7.5535656
www.lugo.gal
Telephone: +34 982 801 105
cultura@concellodelugo.org
Timetable
- Thursday too Saturday 11:30 to 13:30 / 17:00 to 19:00
- Sunday 11:30 to 13:30
ACCOMMODATIONS
SHIKU HOSTEL
RUA NOREAS 2- 27001 LUGO
982229935
www.shikuhostel.com
info@shikuhostel.com
HOSTEL CROSS
CRUZ 14 – 27001 LUGO
marcoskarrusel@gmail.com
HOTEL DARIO
RUA DO FRANCO 12-14 – 27003 LUGO
982203483
www.hoteldario.es
info@hoteldario.es
METROPOL
MIGUEL DE CERVANTES, 58 – 27003 LUGO
982813597
hotelmetropol@carrishoteles.com
CEAO EXPRESS
RÚA DOS CANTEIROS, O CEAO – 27003 LUGO
982209999
hotelceaoexpress@mundo-r.com
LOS OLMOS
N-VI, KM. 505- 27296 LUGO
982200032
www.hotellosolmos.com
hotellosolmos@infonegocio.com
PUERTA SAN PEDRO
RÍO NEIRA, 29 – 27002 LUGO
982222381
www.exepuertadesanpedro.com
info@exepuertadesanpedro.com
CIUDAD DE LUGO
CARRIL DAS HORTAS, 29 – 27002 LUGO
982284707
www.ciudaddelugo.com
hotel@ciudaddelugo.com
BALNEARIO DE LUGO
BARRIO DA PONTE, S/N- 27004 LUGO
982221228
www.balneariodelugo.com
balneario@balneariodelugo.com
GRAN HOTEL LUGO
AVDA. DE RAMON FERREIRO, S/N – 27002 LUGO
982224152
www.granhotellugo.com
direccion@granhotellugo.es
MENDEZ NUÑEZ
RAÍÑA, 1 – 27001 LUGO
982230711
www.hotelmendeznunez.com
hotel@hotelmendeznunez.com
PAZO DE ORBAN E SANGRO
TRAVESÍA DO MIÑO Nº6 – 27001 LUGO
982240217
info@pazodeorban.es
TORRE DE NÚÑEZ
N-VI KM,496 – 27160 CONTURIZ LUGO
982304393
www.torredenunez.com
hotel@hoteltorredenunez.com
CELA
RDA. DA MURALLA,176- 27002 LUGO
982252405
portasantiago@mundo-r.com
ALBA
PRAZA CAMPO CASTELO, 31 – 27001
982226056
SAN ROQUE
PRAZA COMANDANTE MANSO, 11- 27002 LUGO
982222700
hostalsanroque@gmail.com
BRIOS
RUA LAXEIRO 6 – 27002 LUGO
982241408
www.hostalbrios.com
brioscom@yahoo.es
Pensión 3*-Cafetería
FISTERRA
AVDA.DE LA CORUÑA, 223 – 27003 LUGO
982801355
RESTAURANTS
VENTORRO 2
POLIG. SAGRADO CORAZÓN 1 – 27003 LUGO
pizgalugo_@hotmail.com
VINOS Y MAS
AVDA. DAS AMERICAS, 72 – 27004 LUGO
982819557
miguelrodie@hotmail.com
VINTAGE
PLAZA CAMPO CASTILLO, 36 – 27001 LUGO
610122634
juan_vil@hotmail.com
VIVERO
RÚA NICOMEDES PASTOR DÍAZ, 35 – 27001 LUGO
982253058
info@restaurantevivero.com
Tourist Office
Praza do Campo, 11
27001 Lugo
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude 43.0100773
Longitude -7.5606796
www.lugo.gal
Phone: +34 982 251 658
lugoturismo@concellodelugo.org
Timetable
Winter
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday and Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Summer
- Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- From Thursday to Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.