Camellia Route: practical guide to visit it

Guide to the Camellia Route in Galicia, a journey through historic gardens and pazos where these emblematic plants bloom, with information on itineraries, best times to visit, and tips to enjoy this unique natural and cultural attraction.

The Camelia Route is one of the most beautiful (and elegant) ways to discover Galicia from north to south through 12 manors and gardens where this flower —mysterious, symbolic, and surrounded by legends— becomes the main protagonist. It is an ideal journey for those seeking nature, heritage, and tranquility: walking slowly, breathing the humid garden air, and allowing oneself to be surprised by corners that seem designed for disconnection.

Along the route, which often follows the paths of the Camino de Santiago routes, in addition to discovering gardens linked to the historical heritage of the Galician land, you will be able to contemplate almost 8,000 varieties of camellia. We will delve into manors with tradition and history and understand why this flower, arriving from Asia and passionately adopted in Galicia, became a true emblem of winter beauty.

When to do the Camelia Route?

Almost any time of the year is good, as camellias have the extraordinary ability to bloom in different seasons. Spring, autumn, and winter are the times when we will find camellias, although their most iconic blooming season is winter. If you want to experience that special charm of seeing intense and colorful flowers in the middle of the cold season, choose winter. And if you are organizing your trip in relation to a Jacobean route, we are here to guide you.

Where do we start the route?

The manors and gardens that are part of the Camelia Route are located in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra, so we can start from the north, in Bergondo (A Coruña), and finish in Vigo, or do the route from the south. It will all depend on the itinerary we have set for ourselves.

Many of the points are relatively close to each other (in many cases, less than 25 kilometers), which allows for visiting several in a single day if you organize your time well.

What manors and gardens will you find on the Camelia Route?

1. Pazo de Mariñán

Located in Bergondo (A Coruña), the garden of this legendary pazo —which begins with an inscription "Nothing, here," on a marble plaque at the dock— is divided into two parts. To reach and discover that dock, we will cross a spectacular boxwood maze with varied pruning in the shape of stars, circles, flowers, and shields.

Yews, strawberry trees, plane trees, horse chestnuts, laurels, roses, azaleas, and ivy accompany the path, where the Japanese camellias, arranged in an atypical 8+1 formation, are the silent protagonists of the story of this mysterious house.

• Before you go: check updated information at the Deputación de A Coruña.

2. Alameda de Santiago

The "lung" of Santiago de Compostela, after visiting the Saint in the cathedral, is a must-visit pilgrimage site for visitors. It spans 85,000 square meters of garden, where many trees are included in the Catalog of Singular Trees of Galicia.

Other specimens, such as a Normandy fir known as "La Perona" —planted in 1947 to commemorate the visit of Evita Perón— also have history. And always the camellias: with more than 65 specimens of the japonica variety (some over a hundred years old), planted in 1858 for the Agricultural, Artistic, and Industrial Exhibition, they overshadow everything else during the blooming season.

• Before you go: official information at Turismo de Santiago.

3. Pazo de Santa Cruz de Ribadulla

The garden of this pazo is considered, for its botanical value, landscape significance, and diversity in decorative vegetation, as the most fascinating in the Galician land. It was in the 19th century when "Uncle Iván" (Iván Armada y Fernández de Córdoba) significantly increased the presence of camellias in this house.

Walking among the imposing camellias, gigantic magnolias, olive trees, ombú, Australian ferns, Washingtonia palms, or the pyramidal oak is a true pleasure for the senses. A must-see on the Camellia route.

• Before you go: check visits and reservations on the official pazo website.

4. Pazo de Oca

Located in A Estrada, it is owned by the Ducal House of Medinaceli and is declared a Cultural Heritage Site. Its spectacular garden covers approximately 8 hectares and is known as the "Galician Versailles" or the "Generalife of the North".

We are welcomed by a flowerbed surrounded by perfectly pruned boxwood paths that lead us to encounter camellias over eight meters tall, azaleas, rhododendrons, palm trees, oaks, walnut trees, chestnuts, and birches.

Particular attention should be paid to a stone boat placed in the center of one of the ponds, where two sailors with cannons guard the majestic hydrangeas settled in their bed.

• Before you go: tickets and conditions on the official website.

5. Casa Museo de Rosalía de Castro

In Padrón, the last stop of the Portuguese Way, the former home of Galician writer Rosalía de Castro features a small but charming garden. Stone is the protagonist, and the green of the meadow creates the best contrast to appreciate the carpets of hybrid red and pink reticulated camellias that form around the tree when they fall.

In the center, the vine under which Rosalía wrote the poems collected in Cantares Gallegos, Follas novas, and En las orillas del Sar. A garden where culture and nature form a perfect tandem.

• Before you go: updated information on the Rosalía de Castro Foundation.

6. Pazo de Rubianes

In Vilagarcía de Arousa, along the Father Sarmiento Route, we find this Garden of International Excellence that boasts over 4,500 specimens of camellias from about 800 different varieties, not counting the other botanical species present in the ensemble, lovingly cared for since the 17th century.

In the 19th century, it was expanded with the gardener from the Campo del Moro of the Royal Palace of Madrid, François Viet, and after the fires that ravaged Galicia in 2006, the pazo was reborn with strength. A must-visit on the Camellia Route.

• Before you go: reservations and types of visits on the official website.

7. Pazo de Quinteiro da Cruz

In Ribadumia, we find this haven of peace where, in addition to tasting a good albariño produced on-site, we will see over 5,000 camellias of 1,500 different varieties bloom.

Four varieties stand out from the rest: the japonnica, the reticulata, the "fig" variety (awarded the Gold Camellia in an international competition dedicated to this tree), and the sinensis, from which tea is made.

• Before you go: visit by appointment on the official website.

8. Pazo da Saleta

In the Pontevedra town of Meis, we find another International Excellence Garden thanks to its camellias. Of English type and covering 5 hectares, it was designed by landscape architect Brenda Colvin after Robert and Margaret Gimson arrived in Galicia in 1968 in search of a place to practice gardening, their great passion.

Red, white, reticulated, and violet camellias bring this garden to life, which, in winter (flowering season), becomes a true spectacle.

• Before you go: reservation required on the official website.

9. Pazo de Lourizán

Its 54 hectares of woodland, estate, and garden leave visitors in awe. The pazo, with its imperial-style façade and staircase, is a true gem; it also retains the mark of its origin as a farm, of which a dovecote remains.

Walking through the Arboretum (the name it has been known by since 1949) is a must. At our feet, a multicolored carpet of camellias; and around us, nearly 2,000 tree species from all over the world, many included in the Catalog of Singular Trees.

• Before you go: official information on the Xunta de Galicia.

10. Castle of Soutomaior

In Pontevedra, located at the origin of the Vigo estuary, we find this imposing 12th-century castle and its 25-hectare garden, with over a hundred varieties of camellias, ancient chestnuts, and trees from all continents.

Here, roses and camellias compete in beauty and color: red, white, pink… they create a spectacle for the eyes and nose that makes even the image of the castle seem even more impressive.

• Before you go: check hours and visits on the official website.

11. Parque do Castro

In Vigo, this park with a fortress has exceptional archaeological value thanks to the castrexo settlement dated between the 3rd and 1st centuries B.C., located in its lowest part. The botanical value of its species is the second great reason to dedicate time to it.

In 2014, on the occasion of the 50th edition of the International Camellia Exhibition, a planting of numerous specimens organized by origin was carried out: Australia, the United States, England, Italy, and Belgium, among others. A variety called "olivica" was also introduced, in honor of Vigo, whose symbol is the olive tree.

• Before you go: practical information at Turismo de Vigo.

12. Pazo Museo Quiñones de León

In Vigo, we find another pazo that would not be understood without its garden, which adds an extra beauty. Inspired by French Baroque gardens, it was created in the 19th century and is divided into six parts: access garden, rose garden, French garden, tea meadow, sunny area, and forest.

During the tour, one must stop in front of a camellia over 205 years old of the japonnica variety, known as "Methuselah of the camellias", considered the oldest in Galicia. It was incorporated into the garden by the Marquis of Alcedo in 1860, coming from Portuguese nurseries, and today it continues to show its splendor in winter.

• Before you go: hours and possible closures on the municipal website.

Walking the Camellia Route is much more than visiting gardens: it is entering a stately, green, and tranquil Galicia, where beauty is carefully tended and each pazo has its own character. If you are looking for an inspiring plan —one of those that are remembered for how they make you feel— this route is a safe bet, especially in winter, when the camellia transforms the cold season into a true spectacle of color.