We didn’t have much of a plan, just an idea: follow the road out of Chantada around sunset and see where it took us. That turned out to be a good call. The route runs along the edge of the Miño gorge, one miradoiro after another, and ends at the turn-off for Castro, which carries you up into the hills toward the Fervenza de Fondós.
Out of Chantada: Sernande and Terra Branca
Our first stop after Chantada was the Sernande miradoiro. From here, the Miño already sits impressively far below, with the classic terraced vineyards running down the slopes. A little further on we stopped at Terra Branca, a second viewpoint on the same road, offering a slightly different angle on the river and the landscape around it.
What makes this stretch so good is that you drive from one miradoiro to the next without it ever getting old. Each point shows the gorge from just a slightly different perspective.
The Castro turn-off
At one point we took the turn-off toward Castro, away from the main road to Os Peares. That turned out to be the right call: instead of continuing on toward Os Peares, this road took us the other way, toward the Fervenza de Fondós.
Fervenza de Fondós: the view from the road
We didn’t walk the path down to the waterfall itself, but took it in from the road and the small parking spot instead. Even that was worth it: the waterfall sits in a gorge next to the distinctive rock face of the Penedo do Graúllo, and with the evening light settling over the valley, it made for exactly the kind of point where we wanted the drive to end.
Why golden hour is the time to do this
This whole stretch is best done in the late afternoon or evening. The light falls low across the terraced vineyards, and the gorge walls take on a warm glow that’s completely absent during the day. We drove the route in the evening, and it made all the difference: no harsh midday sun, no crowds, and exactly the kind of light worth waiting for with a camera.
Practical notes
- Route: Chantada → Sernande miradoiro → Terra Branca miradoiro → Castro turn-off → Fervenza de Fondós (viewed from the road/parking area).
- Heads up: this turn-off does not lead to Os Peares, even though the main road seems to point that way. Anyone hoping to see Os Peares should skip the Castro turn.
- Best time: evening, toward golden hour, for the warm light on the gorge walls.
- Getting around: a driving route with short stops at each miradoiro; there’s a small parking spot along the road at Fondós.
