Las Médulas: How to visit and what to see in the World Heritage Site of El Bierzo

I had been warned that Las Médulas It has very different landscapes depending on the time of year, but to visit these for the first time places of the Leonese Bierzo I chose to do it at the end of autumn...and they seemed impressively beautiful.

Now we have recently returned coinciding with the beginning of summer, and I was somewhat afraid that it would disappoint me...and I'm telling you that it hasn't been like that at all.

The conclusion is that Las Médulas in autumn have a very special appeal.

Now this paraje natural declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco It is so impressive that it is worth visiting at any time of the year.

What are Las Médulas like, a World Heritage Site in El Bierzo?

In autumn the copper colors of the peaks and mounds combine with the symphony of colors of the trees that have already lost almost all their leaves.

But early summer to the contrast between said rocky pinnacles of strong copper color and the green of the thick forests is added to the yellow of the chestnut blossom, type of tree that floods this area of ​​​​the northwest of the province of León.

Therefore it is difficult to indicate which is The best time of year to visit Las Médulas, which is conditioned by each person's tastes.

when you know What are the Marrows?, they will be even more surprising and you will understand the reason why they are classified as cultural landscape and have been declared World Heritage.

The first thing you have to know is that Las Médulas it was an old one goldmine which was exploited by Roman empire for more than 2.000 years.

At that time, after his fights with the astures who inhabited this area, the Romans discovered that there was gold in the area, which was being extracted and used by the conquered tribes.

During the period of Roman occupation, the astures They did not work as slaves, but as miners in the exploitation of gold.

How Las Médulas were formed in Roman times

To extract the gold found inside the mountains, the Romans decided to use the method known as Montium Ruin, with which the mountains were literally burst to facilitate the final collection of the gold dust.

This method involved creating a channel network of more than 100 kilometers, largely excavated in the rocks, which allowed water to be brought from higher mountains and then stored at the top of the mountains that were going to burst.

In these mountains, dead-end galleries were created and, finally, the water was introduced in a rush, so that the compression of the trapped air caused the mountain to explode.

The mass of clay and water that came out after the explosion was washed in wooden channels, and filtered with heather branches to retain the gold.

Likewise, the boulders called you died, samples of which you can still see in droves during your walk through the area Las Médulas.

This process of gold exploitation It was carried out for 200 years, and it is known that during the entire period more than 5.000 kilos of gold were recovered, with an estimated volume of earth removed of more than one hundred million cubic meters.

The volume of materials removed was so large that its accumulation at the end of the valley blocked the natural water outlets and led to the formation of the current Carucedo Lake, an area that you can also visit.

It's hard to think that where we now see curious clay rock formations named peaks, only 2.000 years ago they were mountains as high as those that surround them.

This is the experience of visiting Las Médulas in El Bierzo

La visit to Las Médulas It has two different aspects, and the axis of it will be the walk along the paths that in one circular route It will take you through the heart of these spectacular places.

How to go up to the Orellán Viewpoint to see Las Médulas

Now, to appreciate the true dimension of these old gold mines you must go up to the Orellán viewpoint, from where you have the best panoramic views of Las Médulas.

This way you will have before you a spectacular overall view of this landscape; or if you prefer, you can leave it for last, after having done the circular route, but You can't leave Las Médulas without going up to Orellán.

You can go to the viewpoint well walk up from the town of Las Médulas, on a detour from circular route, that is, having to overcome a steep slope up to it, or reaching drive on a road that allows you go up to Orellán.

Next to said viewpoint, at certain times of the year you will even have the opportunity to enter some old gold mine galleries, which will take you to one of the large walls that remain.

Circular Route through Las Médulas

This route starts in Visitor Reception Center which is in the town of Las Médulas, where to access you must have left the car parked in the parking that is at the entrance to it.

You have the option to do the complete circular route of just over three kilometers along the so-called Path of the Valiñas, which will take you about two hours, or just part of it, with a kilometer and a half that you must travel round trip.

During the tour you will pass by the points of greatest interest in Las Médulas, such as the exploitation galleries of The Cuovona y The Enchanted Cave.

It is advisable to do it with a tour, which will allow you to discover how it is possible that man exploited these old gold mines.

Centennial chestnut trees in Las Médulas

It should be noted that one of the surprises that your walk will bring you is being able to see the spectacular and twisted trunks of the century-old chestnut trees that extend through this ancient roman gold mine.

During their exploitation, they not only substantially modified the natural environment, but also generated new ecosystems, especially with the planting of stately chestnut trees.

These trees replaced the majority presence of oaks at that time with the aim of serving as food for the thousands of workers. astures and of the Romans themselves.

Likewise, these chestnut trees have been used over the centuries so that their wood was used in construction by the inhabitants of this Leonese region.

Nowadays, if you are looking for places where you can enjoy the charm of a chestnut forest, Las Médulas You have a good alternative.

During your walk along the paths that run between the different rocky peaks de Las Médulas, you will pass through various wooded areas where the kings are the big chestnut trees, with some specimens that are more than 600 years old.

In my first trip to Bierzo, as I mentioned, made in autumn I could see the chestnut trees almost completely bare of their lush vegetation.

This brought to light the great network of its branches but, above all, it allowed the imagination to give free rein to the rough and curious shapes of its branches. spectacular trunks, in an atmosphere typical of a thriller film.

Obviously, chestnut forest landscapes They change radically from one time of year to another.

However, on the visit made at the beginning of summer, what caught our attention was the luxuriance of its branches and the color of the chestnut flowers.

Guided tours in Las Médulas

Here you have information to sign up for one guided tour of Las Médulas, and here you go another guided tour option.

Las Médulas Visitor Reception Center Hours

Meanwhile, the visiting hours of Las Médulas Visitor Reception Center They are throughout the year, from 1:45 a.m. to 14 p.m., and in the afternoons at variable hours depending on the season.

Of course, from November to February the hours are only from 10,45:17,30 a.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

Here you can consult the Las Médulas Visitor Center hours.