Castelo de Soutomaior

In winter, our botanical park is even more charming.

The main attraction of this season is certainly the camellia, an elegant and beautiful plant that has conquered the gardens of the Soutomaior Castle.

Its strong leaves protect its delicate petals from the cold winter and also serve as a shelter for small birds that living in our garden. The different shades of these flowers make us feel warm even on the coldest days, when a cup of tea, obtained from Camellia sinensis, tastes better than ever.

If you are a collector or an enthusiast, or you simply want to know more about this jewel from the East, visit our website and discover all secrets of our camellia collection 

Besides camellias, there is a large garden surrounding the castle which stays green all year round. The botanical park is a living museum, whose origins date back to the 19th century. It was created by the Marquises de la Vega de Armijo y de Mos, who turned the gardens of their palace into an idyllic setting following the model of the gardens of Versailles. In order to do so, they planted trees whose foliage remains even in winter. Fir trees, araucarias, cedars, cryptomerias and sequoias are part of the castle’s heritage and history. Over the years, the property’s essence has been maintained. Moreover, it has been preserved and improved thanks to the actions carried out by the Deputación de Pontevedra.

Now the large evergreen conifers are more remarkable than other trees, which have lost their leaves in the autumn. The fourteen magnificent specimens of Platanus x acerifolia, already referred to in the book El Castillo del Marqués de Mos en Soutomaior, written by María Vinyals in 1904, stand out. During this season, you can appreciate how their branches twist and intertwine, caressing the clouds and letting the sunrays pass through.

Round off your visit walking along the forest path, since at this time of the year the streams of As Afreitas and Porta Cadeira flow heavily. In this peaceful spot, we can observe rabbits scampering and small birds flying, such as robins, which seem to be unaware of the cold and accompany us singing every day of the year.

A bird usually seen in our forest is the short-toed treecreeper, which creep up tree trunks looking for food.

These are just a few examples of all the richness and diversity that you can find in this privileged environment. Put some warm clothes and comfortable footwear on and discover all the treasures hidden in this fortress.