Geography and Climate

Ourense is located on the northwest side of the Iberian Peninsula, in the valley formed by the passage of river Minho and its tributaries Barbana and Lonia. With more than 107,000 inhabitants, it is the third Galician city and the capital of the homonymous province, the only one of Galicia with no coast but of great natural value.

The province of Ourense borders to the south with northern Portugal, to the east with Zamora, with Pontevedra to the west and Lugo to the north. Its capital, traditionally a communications hub and the natural entrance to Galicia from the Spanish plateau, has excellent connections by motorway and train with the main cities of Spain and Portugal. Ourense is the ideal starting point to discover the best of the magical, mysterious and still unknown inland Galicia. Places of great beauty and interest such as the town of Ribadavia or the Ribeira Sacra are just a few kilometres away.

As a plaque of the National Geographic Institute at the entrance of the City Hall informs us, Ourense’s centre is 135 metres above the sea level, while the mountains that surround the city reach 400 metres. This valley surrounded by hills forms a pan; this formation provides to Ourense a singularly continental climate, with rains much more moderate than in the rest of Galicia. Temperatures are very high in summer, often above 30 ° C, and very low in winter, so when packing, it is advisable to always wear extra warm clothing (besides the bathing suit, because despite everything, here it is always summer …).

You may check the weather forecast for Ourense in the Meteogalicia website

Post Offices

It is possible to get stamps at any tobacconist or post office. Letters and postcards can be deposited in the mailbox while the sending and receiving of packages must be processed at the post office or by courier companies.

Post Offices

  • Rúa do Paseo, 53 – Tel. +34 988 223 083
  • Avda. de Marín, 27 – Tel. +34 988 217 839

Currency

EURO (€) is the official currency throughout the European Union.

Currency changes must be made in the banking offices, as the city does not have exchange facilities. If you travel by plane, you will find this service at the nearest airports.

Payment with credit cards is quite widespread in shops and is usually identified with badges on the doors of the stores. However, in catering and many shops usually requires a minimum expenditure (approx € 10) for card payments. In any case it is recommended to ask beforehand.