Rural complex for restoration with hórreo and alpendre in Villalba

A rural complex in Villalba, in the heart of the Terra Chá

This property is located in a small village just 5 km from Villalba, the capital of the Terra Chá comarca. The estate covers a total area of 5,174 m² and includes three attached houses, a traditional Galician hórreo, a stone-pillared alpendre and a rear plot of land. Access is direct from the road, with good connections to Villalba and the rest of the comarca.

The village forms part of the characteristic landscape of the Terra Chá, the largest comarca in Galicia, defined by its green meadows, native woodlands and gentle plain that contrasts with the mountainous relief of the surrounding area. A quiet place of small villages and deeply rooted vernacular architecture.

Three houses with character and potential for transformation

The property includes 276 m² of built area distributed across three attached buildings of different typology and condition, forming a rural complex of great character. All three share the same façade facing the road and are complemented by the exterior elements that surround them.

The best-preserved building stands out from the exterior for its large glazed gallery on the upper floor, making it a singular and very bright space. The ground floor is an open-plan space, and the upper floor —accessible via an external side staircase— houses a kitchen-living-dining room presided over by the large gallery windows, a traditional wood-burning stove, two bedrooms and a bathroom. This floor retains a set of antique carved wooden furniture —a display cabinet, an extendable table and beds— with the character typical of traditional Galician rural homes.

The second house, with two floors, has both levels open-plan, with stone masonry walls and a wooden beam floor structure. The upper floor is accessible via a wooden staircase.

The central building, of a single storey, preserves inside a traditional Galician stone bread oven, a piece of great ethnographic value.

Exterior elements of great heritage value

In front of the houses stands a stone-pillared alpendre with its original structure intact, whose roof requires intervention. It is a singular construction, with masonry columns and great width, offering remarkable possibilities once restored.

The complex is completed by a traditional Galician hórreo of notable size and good condition: a wooden body with vertical slats over masonry walls, a slate gabled roof with a decorative finial at the apex, a carved balustrade and access via a lateral stone staircase.

Behind the buildings, the land extends with open views over the Terra Chá landscape.

Villalba and the Terra Chá: nature, heritage and Galician identity

Villalba is the capital of the Terra Chá and one of the most important towns in the interior of Lugo. Its most recognisable landmark is the Torre dos Andrade, a medieval octagonal tower built in the 13th century that today houses a Parador Nacional hotel. The town is also a stage on the Northern Way of Saint James, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, connecting the town with the rest of the Jacobean route.

The natural surroundings of Villalba invite outdoor activity: the Fluvial and Literary Walkway along the Río Magdalena, some 3 km long, follows the riverbank past mills, weirs and a small river beach. The Muíño do Rañego and its recreational area are another point of interest in the municipality. For hiking enthusiasts, the surrounding hills offer routes through forests and pastureland.

The area is part of the Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO in 2002, which protects an exceptional ecosystem of great biodiversity, with wetlands, riparian forests and a wide variety of wildlife. From a gastronomic perspective, Villalba is known for the capón vilalbés —a prized capon with its own fair declared of tourist interest every December— and for San Simón da Costa cheese, a Protected Designation of Origin smoked cheese and one of the most highly regarded in Galicia.

The property benefits from excellent connectivity: Villalba is 5 km away, Lugo city approximately 50 km, A Coruña around 83 km and Santiago de Compostela international airport approximately 100 km.

This property represents a singular opportunity for those seeking to restore an authentic rural complex in the heart of the Terra Chá, with elements of great architectural and ethnographic value, in one of the most culturally distinct comarcas of inland Galicia.

* Publication for information purposes only, not binding or contractual. May contain errors or be subject to change.