Stage 9: Galicia or Hobbiton? Green areas, stone villages and mystical routes

Laura Casas | 29. May 2025

Clear blue sky, warm spring sunshine… Sounds typical for Spain, right? Well, Galicia is actually one of the rainiest regions all year long! But today luck was on our side — perfect weather for wandering through Hobbiton or discovering the curious hórreos. Up for it?

Our starting point was Combarro, a charming little village considered one of the most beautiful in Galicia, renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved traditional architecture 🏛️.

Two things stand out in this small coastal town: its many hórreos and its old town full of narrow alleys and pretty stone houses decorated with flowers.

And you might be wondering, what exactly are hórreos? Hórreos are traditional Galician structures that were originally used to store grain and other crops, protecting them from humidity and animals.

💡Fun fact: The columns let rats climb, but the ledge makes them slip right off. Sorry rats, no snack time!

In Combarro, these buildings stand one after another along the shore of the long Playa do Padrón beach. The best way to enjoy the view is at low tide, walking — or in our case, riding — along the beach while enjoying the views of the Ría de Pontevedra (Pontevedra Estuary).

After strolling through this beautiful village and chatting with several locals who approached the igus:bike and wanted to give it a try, we set off for one of the most well-known islands in Galicia: La Toja (or A Toxa in Galician).

This small island, just over one square kilometer, is connected to the town of O Grove by a 400-meter-long bridge. It’s one of the most popular places in the area, thanks to its stunning natural surroundings.

It also has two quirky, unusual highlights. The first one is in a kids’ park on the island called the Aldea de los Grobits. This magical little village is made up of tiny stone houses covered in plants, resembling the homes of Hobbits — creatures brought to life by J.R.R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings.

We tried to take our igus:bike inside one of the little houses for a tour, but it didn’t fit through some of the door-holes… Is our igus:bike taller than a Hobbit? 🤔

The second iconic spot is a unique building — because even though it might look like just stones from afar, its entire facade is covered with scallop shells. It’s called A Capela de San Caralampio, but everyone just knows it as the Chapel of the Shells — way easier to remember!

We stopped to take a closer look and took a moment to relax. The Chapel of the Shells and the igus:bike: two types of innovation — each in its own way, but both made from recycled materials! ♻

After touring La Toja, we went to visit CCI Carrocerías Inteligentes S.L., a company that’s part of the Grupo ODL. They specialize in building stages, mobile restrooms, dressing rooms, training classrooms, hospitality units, all kinds of trailers, and custom mobile units tailored to their clients’ needs.

The Grupo ODL uses drylin T systems for linear movements in the production of their hospitality units and motorhomes. These linear guides are not only lubrication-free and maintenance-free, but they also meet the high aesthetic standards required for this type of application.

Among their clients are big names from the motor world like MICHELIN and YAMAHA, which shows the high level of quality and standards that define their projects.

And from there, we took the chance to visit the city of Santiago de Compostela, known as the end point of the Camino de Santiago, one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the world.

We visited the magnificient cathedral, walked through the old town with the lively atmosphere, and had the chance to try delicious, typical Galician food: octopus and scallops. As they say in Galicia: “A cociña é o corazón da casa“ — the kitchen is truly the heart of the home.

And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading us! ♡

Our rider:

Pablo Lorente

“I’m Pablo from Vigo and I’ve been working as Outside Sales for nearly three years. My sales area is Galicia and Asturias, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

I’m a mechanical industrial engineer, and before joining igus, I worked in machine design—an experience that has proven very useful in my current role.

Cycling wasn’t originally one of my hobbies, but after this Galician tour stage, I hope to start enjoying it more. One hobby I definitely do have is football. I’m also a big film enthusiast, and I like to make time for reading and listening to music.
Am I a bohemian? I guess I’ll have to open a coffee shop to find out.

We Galicians are very proud of our gastronomy—and of our weather too. The rest of Spain thinks it’s always raining here, and to be fair, they’re right about 90% of the time.”

Map of the tour