Ponte Romana de Segade

Ponte Romana de Segade is a stone bridge over the River Umia, tucked among greenery about two kilometers from the center of Caldas de Reis in Galicia. It looks modest at first glance, but its story stretches back to Roman times, and today it's a favorite short detour for walkers on the Camino Portugués.

Where does the bridge come from?

The first crossing here was built in the 1st century AD, when a Roman road ran through the Caldas de Reis area linking Tui with the interior of Galicia. For centuries the bridge carried travelers and traders along that route, but the structure visitors see today owes much of its current form to a major rebuild in 1729. The work was commissioned by Nicolás Llamas, then parish priest of Santo André de Cesar, and it is this 18th-century intervention that shaped the bridge as it stands now — even though its Roman origin remains its most striking claim to fame.

What does the bridge look like today?

Ponte de Segade is a small, single-arch stone bridge with an arch span reaching fourteen and a half meters. The roadway is narrow and uneven, a detail that stands out immediately and naturally slows down anyone crossing on foot. Locals also refer to it as Ponte da Baxe (or puente de A Baxe), a name tied to the nearby settlement and used interchangeably with "de Segade."

What else is worth seeing nearby?

From the bridge, the Umia flows quietly below, framed by the dense, damp vegetation typical of Galician river valleys. Right alongside stand the ruins of Fábrica da Luz, a former hydroelectric plant that supplied the area with electricity until 1955. Today it's a picturesque, partly overgrown remnant of Segade's industrial past, popular with visitors drawn to the contrast between nature and the region's older industrial history. The stone cross that originally stood by the bridge to commemorate the 1729 rebuild has since been moved to the atrium of the Church of San Andrés in Caldas de Reis, where it can be seen today.

Why is the bridge here?

The answer lies in the geography of Caldas de Reis, a town best known for its hot thermal springs (hence the name "Caldas"), which have drawn travelers for centuries. The Umia River cuts through the area, and the bridge at Segade was a natural crossing point for anyone heading north toward Padrón and Santiago de Compostela. That same route is followed today by the Camino Portugués, one of the most popular paths to the tomb of Saint James, with Caldas de Reis serving as a key stage between Pontevedra and Padrón.

Who is this spot for?

Ponte Romana de Segade suits anyone who enjoys pairing a short walk with a bit of history — it doesn't require a long detour, yet it offers genuine contact with a river landscape and traces of a past stretching back two thousand years. It's also a popular stop for pilgrims walking the Camino Portugués who want to step briefly off the main route and rest by the water.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is the bridge at Segade? Its origins go back to the 1st century AD, when the first Roman structure was built here. Its current appearance, however, dates mainly from the 1729 rebuild.

How far is the bridge from central Caldas de Reis? Ponte de Segade sits about two kilometers from the town center, in the Segade area.

Is the bridge on the Camino Portugués route? The bridge lies right next to Caldas de Reis, one of the stage towns on the Camino Portugués, and pilgrims often visit it as a short side trip off the main path.

What else can be seen around the bridge? Nearby are the ruins of the old Fábrica da Luz hydroelectric plant, which operated until 1955, and the Church of San Andrés in Caldas de Reis, home to the stone cross originally placed at the bridge.