Ham Festival

The excellent curing of A Cañiza ham

A festival that extols the products obtained from the pig

The Atlantic, the Miño and the Cíes islands. Good food and good Albariño. Anyone who comes to Galicia knows that this coastal community is famous for its seafood dishes and, in particular, for its seafood.

In Galicia you like variety, and inland you can enjoy good food. Proof of this is the fact that the famous A Cañiza Ham Fair is now half a century old. The secret lies in the good workmanship, and it is clear that a culture linked to it and the climate also help.

On the one hand, the good breeding of the pig, and on the other, the ancient tradition of slaughtering the animal, which until recently was carried out in each village, especially in inland villages. This work was completed thanks to the microclimate, which provided the ham with an enviable curing process and guaranteed its preservation in the villagers' own homes.

This process ended with the ham being placed on the plate, and for this a good cut was and still is essential. It is an art that brings together good cutters at the fair.

Although it is a well-known dish in Spain, it is worth mentioning that this is the only Galician festival dedicated to this delicacy, and never better said, as in the past the pig farmer used to sell it for the family's benefit and thus be able to survive for the rest of the season.

Declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Galicia, it is a good excuse to visit A Cañiza and try each of the dishes on offer during the fair, such as cured or roast ham, stew, omelette and pie. And anyone who wishes can accompany their meal with a local wine from O Condado do Tea, Rías Baixas Designation of Origin.

To see and visit

After lunch, a good idea is to stroll along the Camiño da Raíña and through some of the pazos in the area, such as the pazo of A Fraga, the pazos of Cuco-Ruxo, Ribeira and Salgado or the pazo of Barreiro.

Another option is to visit the sanctuary of A Franqueira, just 30 minutes away by car, and discover the ancient refrigeration art of the neveiros.