O Barco de Valdeorras celebrates the Festa do Botelo at the end of January. This is a festive and gastronomic event organised by the City Council to celebrate the town’s most unique cured sausage. Since the first time this celebration was held, in 2001, this gastronomic event has been preceded by an act in which the festival is proclaimed, extoling the product’s merits. The event also serves to pay tribute to someone from the town who has distinguished themselves for their dedication to the local gastronomy.

Over the years the celebration has grown, making it necessary to change the venue on several occasions. In recent years, the Calabagueiros Pavilion has welcomed approximately 1200 people every year to enjoy a meal in which the botelo is accompanied by chorizo, boiled potatoes, cabbage and a dessert of torta de chicharrones.

There is an old town saying that goes like this: “Del mar el mero, y del Barco el botelo” (“From the sea: grouper, and from Barco: botelo”) and this will be the motto under which we will be enjoying this unique product. The botelo has been included under the protected geographical indication “Botelo de Galicia” since 2009. The Festa do Botelo was declared a Festival of Tourist Interest of Galicia in 2014.