Arbo Travel Guide

Arbo, is situated to the south west of the province of Pontevedra, on the right side of the river Miño, which separates it from Portugal. Agriculture is the foundation of its economy, based mainly upon corn and wine. The element which defines Arbo's wine is the "aguja" (a certain sharp, rough taste), there being different varieties of white and red wine. The fishing of salmon, shad, lamprey, carp and trout in river Miño are of relative importance. Its industries include wood factories and recently created poultry farms. The whole municipality is dotted with large houses and pazos, in an area where the remnants of prehistoric times are completely unknown due to the lack of data and materials. An axe found in Cabeiras is the only piece, which has been catalogued as Neolithic in the Archaeological Charter of the province of Pontevedra. The oldest historical document about Arbo is the sole right by which king Alfonso VII donated the land to the Monastery of Melón. In 1021, Alfonso IX bestowed on Melón half of the church of Santa María de Arbo. Years later, another king, Fernando II, ratified his ancestors' sole right to the monastery and added Coto and Granxa de Arbo in 1184. Since this used to be an important area in terms of history and strategy, feudal lords -in order to be better protected- erected fortresses on both sides of river Miño, such as those of Melgaço, Lanhoso, Fornelos, Salvaterra and Tui.