Popularly known as the Galician Marbellawe discovered Planethe Galician town of 2,000 inhabitants that celebrities and the wealthiest choose to enjoy the summer. Do you know it?
Where is Avion?
He municipality of Avion It is located in the interior of the Galician province of Ourensein the Ribeiro regionHere the majority of the population works in the primary sectorThe nerve center of the municipality is the town of Planeits capital, which is half an hour by car from Ribadavia and Carballiño, and one hour from Pontevedra.
However, this destination, which has around 2,000 inhabitants, triples its population every summer, when rich, famous and big business people come to spend the warmest season of the year in the interior of Galicia. What makes it so special?
History of Aircraft
The history of the rural municipality of Avión is linked to the waves of emigration that Galicians led to Latin America from the 19th century onwards, in search of a better life. Many of those who left this corner of Ourense headed for Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela and, above all, to Mexico.
As time went by, some of those Galicians returned to stay, either to see their families or to spend the summer after having made their fortune in the Americas. Others were not so lucky. Whatever the case, they never forgot their homeland.
The Galician Marbella
However, it is curious that in Plane there is no Indian houses As it happens in many other towns in Galicia where those who returned from America, called Indiansthey built those beautiful houses with large windows, with colorful facades and abundant in ornaments and sculptures. On the contrary, in Avión the predominant note is the ostentation.
Those who returned to stay, those who return every summer after having emigrated for economic reasons or having left Spain because of the civil war, and the descendants of some and others, of second and third generation They were raising large mansions and villas in Avión.
On their farms there is no shortage of high-end carsspectacular swimming pools and some other heliportMost of them live outside Spain, and the population increases during the summer holidays, as well as attracting other Mexicans who have turned this destination into the ideal place to return to their Galician roots. Among them are names such as Olegario Vázquez Raña and Carlos Slim.
A town of contrasts
Around these luxurious homes the following events take place: traditional Galician houses from the rest of the residents who live off agriculture and livestock, many of them pensioners. In fact, the great irony of Galician Marbella is that the average annual income of its inhabitants It is 7,615 euros per person, the lowest in Galicia. And the Galician town with the highest average income per inhabitant is located on the coast of A Coruña. It is Oleiros and its amount is 17,633 euros per inhabitant, according to data from the Statistics National Institute (INE) of 2021.
In addition, it is striking to know that the majority of Avión’s voters live in Mexico, which makes this town in Ourense the one with the largest number of foreign voters in all of Spain.
With such a link with the emigrant community, the Avion City Hall Years ago, a festival was established in his honour, which is celebrated every summer in mid-August. It is the Mexican partywhere Mexican music, gastronomy and culture are not lacking, with the essentials mariachis and the piñatas for the little ones.
What to see by plane
If you dare to Discover the Galician Marbella There are several places that you will love. The natural wealth of the environment is undeniable, so there is no shortage of great river beach and numerous hiking trails through the valleys and mountains of the interior. Don’t forget to visit the Prexigueiro hot springs to enjoy its waters.
Between the places of interest They highlight the Church of Saints Justo and Pastorbetween the 17th and 18th centuries, in the municipal capital, the castro of San Vicente and the set of Beresmo granariesThe samples of traditional architectureLike the 700 granaries which are distributed throughout the municipality, traditional bread ovens and the mills on the banks of rivers.
Now that you know about the existence of the peculiar Galician Marbella, do you dare to discover it?
