Ourense is a city of around 105,000 people in the south of Galicia. The town is steeped in history and is best known for its hot springs. People have been enjoying the benefits of the springs for as long as records in the area have been kept.
Ourense is a nice city to spend your time walking around. The old town has plenty of beautiful things to see as well as plenty of restaurants and bars to stop at along the way.
Near the old town is a small spa the Las Burgas spa which dates back to Roman times. Continue to walk in or around the old town and you will find the Cathedral, Plazas, Parks and more. Plaza Mayor makes a good starting point and along the Plaza de Ferro is a nice spot to include in your walk. It really is a great town to wander around.
The Ponte Vella is a medieval bridge built on Roman foundations crossing the Minho river is an amazing site considering its age. This bridge is a sharp contrast with the modern Ponte do Milenio which is the next bridge along the river. I suspect that even with a 2000 years headstart, the old bridge will outlive the more modern new bridge.
Outside of the old town, many visitors like to visit the spas near the river. You can catch a tourist train and at the spas you can choose from spas of different heats. There are changing facilities available.
Overall I would say that for its size Ourense manages to pack a lot of scenic interest into a very nice package. The well preserved old town, its parks and tree-lined streets make it a really nice place to visit.
Ourense is only a 30 minute train trip from Santiago de Compostela making it an excellent destination for a day trip.
If driving, it takes 1 hour 15 minutes from Santiago de Compostela. From Vigo it is a 1 hour 10 minute drive.