"There's gold in them thar hills", and that's exactly what brought Rome to Las Médulas in northwest Spain. The UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription is what brought me to Las Médulas some 19 centuries later, and I'm glad I made the visit, since it helped provide context to the Roman presence still visible in ruins throughout neighboring Galicia. Las Médulas was one of the most important sources of gold for the Roman empire, which used the gold in coins and jewelry. Unfortunately, the extraction came at a price to the landscape, as eroded red rocks are now ruggedly visible against the abundant vegetation in the valley below. Upon recommendations from other reviews, last week I first visited the Mirador of Orellan, which offers the best panoramic views of the mined earth. I loved the views, but I would strongly recommend site managers consider more signboards at the viewpoint explaining the Roman process of mining. What sign I did find was at the entrance to the nearby tunnels (or galerias), which I highly recommend. Here you can walk through former channels dug by Romans into the mountainsides and later flooded with water, destabilizing the hillsides and sending them in mudslides to the valley below, where gold could more easily be extracted from the rock. In addition to the tunnels at the mirador, I also recommend a visit to the museum in the town of Las Médulas, which more thoroughly explains the Roman process of mining (though it is mostly in Spanish). Just be aware of afternoon hours of closure.

Logistics: Las Médulas is most easily reached by private transportation. There are many trails both on the cliffs and in the valley, including at least one trail connecting the Mirador de Orellan with the town below.