The Galician village of 400 people where Pedro Alonso spent his childhood, and why it is ideal for a rural getaway

Pedro Alonso was born in Vigo and became internationally known for playing Berlin in “Money Heist,” but part of his childhood unfolded far from cities and major film sets. His father’s village, Soutelo de Montes, remained tied to the actor’s personal history through the summers he spent there.

The small settlement has fewer than 500 residents and lies in the parish of Magdalena, within the municipality of Forcarei in Pontevedra province. Fields, rural paths and wooded areas surround it, offering quiet walks away from Galicia’s busiest coastal destinations. The village combines traditional architecture, local music and a slower pace of life.

One of its distinctive landmarks is the Peto das Ánimas, a small shrine built in 1832 and dedicated to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. These shrines form part of Galicia’s religious tradition. They were built along roads and at crossroads as places where travelers could pray for souls in Purgatory and leave small donations.

The Plaza dos Gaiteiros, created around 1980 for the first Festa do Gaiteiro, is another central site. It features a sculpture by Galician artist Xoán Piñeiro depicting four child bagpipers, Fermín, Bautista, Avelino and Castor Cachafeiro, brothers associated with the area’s musical tradition.

August brings the village’s busiest celebrations. The San Roque festivities include Masses, processions, open-air dances, barbecues, children’s games and neighborhood gatherings. A few days later, the Festa do Gaiteiro honors Avelino Cachafeiro and the local bagpipe tradition. The event has been recognized as a Galician Tourist Interest Festival, with music and dancing taking over the square named for the bagpipers. In 2024, the Amigos da Terra de Montes association honored Alonso in the village, where he again highlighted its importance in his personal story.