Even the Romans prepared delicious stews from the lamprey. And the Parisians were once so fond of the gill-bearing vertebrate that they drove towards the merchants from the southwest and bought the goods from the cart.

Today, the tasty fossils - lampreys have existed on earth for around 500 million years - are eaten mainly in Galicia and Portugal:breaded, braised, grilled or a la Arbo, cooked in white wine and their own blood.

Arbo, located on the Miño, is the secret capital of the lamprey and one of the six municipalities along the lamprey route.
The Galician border town celebrates its lamprey festival in mid-April - with traditional Galician music, numerous tasting stands and local wines.