Larouco Mountain

Larouco is a mountain chain in northwestern Iberia that rises to 1,525 meters (5,003 feet) and forms the natural border between Spain and Portugal. Granite rock faces and steep slopes define its landscape.

During the Middle Ages, the mountain served as a territorial boundary between rival kingdoms and shaped where settlements developed. This role as a dividing line remains visible in how the region is organized today.

The villages near the mountain follow traditional farming practices and mark seasonal changes with local celebrations. These customs shape how people in the area live and work throughout the year.

Multiple hiking trails with varying difficulty lead to the summit and nearby viewpoints on both the Spanish and Portuguese sides. The easiest access starts from the villages of Montalegre and Cualedro near the base.

From the peak, you can see four different Spanish and Portuguese provinces on clear days, which made this location valuable for geographical surveys in the past. Today this viewpoint remains popular with photographers seeking to capture the scale of the border landscape.