Peneda-Gerês National Park, National park in Vila Real, Portugal
The protected area extends across 70,290 hectares of mountainous terrain, featuring dense forests, waterfalls, rivers, and granite formations along the Portuguese-Spanish border.
Established in 1971 as Portugal's first national park, the area contains numerous ancient Roman ruins, including a preserved road with milestones from 2000 years ago.
Traditional mountain villages within the park maintain centuries-old practices, with local communities preserving customs through seasonal festivals and agricultural methods.
The park offers 800 kilometers of marked hiking trails connecting various points of interest, with visitor centers located in Braga and Ponte da Barca.
The area supports diverse wildlife populations, including Garrano ponies, Castro Laboreiro dogs, and the Gerês lily, found exclusively in this region.
Location: Melgaço
Location: Arcos de Valdevez
Location: Ponte da Barca
Location: Terras de Bouro
Location: Montalegre
Inception: 1971
Operator: ICNF
Address: Terras de Bouro, Portugal
Opening Hours: 24/7
Phone: +351253203480
Website: http://www2.icnf.pt/portal/ap/pnpg
GPS coordinates: 41.83071,-8.23867
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:29
Portugal extends well beyond its main tourist centers. Away from the established routes lie medieval villages like Monsanto, where granite houses wedge themselves between massive boulders, or the fortified hilltop town of Marvão overlooking the Spanish border. Peneda-Gerês National Park spreads across forests, rivers and centuries-old settlements connected by hiking trails. The coastline varies considerably: Cabo Espichel with its cliffs and remote pilgrimage site, the rock formations at Ponta da Piedade near Lagos, the striped wooden houses of Costa Nova facing the ocean. The Azores offer crater lakes such as Lagoa das Sete Cidades, volcanic caves like Gruta das Torres and thermal springs at Caldeira Velha. Madeira presents the coastal village of Paul do Mar and the plateau of Fajã dos Padres, accessible only by cable car. The list includes religious structures such as Alcobaça Monastery, the bone chapel in Évora and Convento dos Capuchos in the forests near Sintra. Historic fortifications like Almourol Castle on a Tagus island or the fortress at Sagres on the continent's southwestern tip complete the picture.
Aquis Querquennis
26.7 km
Santuário de São Bento da Porta Aberta
15.9 km
Church of Santa Comba de Bande
25.2 km
Bridge of Mizarela
23.9 km
Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Abadia
17.4 km
Arado Waterfall
14.9 km
Espigueiros e Eira Comunitária do Soajo
5 km
Mosteiro de Santa Maria das Júnias
24.6 km
Portela do Homem waterfall
9.7 km
Castle of Castro Laboreiro
22.4 km
Castelo de Lindoso
5.2 km
Barroso
25.7 km
Venda Nova Dam
27.2 km
Fecha de Barjas waterfall
17.7 km
Estância Termal das Caldas do Gerês constituída pelo Balneário Termal e Colunata Honório Lima
12.9 km
Salamonde Dam
19.7 km
Cascade de Leonte
10.8 km
Cascata do Castro Laboreiro
23.2 km
Touvedo Dam
9.8 km
Ponte da Cava da Velha
20.2 km
Ponte medieval que atravessa o rio de Mouro
30.1 km
Ponte Velha de Castro Laboreiro
23.3 km
Church of Santa María a Real de Entrimo
15.3 km
Church of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Valadares
29 km
Citânia de São Julião de Caldelas
20.3 km
Mosteiro de Ermelo
4.9 km
Aquis Originis
11.3 km
Praia Gerês Albufeira
15.6 kmReviews
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