Established in 1971, Peneda-Gerês has helped preserve not just a unique set of ecosystems but also a highly endangered way of life. Spread across four impressive granite massifs in Portugal's northernmost reaches the park encompasses boulder-strewn peaks, precipitous valleys, gorse-clad moorlands and lush forests of oak and fragrant pine.

The horseshoe-shaped park is blessed (or cursed) with more rain than anywhere else in Portugal, swelling its rivers and five sizable reservoirs. Within the southern park in particular, you'll find exceptional hiking through forests and over high plateaus dotted with beehives and archaeological sites. The northwest is known for its idyllic rural accommodation in far-flung cottages and stone shelters.

Villages are dwindling as young residents leave for the cities, but so far they're still able to offer a glimpse into a vanishing way of life. Meanwhile, the heights close to the Spanish border (especially in the Serra do Gerês, where several peaks rise over 1500m/4921ft), are almost free of human activity, other than the shifting of livestock to high pastures in summer.