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Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

Portugal Travel Guide

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Cavado river and Peneda-Geres National Park

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Overview

Spread across four impressive granite massifs in Portugal’s northernmost reaches, this 703-sq-km park encompasses boulder-strewn peaks, precipitous valleys and lush forests of oak and fragrant pine. It also shelters more than 100 granite villages that, in many ways, have changed little since Portugal’s founding in the 12th century. Established in 1971, Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês – Portugal’s first and only national park – has helped preserve not just a unique set of ecosystems but also an endangered way of life for its human inhabitants.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Miradouro da Pedra Bela

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    For spectacular views over the Albufeira de Caniçada reservoir and the southern reaches of Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês, snake 6km uphill through the…

  • Nucleo Museológico de Campo do Gerês

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    At the main crossroads 1.5km south of Campo do Gerês village, this museum has exhibits on local flora and fauna – but its highlight is the section…

  • Castelo de Lindoso

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    Built during the reign of Afonso III, this 13th-century castle 5km from the Spanish border long served as a key Portuguese military outpost. These days it…

  • Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    About 10km south of Lamas de Mouro, straddling a deep ravine, Peneda is one of the park’s most stunning mountain villages, and the serra’s namesake. Its…

  • Cascata do Arado

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    This gorgeous waterfall is accessed from a bridge over the Rio Arado, just north of the village of Ermida. To see the falls from above, climb to the…

  • Mosteiro de Santa Maria das Júnias

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    Built on the site of a 9th-century pre-Romanesque hermitage, this lovely 12th-century Benedictine monastery in a remote river valley fell under the sway…

  • Capela de São João de Fraga

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    Standing alone on a rocky mountaintop, this whitewashed chapel surrounded by rugged peaks is an important pilgrimage site for the residents of Pitões das…

  • Barroso Eco Museu

    Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

    Just downhill from Montalegre's castle, this museum hosts exhibits that showcase regional history, rural traditions and folklore. There are also exhibits…

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