Arribes del Duero Natural Park - Parque Natural de Arribes del Duero

View of Arribes del Duero natural park (Spain)
View from the Las Escaleras viewpoint, in Fermoselle.
View of Fermoselle.
The Well of Smoke in the arribes del Uces, near Masueco and Pereña.
Iron Road of La Fregeneda.
Playa del Rostro, in Corporario.
Vega Terrón dock, the town of La Fregeneda, next to Portugal.
View from the Colagón del Tío Paco viewpoint, in Mieza.
GR-14 sign in a vineyard field in Pereña de la Ribera.
Aldeadávila Dam.

The Arribes del Duero Natural Park It is a protected natural space of singular scenic beauty and environmental quality, located in the northwest of the province of Salamanca and in the southwest of the province of Zamora, Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon, Spain.

In most of this area, the fluvial courses of the Duero and Águeda rivers act as a natural border between Spain and Portugal. The other shore of this place is known under the protection of the International Douro Natural Park. Arribes is the name for the deep erosions that have originated the Duero River and its tributaries Águeda, Esla, Huebra, Uces and Tormes in this territory. This common geomorphological characteristic throughout the area constitutes a natural region without defined limits or territory of cultural and geographical relationship between municipalities.

The peculiarity of the orography makes possible the existence of a milder microclimate than that of the Zamora-Salamanca plateau. This contributes to the plant diversity and makes the park a perfect place for the refuge of numerous animals, especially birds.

To get

  • To the interpretation center or house of the San Francisco convent park, located in the Zamorano municipality of Fermoselle:
  1. From Zamora, by the CL-527 directly to Fermoselle. (watch)
  2. From Salamanca, on the SA-300 to Ledesma. There you take the SA-302 towards Almendra, from where you follow the indications to Fermoselle. (watch)
  • To the interpretation center or house of the Torreón de Sobradillo park, located in the homage tower of the Salamanca municipality of Sobradillo:
  1. From Salamanca, by the CL-517 to Lumbrales. There you take the DSA-464 towards Sobradillo. (watch)
  2. From Zamora, by the CL-528 to Ledesma. There you take the CL-517 towards Lumbrales, from where you take the DSA-464 towards Sobradillo. (watch)

Watch

  • We can go to the face beach from Aldeadávila de la Ribera to bathe or sunbathe surrounded by nature. (watch) It is located on a bank of the Duero canyon that has been covered with beach sand. Swimming in the calm waters of the river we can enjoy the majestic landscape and observe a golden eagle flying over our heads. The slopes covered with forests with vegetation of all colors relax our eyes. This place is undoubtedly a haven of peace in which it seems that we enter into connection with nature. In addition, we can rent material to practice canoeing. (watch) In this way, we can discover the corners of the river canyon by paddling aboard a canoe. (watch) We can also choose to get on board a boat that runs along the entire river course. Throughout the excursion they explain the landscape to us and help us see the nests of the birds that inhabit the large granite rocks of the canyon. (more)
  • We can go to La Fregeneda to travel some sections of the old international railway (also known as Greenway of the Arribes). It was inaugurated in 1887 and stopped working in 1984. The most beautiful section is the one that goes from Hinojosa de Duero to the Portuguese village of Barca D'Alva. From the traffic of the trains crossing the Duero, today only the tracks and stations remain. (watch) Nature seems to regain its territory by filling the rails with green. (watch) It is an area full of history and charm. (watch) Those who want to venture into the most difficult section following the course of the Águeda River, must be equipped with flashlights since along the route they will cross 20 tunnels, some of them more than 1 km long. (watch) They should also be careful with the 12 existing bridges in this part, since they are quite high and some of them are in poor condition. (watch) In fact, Renfe recommends not doing it. The landscape is spectacular as the road crosses places that are difficult to access otherwise. (watch)
  • We can do trekking along the route of the long-distance trail GR-14. (more) We can deviate punctually to enjoy the magnificent views of the Douro canyons in the many viewpoints from the river. We can also get close to most of them by car.
  • We can get closer to see the landscape jewel of the park. The Well of Smokes It is an imposing waterfall located at the top of the Uces river, between the municipal limits of Masueco and Pereña de la Ribera. (more) Therefore, we can access from either of these two towns. In the times of greatest rain is when it looks best. (watch) Miguel de Unamuno also came to see him, leaving a presence of it in his writings: "The attraction of water is unique ... One would be idle watching it flow, letting the spirit win over the pure sensation that its constant course produces in us. .. In the pond the water sleeps reflecting the sky, but with no less purity it reflects it in the crystal of a calm river, whose waters, always different, always offer the same surface ... It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls that can be seen between those grim gullies.The largest waterfall is divided into two bodies due to a rock projection, and it will get lost in a backwater from where the steam rises that has earned the place the name of the Smokes ... centuries it would have needed water to excavate such pits and reduce similar waterfalls! "
  • There is also another somewhat unknown waterfall. It is smaller but no less beautiful. Its about Well Airón. (more)
  • We can visit the town of Salto de Saucelle. (watch) The rural houses that we can rent today to enjoy a few days of rural tourism on the banks of the Duero, were in 1956 the houses built to shelter the families of the employees in the construction of the Saucelle dam (also known as Salto de Saucelle). (more) Strolling through the streets of this idyllic settlement located a few meters from the dam, you can see that we are in a village converted today into a tourist complex. (watch) That is why this group of rural houses has a church (watch) and a square with arcades that used to be the nerve center of the town where the bar and the Post Office were located. If we cross to the Portuguese shore through the dam and go up to the Penedo Durão viewpoint, (watch) we can observe the entire valley from the heights. You can see the village next to the dam and the mouth of the Huebra river. (watch) Nature delights us with a landscape of abundant vegetation of all colors thanks to the microclimate of the area. In spring, everything becomes even more beautiful with the flowering of the almond trees. Lying on the grass of the village, we can see the sun entering the mountains, turning the green of the landscape golden. The sun's rays embrace and comfort us. (watch)
  • Vega Terrón Fluvial Dock
  • River Pier of Barca de Alba
  • Cachon de Camaces
  • Aldeadavila waterfall
  • Almond Dam
  • Bemposta dam
  • Monumental complex of San Felices de los Gallegos
  • Castle of Castelo Rodrigo
  • Port of la Molinera
  • Viewpoint of the Code
  • Picon de Felipe viewpoint
  • Monumental complex of Miranda do douro
  • Historical set of Fermoselle
  • Historical set of Ledesma
  • Historical set of Freixo Sword to Ribbon
  • Lumbrales Church and Archaeological Museum
  • Church of the Fregeneda
  • Castro of the Merchanas
  • Castro of Saldeana
  • Castro and interpretation room of Yecla the Old
  • Teso de San Cristobal
  • Rock Formation of La Peña
  • Mogadouro Castle
  • River walks from the Barca de Alva dock, from the Vega Terrón dock, from Miranda do Douro or from Aldeadavila.
  • It is also possible to take the boats that make the cruise from Barca de Alva to Port.

The town of Hinojosa de Duero is famous for its magnificent pure sheep's milk cheeses, although there are other towns such as La Fregeneda where great cheeses are also made. Iberian pork sausages are another of the quality products that we can buy in This region. In recent years a great effort has been made to produce quality wines, having created some cooperatives that are reaping good results. Honey, ceramics, and wood crafts are other products that we can buy in the area.Other shopping attractions that this region offers are the Portuguese markets held both in Portuguese and Spanish territory, the best known are Trabanca on the Spanish side, and Miranda do Douro in Portugal, a town that also has a good commercial infrastructure, where you can buy typical Portuguese products such as towels, bronze , coffee, etc ...

Museums

To buy

  • Arribes del Duero International Craft Fair (Trabanca)
  • Agrifood Fair of Arribes del Duero (Trabanca)
  • Fair of Crafts and Typical Products of the Sayago and Trás-os-Montes Region in Moralina (Moralina)
  • Cross-Border Multisectoral Trade Fair (Lumbrales)
  • International Cheese Fair (Hinojosa de Duero)
  • International Wine Fair and its culture (Trabanca)
  • Wine Fair D.O. Arribes (Villarino de los Aires)
  • Cross-Border Olive Grove Fair (Vilvestre)
  • Tastes and Flavors Fair (Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Portugal)
  • Cross-Border Fair of Arribes del Duero and Águeda (Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Portugal)
  • Portuguese flea market of Trabanca
  • Pinilla de Fermoselle craft market
  • Medieval market of San Felices de los Gallegos
  • Artisanal jam "Oh Saúco" (Fornillos de Fermoselle) 980 612 932
  • Cheese factory "García Calvo" (Vilvestre) 923 524 682
  • Artisan bakery "El Molino" (Aldeadávila de la Ribera) 923 50 50 35

To eat

Do

Municipal swimming pools

Aldeadávila de la Ribera, Fermoselle, Masueco, Hinojosa de Duero, Lumbrales, Pereña de la Ribera, Saucelle, Villadepera, Villalcampo, Villarino de los Aires and Vilvestre.

River beaches

  • Face Beach (Aldeadávila de la Ribera)
  • Águeda river beach (La Fregeneda)
  • Beach of the Congida (Freixo de Espada à Cinta)

Sleep

There are a good number of lodging establishments within this natural space. Here we will try to collect them all and highlight some of those from the neighboring Portuguese natural park. We can choose to stay from a wide list of hotels, hostels, pensions, rural houses, campsites or hostels.

Hotels, hostels and pensions

Rural houses

Campsites

  • The Arribes (Cibanal) 980 564 324
  • The Balcony of Arribes (Pereña de la Ribera) 625665638 - 980161854
  • The Leaf (Lumbrales) 923 169 276

Hostels

  • Aires del Duero (Villarino de los Aires) 625 665 638
  • The Rueca (Fariza) 980 618 434
  • The Ferris Wheel (Aldeadávila de la Ribera) 923 526 359
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