Peneda-Gerês National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês) is the only national park in Portugal.
Understand
Located in the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga and Vila Real; set along the mountains of Peneda, Larouco, Geres, it is one of the most spectacular in the Iberian Peninsula.
History
Landscape
Flora and fauna
The park has a large variety of fauna - including deer, wild horses, wolves and birds of prey - and flora such as pine, yew, chestnut and oak trees, as well as medicinal plants.
Climate
Get in
Fees and permits
Get around
See
- Soajo - a town known for its large number of granaries, constructed to protect crops from rodents. The town's chapel also merits a visit or pilgrimage.
- 1 Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda (Shrine of Our Lady of Peneda.). 18th-century shrine, inspired by the Bom Jesus shrine in Braga. It includes a staircase known as the "staircase of virtues", the "Yard of the Evangelists" and a church. In 1220, the Virgin Mary is said to have made an appearance in person.
- 2 Santuário de São Bento da Porta Aberta (Shrine of Saint Benedict of the Open Door) (Rio Caldo), ☏ 351 253 390 180. Every day 08:00–19:00. Built in the 19th century, this shrine is famous for the blue tiles inside the main chapel.
- 3 Mata da Albergaria (2 km south of Portela do Homem, on the M531 road). A botanical reserve of great importance, which hosts many oak trees which are emblematic of the region's vegetation. It is also notable for the trace remains of an old Roman road, which crosses the reserve and once linked Braga with León in Spain.
Do
There are a couple of nice hiking opportunities in the park. You can get free maps and information at the tourist information centre in Gerês, but they only offer information for nearby tracks. For information on other tracks you have to go to an office of the national park itself.
Hiking tracks from Gerês
- PR 3: starts and ends in Gerês; duration: 5 hr:
- Goes up the mountain close to Gerês through beautiful forest until a viewpoint, where you can see all over the valley and the lake. Then, the trail goes on a plateau with very nice rock formations, where you can see some wild horses and cattle. Then down you go again through forest and the valley back on an asphalt road (no traffic) to Gerês.
- PR10: “the lazy trail”: starts and ends in Gerês; duration: 2 hr:
- A circuit through the forest at the mountain in Gerês.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Restaurante Castrum Villae (Castro Laboreiro), ☏ 351 251 460 010, toll-free: 351 351 251 460 019. Traditional gastronomy in family-friendly surroundings. Located in the hotel of the same name.
Drink
Sleep
Lodging
There is lots of accommodation in Gerês.
- 1 Hostel Gerês, 21 Rua de Arnaçó, Gerês, Terras de Bouro, ☏ 351 253 391 119, ✉[email protected]. Has dorms and double rooms with/without bathroom. Nice terrace, big common area, kitchen. Good spot for meeting other travellers. €22–€41.
- 2 Hotel Castrum Villae (Castro Laboreiro), ☏ 351 251 460 010, toll-free: 351 351 251 460 019. Casual and traditional hotel, with on-site restaurant and bar. Clean rooms and free wifi.
- 3 Pousada de Gerês, Avenida da Caniçada 1518, Caniçada - Gerês, ☏ 351 210 407 650. Historic luxury hotel.
Camping
- 4 Lamas de Mouro, Veigas de Lama, Lamas de Mouro (5 km (3.1 mi) south of Lamas de Mouro), ☏ 351 251 466 041.
- 5 Lima Escape, Lugar de Igreja, Entre Ambos-os-Rios, Ponte da Barca, ☏ 351 258 588 361, ✉[email protected].
- 6 Parque Cerdeira, Rua de Cerdeira 400, Campo do Gerês, Terras de Bouro (on N307 road), ☏ 351 253 351 005.