Portugal's only national park: a wild granite upland on the Spanish border, cut by rivers full of waterfalls and pools, grazed by shaggy Garrano ponies and long-horned cattle, with stone villages where maize is still stored in granite granaries.
Created in 1971, Peneda-Gerês protects the mountains of the far north, about 90 minutes from Porto. It is a landscape of bare granite domes, oak and holly woods, and rivers that tumble down in chains of falls and green pools.
The spa village of Vila do Gerês is the main base, with trails climbing to the Pedra Bela viewpoint over the Caniçada reservoir and into the Albergaria forest, crossed by a Roman road whose milestones still stand among the trees. To the east, the Arado waterfall drops in steps over smooth granite, and the Sete Lagoas swimming holes are the summer reward.
In the west, the villages of Soajo and Lindoso are famous for their espigueiros: rows of granite granaries on stilts, topped with crosses, standing on rock outcrops. Garrano ponies roam the high pastures; Iberian wolves are present but rarely seen. Snow is possible in winter.
Official trails are marked with yellow and red stripes. Pick one per day.
From the village, waymarked paths climb through woods to the Pedra Bela viewpoint, with the Caniçada reservoir and the mountains spread below. Make a loop back via forest tracks.
From the Arado waterfall viewpoint, follow the river up past granite slabs to a series of rock pools. In summer, swim; in spring, watch the water thunder. Rocks are slippery: take care.
Walk the circular trails around Soajo, starting from its espigueiros on their rock threshing floor, through terraces and oak woods. At Lindoso, dozens more granaries gather below a medieval castle.
Vila do Gerês is about 90 minutes from Porto via Braga. A car is almost essential to move between trailheads.
Buses run from Braga to Vila do Gerês, but services are limited, especially at weekends and outside summer.
Vila do Gerês, Soajo and the villages around the reservoir have guesthouses: two nights let you explore both sides of the park.
Porto practical notes →.jpg?width=960)
Wooden walkways in a gorge and a 516 m bridge.
Train up the river, walk the terraces at Pinhão.
The Atlantic promenade to Siza's tide pools.
.jpg?width=960)
Under the Arrábida bridge to a fishing village.
Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences; Pexels photographs under the Pexels licence.
