Peneda-Gerês: 70 thousand hectares of pure nature
From the Castro Laboreiro Plateau to the Mourela Plateau, there are approximately 70 thousand hectares of verdant nature, idyllic landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls and pure air, spread over 5 municipalities with a rich and living history that we want to show you.
Peneda-gerês National Park
In the extreme northwest of Portugal, between Alto Minho and Trás-os-Montes, the land between the Serra da Peneda and the Serra do Gerês is the only Portuguese protected area classified as a National Park. Created in 1971, it is spread over 5 municipalities – Melgaço, Arcos de Valdevez, Ponte da Barca, Terras de Bouro and Montalegre – and is part of the National Network of Protected Areas.
The municipalities of the Peneda-Gerês National Park together with those of the Lower Limia-Serra do Xurés Natural Park, make up the Gerês-Xurês Biosphere Reserve (classified by UNESCO in 2009). The Biosphere Reserve is responsible for protecting the continuous fauna and flora between the two countries and for promoting the economic development and tourism of the regions.
There are 5 gates located at the main entrances to the park, one in each of the municipalities that make up this protected area and they are centres for the promotion of knowledge and dissemination of the natural and cultural values of the National Park territory.
To the nature lovers
Between the two plateaus lie four mountain ranges: Peneda, Soajo, Amarela and Gerês, which we know as well as the palm of our hands.
These mountains, predominantly granite, cut the landscape with their steep peaks and deep valleys, where an extensive hydrographic network is designed that allows the existence of various forms of life.
In this lively and fertile mountainous area, there are various habitats such as oak woods, pine forests, woods and peat bogs where 117 species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula are recorded. It is also home to a vast fauna, with 204 protected species, including the majestic Iberian wolf, the golden eagle, the mink, the water lizard and the horned viper.
But if you’re on the lookout, you’ll easily come across garrano horses as well as cows and even Castro Laboreiro dogs, and if you’re lucky you may even spot the roe deer, the symbol of the Peneda-Gerês National Park.
Would you like to visit, discover or explore the only protected area in Portugal classified as a National Park?
A journey through an immeasurable heritage
Go2Nature takes you to experience genuine history and culture, surrounded by the purest nature.
The National Park of Peneda-Gerês has a rich historical and cultural heritage that is well preserved. From the fascinating megalithic necropolises to the remains of the Romanization. From ancient castles to traditional granaries, the ovens of bygone daysthe water mills, the levadas, the terraces and villages, to peculiar traditions, to the soft and inverneiras, framed by the most beautiful mountain landscapes.
It is a world apart, where human activity integrates harmoniously with nature, preserving very ancient values and traditions.
