PENEDA-GERÊS / 1

Self-Guided Walking Tour

Peneda-Gerês National Park

Dominated by ancient granite massifs, the Peneda-Gerês National Park was established as Portugal’s only national park in 1971 and features deep woodlands, ancient archaeological sites and wide open spaces.

Truly one of the most strikingly beautiful and undisturbed places in Portugal, it lies in the extreme northwest of the country, just 2 hours from Porto’s airport by car and a stone’s throw from the Spanish border.

Peneda-Gerês, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a big, overwhelming, wild landscape, formed by glaciers more than 300 million years ago.

A set of mountain ranges act as a natural barrier between the park’s eastern plateaus and the seaward lowlands to the west, and within its more than 700 square kilometres are high windswept plateaus, old growth forests and majestic mountains that shelter an incredible diversity of flora and fauna.

Some of the most common trees and shrubs include oak, holly, yews and silver birches, as well as several endemic species of lily and fern. This all provides ideal shelter to wild goats and a large population of otters, not to mention roe deer, wild horses, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and some of the continent’s last surviving indigenous wolves.

The Park has a real abundance of rivers, reservoirs and waterfalls, and whether your interests lie in walking, bird-watching, rock climbing or a cool relaxing dip in a clear mountain stream, the natural scenery of Peneda-Gerês has much to offer.

This is a tour centred on the mountain village of Castro Laboreiro overlooked by its ancient castle.

The walks will not only cover the natural beauty of the region, but also many of the ancient hamlets spread through the countryside enabling you to enjoy the legendary hospitality of the mountain people.

A fantastic itinerary of walks, developed and perfected by local resident Portuguese tour leaders, very knowledgeable of the region.
The hospitality and warmth of the local poulation, whilst enjoying dining out at local restaurants every evening if you chose.

The tour includes

Accommodation vouchers in the chosen regime

Transports according to the programme

Emergency contact numbers (24h hot line)

General information on your holiday, gastronomy and history of the region

Suggestions of local restaurants and places of interest to visit

Detailed walking maps and descriptions of the walks

Photo Gallery

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A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image.

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