Peneda Gerês
National Park
The mountain and the majestic green area set the tone. The purity of the water, the roughness of the granite, and the authenticity of its people do the rest.
In the northern region of Portugal, we take a trip through the best that nature has to offer: idyllic landscapes, unique fauna, and flora, sublime cuisine.
The beauty and its ecological and ethnographic value make this place an authentic reserve of natural heritage. Here you can discover various signs of the ancient history of humanity, observe rare and endemic botanical species and discover the habitat of native and threatened species, the most emblematic being the Iberian Wolf.
Discover the Peneda-Gerês National Park
Created in 1971, the Peneda-Gerês National Park is the only protected area in Portugal with this classification. Located in the extreme northwest of Portugal, in the border area between Minho, Trás-os-Montes, and Galicia.
It extends from the Mourela to Castro Laboreiro plateaus, including the Peneda, Soajo, Amarela, and Gerês mountains. It is a mountainous, granitic region, in whose high altitude areas the effects of the last ice age are visible. Deep and embedded valleys support a dense hydrographic network that enables a wide variety of life forms and experiences.
In Melgaço you can find out more about the National Park at Porta de Lamas de Mouro, a structure dedicated to the reception and information of visitors.
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About the Reserve
The Gerês-Xurés Transfrontier Biosphere Reserve was declared on May 27, 2009, by UNESCO, and is located in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (Spain) and in the Northern Region of Portugal. It covers a total area of 267,958 hectares, spread over two protected areas, joined by a border. It includes the territories of the Peneda-Gerês National Park (Portugal) and the Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurês Natural Park (Spain).
Humanity Heritage
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are committed to contributing to:
✓ conservation and preservation of landscapes, ecosystems and species
✓ socially, culturally and ecologically sustainable development
✓ research, monitoring, dissemination and environmental awareness
