While exploring northern Portugal, we lived for a few weeks in Ponte da Barca, a lovely small town located right at the foot of Peneda-Geres National Park. Every day, from the balcony of our cottage, we could admire stunning views of the park’s mountains looming in the distance. Of course, with living so close, we couldn’t miss a chance of going there and seeing at least part of it! In this post, we’ll show you great places in Peneda-Geres National Park, perfect for day trips. Let’s go!
Note. If you take a look at the map, you’ll notice that Peneda-Geres National Park’s shape resembles a butterfly. Due to its vastness, we managed to visit places only in the “upper/left-wing” part, and in this post, we only cover this area.
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About Peneda Geres National Park, Portugal
Peneda-Geres National Park (pt. Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês), or just Gerês, was established in May 1971, which makes it the first and only National Park in Portugal. It’s located at the northern end of the country, right on the border with Spain, and covers an area of 695.9 km2. Peneda Geres stretches between three districts: Viana do Castelo, Braga, and Vila Real. It consists of four mountain ranges: Peneda, Geres, Soajo, and Amarela. Currently, the area is home to about 9000 people mainly working in farming, livestock breeding, and tourism.
Together with Parque Natural Baixa Limia on the Spanish side, they form UNESCO Geres-Xures Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (pt. Reserva de la Biosfera Transfronteriza Gerês-Xurés) – protected territory divided by borders, but united by the characteristics of nature and culture.
Peneda-Geres National Park, Portugal FAQ
Definitely! Peneda-Geres is a unique place on Portugal’s map. Its area is filled with unspoiled nature, and spectacular landscapes that can be admired from countless viewpoints. There, you’ll also find traditional remote villages, and many ancient remains like castles, granaries, or megalithic tombs.
Currently, Peneda-Geres National Park is a very popular travel destination among Portuguese and Spaniards. For some reason, it’s not yet well known to others despite being easily accessible from bigger cities nearby. Porto, Braga, Viana do Castelo, or Vigo makes it the perfect destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway. Peneda Geres is also a great place for outdoor activities lovers, who just enjoy spending time in nature.
Visiting Peneda-Geres National Park is a great choice all year round. The best time depends just on your personal preferences and the activities you want to do. In winter, you’ll have an opportunity to see it covered in snow. Spring fills the park with blossom flowers and trees. In summer, Peneda Geres is perfect for swimming in lagoons, relaxing on the river banks, or practicing some watersports like canoeing, kayaking, or paddleboarding. In autumn, you’ll be able to admire the colors show.
In every corner of Peneda Gerês National Park, you might come across breathtaking views. We enjoyed the places near Mezio Swing, Soajo village, and Tibo Lookout the most.
Places for day trips in Peneda Geres National Park
Lindoso village
In a very scenic spot in Peneda-Geres National Park lies a small, remote, and slightly forgotten Lindoso village. It’s located only 4km from the Spanish border and close to towns like Ponte de Lima, Ponte da Barca, or Braga. For many centuries, Lindoso played an important military role in defending Portuguese borders, and the remains of the castle are the remainder of that fact.
In Lindoso you won’t find many places to see, but those that the village can offer will take you on an amazing journey back in time hundreds of years. Besides a well-preserved medieval castle, you’ll find there picturesque granite granaries, a stone old town with quaint houses, and great views over the surroundings. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most memorable places to visit in Peneda Geres National Park.
Soajo village
Soajo, like its nearby neighbor Lindoso, will take you on a trip back in time. In the village, located at an altitude of 1416m a.s.l, you’ll find picturesque granaries, a traditional stone old town with winding streets and quaint houses, and wonderful views of the surroundings. All of that creates a very charming picture that cannot fail to impress. Near Soajo, you can also relax in nature and even take a relaxing dip in the water in Poço Negro. Soajo is a charming place that shouldn’t be missed while visiting Peneda-Geres National Park.
Mezio Swing & Porta del Sol viewpoint
The next stop in Peneda-Gerês National Park is a spectacular area located at about 900m a.s.l. There, besides countless possibilities of spending relaxing time in nature, you’ll find two amazing places: Mezio Swing (pt. Baloiço do Mezio) and Porta del Sol viewpoint.
Mezio Swing, about 7.5m high, is the largest rope swing in Portugal! Don’t hesitate to take a swing during which you’ll enjoy breathtaking, panoramic views. Porta do Sol viewpoint, featuring lovely blue doors, is located about 300m from the swing. It’s one more place to admire amazing Peneda-Geres views!
Below the swing, along the road leading to Porta del Sol, you’ll probably come across Cachena Cows. Those are a little scary-looking cows, which wander freely around villages. You might also spot some Garrano Horses. Both animals are typical breeds for Northern Portugal. There are tons of lizards, big and small, roaming around on stones and grass. Just look around, and you’ll find some for sure!
Also, next to the road leading to Mezio Swing you’ll find one of seven Astro Spots located in Peneda Geres. We can only imagine how amazing it must be to watch the night sky from there!
Tibo Lookout
Tibo Lookout (pt. Miradouro de Tibo) is one more great place to visit in Peneda-Geres National Park. It’s located at an altitude of about 800m a.s.l, with winding roads leading to it. Viewpoint offers beautiful views over the mountains, valley, river, some villages, and also the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda. From Tibo Lookout, you can also spot one more Astro Spot, located near Tibo village.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda (pt. Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda) is located 10km from Tibo Lookout, at the foot of a big cliff. Sanctuary was built between the 18th and 19th centuries and looks like a smaller version of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga. Here, you’ll find a long staircase with statues representing faith, hope, charity, and glory. Every year, in the first week of September, there are Nossa Senhora da Peneda festivities held in the village.
Castro Laboreiro village
Castro Laboreiro is the final place in Peneda Geres National Park that we would like to recommend to you. Unfortunately, we personally couldn’t make it there due to the quickly changing weather and strong winds. The village is located only 17km north of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda and is considered one of the most interesting ones in the park. It’s located at an altitude of about 1000m a.s.l and is inhabited by about 500 people.
Castro Laboreiro is most famous for the ruins of the castle, which sits on the top of the hill overlooking the village. To access the castle you’ll need to take a short walk from the village center. From the top, beautiful panoramic views stretch over the village and its surroundings. Besides the castle ruins in the village you’ll also find typical granite houses (similar to ones in Soajo), a church, a pillory, a medieval bridge, and even a museum – Núcleo Museológico de Castro Laboreiro.
Hiking in Peneda Geres National Park
If you don’t want to only drive around the area and are up to hit some trails – Peneda-Geres is a perfect place for that as well! There are lots of hiking trails to choose from and for sure you’ll find something suitable for your needs.
There are a few hours loops as well as trails for a few days. Whatever you choose, you’ll be walking among many spectacular places, and probably discover some hidden gems like waterfalls or river beaches. Check out alltrails.com or wikiloc.com for some inspiration.
How to get to and around Peneda-Geres National Park?
Peneda Geres National Park is located in Northern Portugal, close to towns like Braga, Ponte de Lima, Viana do Castelo or Vigo in Spain. From Porto, it’s about a 2 hour drive.
The best and easiest way to get to and move around Peneda-Geres National Park is definitely by car, either yours or rented. If you don’t travel by one, you can easily rent the best one for your needs through the Rental Cars website.
Most important places, viewpoints, and villages are connected by well-maintained roads. Keep in mind that there aren’t any gas stations inside the Peneda-Geres so remember to fill your tank earlier.
Public transport is challenging and you won’t be able to reach many places.
If you don’t want to put too much effort into planning your trip to Peneda-Geres, you can take advantage of the guided tours. For example, take a look at this very popular and well-rated Peneda-Gerês National Park Tour with Lunch From Porto. Prefer smaller groups? This Small Group Peneda Geres Full Day Tour from Porto might be perfect for you!
Are you up for more hiking and swimming? We think this Hike and Swim in Gerês National Park Tour will be perfect for you! For even more fantastic tour options visit GetYourGuide or Viator website.
Explore local attractions
Where to park in Peneda-Geres National Park?
All parking lots for places mentioned in this post were free when we were visiting (May 2022). Click the name of the place and you’ll be taken to Google Maps:
- Lindoso
- Soajo
- Mezio Swing & Porta del Sol viewpoint
- Tibo Lookout
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda
- Castro Laboreiro
Where to stay and eat in Peneda-Geres National Park?
Inside Peneda-Geres, for both eating and sleeping, your best options are located in the most popular villages like Soajo, Lindoso, or Castro Laboreiro. For a wider selection, you need to check nearby towns like Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima, or Arcos de Valdevez.
We lived in a lovely cottage, Recanto Tia São Magalhães in Ponte da Barca, just a few minutes drive to the park. It’s a great starting point for discovering northern Portugal.
Peneda-Geres National Park, Portugal – Summing Up
We hope you enjoyed our day trip through Peneda-Geres National Park and that we inspired you to visit it soon. This place is a truly unique and beautiful place on Portugal’s map, filled with breathtaking landscapes and great places to visit. All of the above mentioned places can be seen in one day without too much rushing, but starting early in the morning.
You always stay and select these very remote yet highly interesting places. Thanks for introducing me to Peneda Geres National Park. I’ve not been to it, but I’ve walked past during my Camino Hike and can imagine the inland route goes straight through. Your pictures have captured well the character of the region and I can feel the vibe again that I had when I stayed close by. I agree with you, the area is beautiful and a hikers paradise. There’s so much to see in Northern Portugal and I’m glad you’ve put this on my mental map.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story