Portugal Attractions

Venue: Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG)    When: Daily

Set in the northeastern corner of Portugal, the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) is a stunning area of natural beauty, an unspoiled enclave of mountains, gorges, rivers and lakes, protected from overexploitation by strict regulation. Although some areas of the park are off-limits to the public, there is still a fantastic amount to see and do here.

Whether you want to relax in the clean mountain air, take in the wide range of flora and fauna or take part in extreme activities, this is an amazing place to visit.

Created in 1971, the PNPG is the only "national" park in the country - all the others are "natural" parks. It received its status as a national park because of its undisturbed ecosystems, which the government has taken steps to protect, and because of its ecological, scientific and educational value. It is also part of the National Network of Protected Areas, created in 1993.

The creation of PNPG had one main objective - long-term scientific planning - at the same time making use of the existing natural resources for the benefit of education, tourism and science. This means the park has been divided into different zones, with different levels of protection depending on the flora and fauna growing there. There are agricultural zones dedicated to the growing of other flora, forested zones and social areas. The social areas are further divided into urban zones (with a minimum level of infrastructure) and recreation/tourism areas.

Whilst you can enjoy the cultural and natural beauty by staying in the numerous small villages dotted around the park, it's also possible to take part in something more adventurous and to explore the park more fully. The best way to do this is to go through one of the many companies that organise outdoor activities. We've provided names of a couple of our favourites but the list of companies is endless. Activities range from cultural/heritage trails and bird watching to hiking, climbing and abseiling, mountain biking, orienteering, canoeing, off-road driving, horse riding and white water rafting. Most companies offer packages - you can either opt for one of their pre-made programmes or tailor-make your own.

Whatever you want to do here, the PNPG is a stunning part of Portugal waiting to be explored.