2-day tour in Gerês: what to visit in Peneda Gerês National Park

It’s known that Peneda Gerês National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Portugal and has a lot to offer to those who visit it! You can find iconic places with idyllic landscapes, lakes and waterfalls of pure and crystalline water and typical mountain villages that make this destination the perfect place for a weekend in contact with nature.

However, organizing a two-day tour in Gerês can be challenging. The visit to the park should be well planned, after extensive research on the places to visit and activities to do. We also advise you to get as much information as possible with the local population and professional guides who know the entire surrounding region in its fullest. All this so that you can get the best out of this little getaway in nature, without compromising its safety and all the biodiversity and heritage of the only Portuguese protected area classified as a national park.

That being said, we present in this article all the places that can’t be missed in a two-day itinerary to the Peneda Gerês National Park:

Day 1: Cabril – Campo do Gerês – Portela do Homem – Lindoso

Cabril

It is in Cabril that you begin the adventure in the Peneda Gerês National Park, starting this journey in the east side of the park, in Montalegre.

In this area, it is mandatory to pass through the 7 Lagoons, located along the river that rises in the mountains and crosses Cabril, where seven waterfalls and lakes of crystal-clear water have formed. Great for cooling off and spending quality time surrounded by the mountains that exhibit a pleasant landscape. The access is done on foot or by bicycle along a 12km trail, as cars are not allowed to pass through this area.

Near Cabril, we also recommend passing the Misarela Bridge, one of the most iconic places in Gerês, for all its beauty and the ancient myths that remain to this day.

Campo do Gerês

After Cabril, we recommend the area that is, perhaps, the most visited in the entire park - Campo do Gerês, in Terras de Bouro.

Here you will find the waterfalls most sought after by tourists in summer, but also one of the most beautiful. For this reason, we advise you to pass by Fecha de Barjas Waterfall, better known as Tahiti waterfall. Despite the difficult access, it is always worth contemplating the natural beauty of this waterfall.

Very close to the Fecha de Barjas Waterfall, you will find another waterfall that is a must to visit, the Arado Waterfall. This is one of the largest and best-known waterfalls in the Peneda Gerês National Park. To look to the waterfall from a privileged position, there is a small footpath with access to a viewpoint where you can admire the beauty of this waterfall.

4km away from Arado Waterfall is the Pedra Bela viewpoint, at an altitude of 800 meters, overlooking the Caniçada dam that reflects the beauty of Gerês. Without a doubt, a place not to be missed in the Peneda Gerês National Park.

Portela do Homem

We recommend that you follow the path to Portela do Homem located on the border with Spain. In this area you will find the beautiful waterfall of Portela do Homem with crystal water formed by the Homem River. At the end of this waterfall we can enjoy a very refreshing water lagoon in summer.

Between Campo do Gerês and Portela do Homem you will find what is one of the most important and beautiful forests in the Peneda Gerês National Park – Mata da Albergaria, made up of secular oak trees that bring with them characteristic species of the Geresian fauna and flora. To preserve this ecosystem, the authorities have applied a set of rules to motorized traffic in this location, including the prohibition of stopping or parking any vehicles. You can know more information here. 

Lindoso

After about 30 minutes in Spanish lands, we enter Portugal again through the parish of Lindoso, known for its pre-eminent XIII century castle that transmits a medieval atmosphere with a lot of history to offer. You will certainly notice the set of granaries that are already part of the history and landscape of this region.

In this area, we recommend the trails with local guides along the Serra Amarela to get to know in depth all the stories of this village while enjoying its beautiful landscape.

Day 2: Soajo – Sra da Peneda – Castro de Laboreiro.

Soajo

We start the second day visiting the village of Soajo. One of the most beautiful and traditional villages in the Peneda Gerês National Park that brings with it a rural environment with natural beauty landscapes, making it a mandatory stop on a short getaway to Gerês. You can get to know the famous granaries, the Mezio Gate, and the scenic swing - one of the oficial gates to Gerês and the most diverse lagoons and natural pools scattered throughout the village.

Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda

Still in the Arcos de Valdevez area, in Serra da Peneda, we advise you to visit the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda. Even if not for religious reasons, the imposing XVII century sanctuary is worth admiring due to its surrounding landscape. Behind this sanctuary, we can see a rock that in the rainy season forms a beautiful waterfall that displays a natural show.

Castro Laboreiro

The last destination on this two-day itinerary to the Peneda Gerês National Park is the village of Castro Laboreiro in Melgaço. You can visit the Castle of Castro de Laboreiro, the bridge of Varziela, the lakes of the Laboreiro river and visit another official gate to the park - Porta de Lamas de Mouro. You will certainly enjoy all the corners that this village has to offer.

You can take this tour in Gerês by car, however, to have a more unique experience and with qualified and local guides, who can give you all the information about the mountains and the iconic places of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, we always advise that you use a company specialized in e-bike tours in Portugal.

Our Eletric Mountain Bikes make this tour a pure leisure experience going further, faster with the highest level of comfort and quality.

Tobogã – Portugal Adventure Tours already has a predefined tour to cross the Peneda Gerês National Park, passing through all the most important places in Gerês, but this route can be adapted to your taste and capacity, making it in more or less days.

If you want more information about this type of tour, talk to us and book your adventure now.