Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Parque Natural do Douro Internacional
Tucked into Portugal's far northeast corner, this 852-sq-km, Chile-shaped park runs for
120km along the Rio Douro and the monumental canyon it has carved along the border
with Spain. The canyon's towering, granite cliffs are the habitat for several threatened bird
species, including black storks, Egyptian vultures, griffon vultures, peregrine falcons,
golden eagles and Bonelli's eagles.
The human habitat is equally fragile. In the plains that run up to the canyon lip, there
are some 35 villages, many inhabited by descendants of banished medieval convicts, as
well as Jews who fled the Inquisition. The region's isolation has enabled its people to pre-
serve even more ancient roots, such as the Celtic
dança dos paulitos
. Many villagers still
speak Mirandês, a language distinct from both Spanish and Portuguese that linguists be-
lieve descends directly from Iberian Latin; you'll see town names written in Portuguese
and Mirandês throughout the park's northern reaches.
As you move south along the river, the terrain gains a distinctly Mediterranean air, with
rolling orchards of olives and chestnuts and, in the southernmost reaches, land demarcated
for port-wine grapes.
Park maps, as elsewhere in Portugal, are in short supply. At the time of research, a free
park overview map was available, as were a couple of detailed trail maps (€0.50 each); all
other print resources had run out, with only reference copies or photocopies available.
English-speaking staff at the Mogadouro headquarters can answer general questions, but
printed materials are in Portuguese only.
Miranda do Douro and Mogadouro are the best places from which to explore the park.
Activities
There are four marked
trails
in the park. The most convenient for nondrivers - and one of
the most beautiful - is the 19km
Miranda do Douro to São João das Arribas loop
, starting and end-
ing at Miranda do Douro's cathedral. The trail - open to hikers, cyclists and horses -
passes through mixed oak woodlands and small villages, and includes striking vistas of
the river at São João. Another stunning option near the southern end of the park is the
Vale
da Ribeira do Mosteiro loop
, which passes through vineyards and rugged canyon country along
a small tributary of the Douro.
For fabulous, near-aerial views of the gorge and its birdlife, you can also visit six
panor-
amic overlooks
throughout the park. North to south, with the nearest village in parentheses,
