Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

Hello friends. Portugal is not only known for its beaches and wine, but it is also famous for its mountains. Today I want to share with you our journey through a uniquely beautiful national park in this country. The name of this park is Peneda-Gerês or simply known as Gerês.

The mountain systems that make up this national park are quite impressive and very different from what I have seen on my previous trips. The first place I wanted to visit was a village submerged under water. This village was located on the other side, but unfortunately the dam was closed on the day we went and some repair works were being carried out. So it was not possible to reach there. Generally, I must say that traveling here involves some challenges. Firstly the roads are usually winding. To reach special places you need to go on dirt roads, which are quite bumpy. The submerged village emerges when the water levels drop a bit.

If you ask how this village became submerged, this river was blocked by a dam and a hydroelectric power plant was established. As a result these works caused the village to be submerged. According to what is told, the villagers were given only half an escudo for every square meter of their land and five escudos for every square meter of their houses. With this money it was almost impossible to buy a new place.

This interesting structure is not a bus stop but a viewpoint. Since it can be cloudy and rainy here, they made a place for us to sit and enjoy the view from this point. It is quite quiet here and the air is very clean. We could hear every step we took.

The wild diversity of the landscapes in this region is amazing. People who come here usually compare these places with others. Americans compare it to Yosemite, while Brazilians compare it to the Amazon. Comparing it to the Amazon does not seem very accurate to me. Some people have compared it to Tibet. I also had the inclination to compare. At first I thought it was very similar to Karelia. It’s like a tundra, but when you look down it resembles the lake regions of Italy or Switzerland. However the stones here, which seem meticulously placed on top of each other are very impressive. Perhaps the best thing to say is that this place only resembles Gerês. Because here the scenery constantly changes. Therefore friends, I recommend you come here.

Since this is a mountainous region there are naturally water sources available. There are beautiful springs and the areas around these springs have been arranged as pleasant resting places. There are stone tables and benches where you can sit, drink your water and relax. And this place is filled with streams and waterfalls. These streams, flowing from the mountains are quite noisy and offer stunning views. Among these streams there are natural pools filled with mountain water, which though not very cold are ideal for cooling off. However when we visited the weather wasn't very hot.

Another important point is that the weather here changes as quickly as the scenery. While you might encounter clouds as you move from one area to another, upon returning, you can find sunny and pleasant weather. So the scenery is constantly changing.

There is also a very old architectural work here. The Mezorela Bridge in the village of Sidós dating back to 1258. This bridge is also known as the Devil's Bridge. According to a legend, a priest wanted to play a trick on the devil and approached him disguised as a bandit. I need to get to the other side, can you build me a bridge? In return, I'll sell you my soul, he said. The devil agreed and made a deal with the bandit disguised as a priest. The devil built the bridge, but the priest blessed it, which made the devil very angry. This bridge is said to have mystical properties. According to the legend, if a newlywed woman cannot conceive within 18 months of marriage, she must cross this bridge and her wish will come true. However the legend does not mention what happens if a newlywed man crosses the bridge.

Our little trip to Gerês National Park in Portugal has come to an end. It was getting late and it was time to return home. I hope you enjoyed it and that you will visit here someday. I really liked it. By the way if you come here, I highly recommend trying the local cuisine. It is not only simple but also excellent and very natural. Most importantly the portions are quite large, so there's no need for starters, the main course can easily be shared between two people. There is much more to explore here, so I will definitely come back.