Douro Outdoor Activities

If you want to be a bit more active than the leisurely cruises down the River Douro, then an alternative might be to take selfguided walking tours throughout the Douro or combining cycling with wine tours. Contact local information centres and Natural Park offices for advice on walks in the area. The Serra do Marao Regional Tourist organisation have four leaflets detailing walks throughout the Douro area taking in cultural and wildlife sights along the way - these are in Portuguese but the maps within them give you the route (link right). The link to the ICN website also has a couple of walks highlighted for the Alvao Natural Park, these are only in Portuguese.

With the many rivers of this region canoeing and kayaking are popular watersports with whitewater rafting on the Tamega, Olo and Tua rivers. In the Serra do Alvao canyoning is popular as is abseiling, scrambling or climbing on the mountainous terrain surrounding the rivers.

Basto Radical organises a series of different adventure activity courses across the north of Portugal. Activities include whitewater rafting runs down the rivers Tmega, Olo, Minho, Paiva and Tua, climbing, orientation, hiking and four-wheel drive vehicle tours through the Basto region and the Alvao Natural Park. There are discounts for larger groups activity breaks can be tailor-made to suit your particular interests. Activities offered: mountain biking, canoeing, canyoning, climbing, orienteering, paintball, walking, rafting, abseiling and aerial slides and off-roading. Basto Radical, Desporto e Aventura, Lda, Vilar de Viando, 4880-212 Mondim de Basto. Tel: 351 252 382 637 - 965 302 294 - 962 715 121. Email: bastoradical@portugalmail.pt

Glaciar is an adventure activity company offering weekend and holiday activity breaks including hiking, canoeing, rafting and escalade with guides with a good knowledge of the local geography. Address: Centro Comercial D. Dinis, loja 10, Pioledo, 5000 Vila Real. Tel: 351 259323126. Mobile: 351 96560932. Email: glaciar@mail.telepac.pt

Serra do Marao Mountains

The Marao mountain range extends from the River Tamega to its west across to the River Corgo to the east. Its highest point, Senhora da Serra, is 1,415 metres from which you can see Vila Real, Serra do Alvo (Vaqueiro at 1,315 metres) and Sra da Graca at 920 metres. It is the sixth highest peak in Portugal.

Alvao Natural Park

Parque Natural do Alvao although formally in the Tras-os-Montes region is easily accessible from towns in the Douro as it lies just 5 kilometres west of Vila Real. It is Portugal's smallest natural park at 7,220 hectares and reaches an altitude of 1,330 metres above sea level. The park is characterised by an extensive granite basin in the upper reaches of the park with schists along the narrow enclosed valleys. This geology gives rise to some spectacular drops and waterfalls such as the Fisgas do Ermelo.

Although pine forestation has clothed many areas in and around the park, the native woodland that still exists in the natural park is very important and includes a range of broadleaved trees including birch, English oak, black oak, holly, bay, chestnut, hazel, wild pear and strawberry tree. Heathers, bilberry, broom and gorses make up the heath communities. Several interesting mammals are found within the park including feral goats, a range of bat species, the Pyrenean desman, a peculiar looking semi-aquatic rodent and occasionally wolves. Bird species found the short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon, chough, water pipit, rufous-tailed Rock thrush, pied flycatcher and bullfinch. The park is also a site for the rare ocellated lizard.

The park is not easy to see without your own transport. The main route through the park is the N304 .

There are two information centres for the Alvao Natural Park where maps and leaflets with English language inserts on the flora and fauna and local produce can be obtained. Alvao Natural Park's head office: Largo dos Freitas - 5000-528 Vila Real, Tel: 351 259 302 830 - Fax: 351 259 302 831, Email: pnal@icn.pt and the branch-office: Lugar do Barrio - Sitio do Retiro - 4880-164 Mondim de Basto Tel/Fax: 351 255 381 209.