North Portugal Tourism Guide - Douro Internacional Natural Park

Douro Internacional Natural Park Location

The Douro Internacional Natural Park stretches for 852 square kilometres Miranda do Douro in the north down to south of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo in the south. It abuts the Spanish border which is marked by the River Douro itself.

Miranda do Douro in the north of the Park and Mogadouro in the middle are the easiest places to get to and visit the park. Both are reached via the IP4 motorway and then turning off on the EN317 and EN218 for Miranda do Douro, and the EN216 for Mogadouro.

Buses and coaches will get you to the two towns mentioned above and Santos runs more local services to a variety of the towns within the natural park. Check the links right for more information.

For total freedom to explore the wonders of the Natural Park you'll be better off with a car which you can hire - check the link right for a quick quote.

Wildlife in Douro Internacional Natural Park

This great rocky landscape is home to a wide range of wildlife including an impressive array of birds of prey including Egyptian vultures, griffon vultures, golden eagles, Bonelli's eagles, short-toed eagles, booted eagles, eagle owls and boring old peregrine falcons! No wonder it's heralded as the best place in Portugal to see birds of prey.

Black storks, alpine swifts choughs, wolves and wild cats are some of the other attractions if you can take your eyes of the raptors. Other notable species include the Pyrenean desman, Schreiber's bent-winged bats, Cabrera vole, otters - what a fantastic array of exciting and rare species.

Cultural Heritage in Douro Internacional Natural Park

There are forty six small communities within the park area and it is their traditional way of life that the park is trying to protect as well.

Many of the inhabitants originate from the unfortunate and persecuted as convicts were banished to the region in medieval times and Jews fled to northern Portugal after the persecution of the Spanish and Portuguese inquisitions. The mirandes is an ancient dialect of the region that is still spoken here and you might even see it on the road signs. It is now officially recognized as Portugal's second language.

Pigeon is part of the traditional diet of the area and you'll see the circular medieval dovecotes, called pombal, that are dotted across the hillsides. These were purpose-built to house doves that were not only reared as food for the locals, but their droppings were collected and used to fertilise crops.

Natural Park Information Offices

There are four offices for the Douro Internacional Natural Park. They can provide you with leaflets and maps of the park with information on the flora and fauna of the area and walks including Ribeira do Mosteiro to Calcada de Alpajares, Miranda do Douro to S. Joao das Arribas, Almofala to St Andre das Arribas and a driving route from north to south of the Natural Park. To date the majority of these are only available in Portuguese.

The main office is in Mogadouro: Rua Santa Marinha, 4, 5200-241 Mogadouro. Tel: 351 279 340 030. Fax: 351 279 341 596. E-mail: pndi@icn.pt

Other offices are at: Miranda do Douro office: Rua do Convento, Palacio da Justica, 5210 Miranda Do Douro. Tel: 351 273 431 457 and 273 432 833. Fax: 351 273 431 457.

Freixo de Espada a Cinta office: Largo do Outeiro, 5180 118 Freixo De Espada A Cinta. Tel: 351 279 658 130. Fax: 351 279 658 131. And Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo office: Rua Artur Costa, 1, 6440 Figueira De Castelo Rodrigo. Tel: 351 271 313 382. Fax: 351 271 313 382