Vila Real Activities
● Serra do Marão
Vila Real is located on one of the slopes of the Serra do Marão, and on the opposite side is the city of Amarante. This is the seventh highest mountain in mainland Portugal, with an altitude of 1416 metres, a topographic prominence of 681 metres and 59.9 kilometres of typographic isolation. It divides the Douro Litoral region from the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region.
Although it is very prone to summer fires, it is mostly made up of pine trees. Vineyards are the dominant crop in the inhabited areas and on the southern slopes.
In geological terms, it is made up of large granite and schist stretches. Throughout the mountain range you can see various abandoned installations, such as tungsten mines, which had their heyday in the Second World War.
This was a natural obstacle that slowed down progress in the interior of Trás-os-Montes until the 19th century. With the creation of the railway lines at that time, the EN15 and later the IP4, a greater flow of people and goods became possible. This connected the coast with Trás-os-Montes.
It is possible to take a hiking trail through the mountains, starting in the village of Soutelo, to the highest point of the mountain (1416 metres high). This route is 12.6 kilometres long, but includes stunning scenery, forested areas and pastures, among many other things.
There are various routes, which can take between 2, 3 and 6 hours to complete. These routes are usually accompanied by a guide, water, snacks and insurance. There is also the option of transport, lunch or a snack for those who choose this option.
For those who love cycling, the Serra do Marão also offers guided tours of certain areas. On these tours you can hire bikes or go with your own bike. Depending on what you want, these tours can last 3, 5 or 8 hours and may include lunch or a snack.
To top it all off, the tours provide transport for passengers and their bikes, a guide, water, a helmet, an air pump, snacks and insurance.
Last but not least, Serra do Marão also offers jeep tours, passing through various points that are crucial to visiting and getting to know the area better. At the end of the tour, if you wish, you are also entitled to a picnic with traditional products from the region.
• Serra do Alvão
The Serra do Alvão is an elevation in mainland Portugal, 1283 metres high, located to the north-west of Vila Real. It is bounded by the rivers Tâmega to the west, Cabril and Corgo to the south-west, and by the Avelâmes and Vidago streams to the north and north-west.
This region was once heavily populated due to its plateaus, which were favourable for shepherding and agriculture.
Here you’ll find well-known waterfalls such as the Fisgas de Ermelo waterfall (one of the largest in Europe) and the Agarez waterfall.
The Fisgas de Ermelo are located in the heart of the Alvão Natural Park. They are a chasm moulded by the force of water and time, and their diverse landscape crosses the municipalities of Mondim de Basto and Vila Real.
This earth fault forced the Ôlo river to “shear” through the rocks, forming one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Portugal and Europe. The water begins to flow from the rock at an altitude of 800 metres and over the course of 1.5 kilometres, it creates several “smaller” cascades. They are a must for anyone visiting Vila Real and the Serra do Alvão, as well as the viewpoint of the same name.
There is still so much to discover in this region, but what is certain is that a total of 486 species of flora and 200 species of fauna have already been identified. In the field of plants, 25 species have been spotted that only exist on the Iberian Peninsula and 6 in Portugal. In the animal field, only 10 species also exist only on the Iberian peninsula.
Among the rarities, we can highlight, for example, the “Paradisea Lusitanica” flower. This is an alpine meadow plant that bears funnel-shaped white flowers and blooms only in late spring.
The Serra do Alvão blue butterfly, which is unfortunately on the verge of extinction, is also one of the rarities of this protected area. One of the major problems is that the people who live near the area continue to graze their cattle on the mudflats where this butterfly develops its life cycles.
Every year there are awareness-raising campaigns to prevent these actions, so that for at least one month a year there are no cattle on the mudflats. These actions take place not only to preserve this species, but also because this species is very fragile and has a low tolerance for climatic variations, thus requiring special and extra care.
• Douro
Of the many rivers on the Iberian peninsula, the River Douro is the third largest. It rises in Spain, in the province of Soria, at an altitude of 2160 metres and flows into Portugal in the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Its length is 897 kilometres, of which 572 kilometres are in Spanish territory and 213 kilometres in Portuguese territory.
Its banks have been protected with the creation of natural parks. In Portugal, the Douro International, and in Spain, the Arribes of the Douro.
In 2001, this region was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, making it the Alto Douro Wine Region due to its cultural landscape.
Thanks to its uneven terrain, hydroelectric power stations such as dams and reservoirs of still water were created. In recent years, all of this has led to greater tourist traffic in the area and to the emergence of new sporting activities, such as sport fishing.
Furthermore, travelling between the village of Bemposta and Picote, you can see a sensational environment, made up of large hills and crags, waters that mirror the clouds and the sun, as well as traditional birds and birds of prey.
For fish lovers, this river is also home to species such as trout, eels, scallops, carp and red crayfish.
This World Heritage Site is highly sought after by tourists who want to visit by the most popular means of transport in the area. These include trains, boat cruises and even helicopters.
In addition to its landscapes, the Douro region is also known for its wines. On the quayside in Vila Nova de Gaia, the “WOW” establishment is an obligatory stop. Here you can see the whole landscape from the bridges, such as the D. Luís I Bridge, to the other side of the river, the Ribeira do Porto. It’s also a place where you can buy tickets for various museums, such as “The Wine Experience”, a museum that explains everything about wine, from the soil it’s made in to the grapes used and their process.
● Parque Corgo
Corgo Park is located on the banks of the river that gives it its name. It covers around 33 hectares and has multi-sports fields, walking routes, picnic areas, outdoor municipal swimming pools, playgrounds, cafés, a Municipal Theatre, among others.
It was built as part of the environmental requalification programme and is currently the largest green area in the city. It is the full responsibility of the City Council, and it is up to them to preserve and conserve it.
Away from city life, Corgo Park is a great place to play sport, have an al fresco meal or even read a book.
● Parque Florestal
The forest park was born in the 1960s and has been much appreciated by its visitors ever since. It covers around 38,000 square metres and is a great place to go for a walk with family or friends. It has spaces suitable for picnics, resting, running, playing and even fishing in the river.
It is bordered all round by a wall, the river, houses and a school.
It is a large green space and is connected to another park, Parque Corgo, which is also well known in the city. These are the two most important parks in the city of Vila Real.
This is where a number of public organisations are located, such as the Direção Geral das Florestas do Norte and the S.E.P.N.A of the GNR. You can also find the Living Science Centre on one of the river banks.
● Centro histórico de Vila Real
The Historic Centre of Vila Real, as the name suggests, has numerous tourist attractions that can and should be visited by tourists arriving in the city. It is a zone that has been defined with a view to the valorisation, rehabilitation and special protection of this heritage-relevant area.
This is a central area of the city, which stretches from Largo do Pioledo/Municipal Market to the cemetery of S.Dinis in Vila Velha.
This is where we find the famous Carvalho Araújo Avenue. This avenue is home to most of the important monuments and sites to visit in the city, such as the Cathedral of Vila Real, the New Chapel (along Rua Direita), the Museum of Vila Velha, a viewpoint (next to the cemetery), the Museum of Archaeology and Numismatics of Vila Real, among others.
The Cathedral of Vila Real is perhaps one of the most visited and most important sites in the city, as it is the best example of Gothic architecture in Trás-os-Montes. It is a type of Gothic architecture of robust size, which António Nogueira Gonçalves called the late Gothic Vila Realense.
● Ecopista da Linha do Corgo
The Ecopista, or cycle path, is located on the old railway line that connected the city of Régua to Chaves. This line was in operation for several years, but was shut down for works on 25 March 2009, and was completely closed by the National Railway Network in July 2010.
A few years later, these cities joined forces to create the current Ecopista, which would once again connect the two cities (passing through Vila Real as before), as something pleasant for leisure and collective enjoyment.
The Corgo Line Ecotrail has a panoramic view with leisure areas, as trees have been planted all along its route, and benches and lamps have been placed so that the best use can be made of the route. It also has access to emergency points.
With the aim of preserving the history of the railway in the Vale de Aguiar and the memory of those who worked on it, the municipalities involved in this project intend to make the most of this Corgo Line Ecotrail and thus increase its tourist value.
● NaturWaterPark
Natur Water Park is the most recent amusement park in Vila Real, having opened on 11 August 2011. It’s about 8km from the city centre and some of the services provided on site are the possibility of accommodation, the existence of a restaurant and a supermarket, and of course, sports activities.
Within the amenities, accommodation can be chosen from the various options available, all of them linked to nature: Bungalows; Mobile-homes; Tents, Caravans or Motorhomes, and even Camaratas.
The restaurant is cosy and the menu is typically Portuguese.
This water park is ideal for families with children who want to have a fun but relaxed time.
Address: Quinta do Barroco Póvoa / Andrães 5000-037 Vila Real
Website: www.naturwaterpark.pt
Email: reservas@naturwaterpark.pt
Telephone: 259 309 120
