Route Marão-Alvão
Montalegre, Chaves, Mirandela
Explore the mountains of the North with Start Adventure
— Route Marão & Alvão
We head to the deep North of Portugal with a route across the mountainous range Alvão-Marão, through the stunning rolling hills of this region. Besides visiting Montalegre, Mirandela and Chaves, this route also includes great trails for off-road enthusiasts.
The mountain range of Alvão, of 1283 meters high, stands out for its extremely iconic streams and beautifully white waterfalls against the granite landscape. The National Park of Alvão, a protected natural reserve created in 1983 which includes the Ôlo river with its naturally carved holes in the stone that can be two meters deep.
The route goes through the mountain range Serra do Barroso, the eight highest mountain in Portugal excluding the islands, and part of the mountain range of Peneda e Gerês. It’s a land of great diversity when it comes to geology, flora (it’s home to many, many species of mushroom) and fauna: warthogs and hares, besides the famous barrosão ox.
Montalegre, belonging to the district of Vila Real, is also an exceptional place because of its waterfalls, archeological heritage and faerical villages. Chaves is not behind, though, as a region dotted by numerous archeological stations, rock paintings, medieval castles and Roman architecture, which brings us the bridge Ponte do Trajano and the largest Roman thermal baths in the Iberian Peninsula.
We will always get the chance to taste the best of traditional Portuguese gastronomy in Mirandela, with its alheiras (a sort of sausage) full of rich flavors. After following the beautiful river Tua, river Douro will become out companion in our route. We finally step into the mountain range Serra do Marão.
Serra do Marão is the seventh highest mountain in Portugal, islands apart, at 1416 meters high. A vast and spacious mountainous with breath taking views, it is the ideal place for off-road adventures aboard 4×4 vehicles.
—Trip status
—Detalhes do programa
Arrival in Vila Real at around 6pm for an inicial briefing and distribution of the SUVs.
Overnight stay at the hotel Miracorgo.
The guests are free to enjoy dinner wherever they like.
Departure from Vila Real towards Vilarinho de Samardã (stopping by the house where the Portuguese author and poet Camilo Castelo Branco lived between 1839 and 1841).
We will head to Ribeira de Pena, through the beautiful mountain range of Serra do Alvão, with stunning, breath taking views.
We then go into the mountain range of Serra do Barroso after crossing the Tâmega river, stopping by several mountain villages up to the dam Barragem do Alto Rabagão.
We arrive in Montalegre by lunchtime, where we will enjoy Portuguese gastronomy at a traditional restaurant.
After lunch, we head to the mystical village of Vilar de Perdizes, famous for its anual congress of holistic medicine, an initiative of the priest Padre Fontes.
The day ends with several more off-road driving down to Chaves.
In Chaves, we have dinner at the acclaimed tavern Taberna do Benito.
Stay at the Hotel Forte de São Francisco.
Departure from Chaves, heading across rolling hills and villages where the Celts and Romans left their marks. We will visit valleys of a thousand colors and cristal water streams down to Valpaços.
Our adventure then takes us to Mirandela, a city famous for its traditional Portuguese sausages, or alheiras.
De Mirandela seguimos mais um pouco até à Aldeia Museu de Romeu, onde teremos à nossa espera um delicioso almoço no restaurante Maria Rita.
After eating, we will head back to the trail to put the SUV vehicles to the test, crossing villages and rural lands from Mirandela to São Mamede de Riba Tua, always accompanied by the river Tua.
We will also visit Alijó and Favaios and finish this day of adventure in a real life postcard over the river Douro, in Pinhão.
Dinner in Pinhão in a traditional restaurant.
We will stay in Pinhão, at the hotel Vintage House.
Departure from Pinhão through one of the most beautiful trails Douro has to offer, meandering along the river’s edge and heading through Régua, down to Mesão Frio.
Right then, we will enter the mountain range Serra do Marão and climb what is the seventh highest mountain in Continental Portugal, 1416 meters high.
We then head to Campeã, a small village where you can still spot a Roman road, called “Calçada do Arco”.
We will then take the famous N304, considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in Portugal.
Stop in Mondim de Bastofor lunch at the traditional restaurant Adega Escondidinho.
A aventura continua com a subida ao Alto da Senhora da Graça, famoso por ser um troço icónico da volta a Portugal em bicicleta.
We’ll head down to the village of Lamas de Olo, where it is still possible to find traditional houses made of schist, granite and thatched roofs.
Coffee break at the celebrated Cabana de Lamas de Olo, and then we’ll make our way down Alvão with its natural landscaped, waterfalls, rivers and streams untouched by humans.
Arrival in Vila Real around 4pm.
This is the end of our adventure.
—Terms
✓ The price includes
- SUV vehicle (4 people per vehicle)
- Fuel and tolls
- 3 lunches in the program (water, soft drinks and house wine included)
- 2 dinners in the program (water, soft drinks and house wine included)
- 3 nights at the hotels/lodges in the program with breakfast
✗ The price does not include
- Dinner on the last day
- Other personal expenses
- Extra drinks at the restaurants
- Minibar and other extras at the hotels
▸ Conditions for participation:
- Payment of 50% of the total price upon enrolment
- Payment of the other 50% up to 30 days before the beginning of the trip
- Read in detail all the terms of use.
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