Key facts
North at a glance
Areas and places
North area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
Plan the trip
North, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to North
From May to June and in September and October, with green hills and mild days. In July and August the weather is good but the pools and viewpoints of the Gerês fill up. From November to March it rains a lot in the Minho and it may snow in the mountains.
How you travel
North your way
The ways of travelling that suit North. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBy planeBy campervanCampingCar-freeLuxury
Nearby
Near North
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
42.75° N · 7.87° W
Galicia
By carCar-free
39.83° N · 8.52° W
Centre
By carBy planeCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
43.36° N · 5.86° W
Asturias
By campervanBackpackingBy plane
41.65° N · 4.72° W
Castile and León
By carBy campervanCampingCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Expect rain
Even in spring it can rain for several days in a row. Bring a waterproof and shoes that grip wet granite.
- 2Start early in the Gerês in summer
The best-known pools and waterfalls fill up by mid-morning in July and August.
- 3Buy the combined ticket in Guimarães
Palace and castle together cost €13, less than separately.
Enter by the Portela do Homem and leave by Valença. That way you cross the park from north to south and return to Galicia by the Braga and Vigo motorway without repeating a road.
It is the most photographed and the most crowded. Go first thing, or swap it for the Ponte Feia, on the Geira, from the Portela do Homem.
What to choose in the North?
Northern Portugal is the continuation of Galicia south of the Minho: green, rainy, granite-built, with villages of granaries, Baroque churches and a national park on the border. It is also where the country was born, around Guimarães and Braga in the 12th century. From Vigo or Ourense it is closer than many destinations within Galicia itself.
- Peneda-Gerês, two to four nights. Portugal's only national park, right next to Ourense: the Mata da Albergaria and the Roman road of the Geira, the viewpoints of Junceda and Pedra Bela, waterfalls such as the Arado, and the granary villages of Soajo and Lindoso. For walking and driving without hurry.
- Guimarães, one or two nights. The castle and the palace of the Dukes of Braganza above a medieval World Heritage centre, with arcaded squares. An hour from Porto by train, and 15 minutes from Braga, with the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary and its Baroque stairway.
South of the North is Porto and the Douro, which has its own page: the city and the wine valley combine well with Guimarães in a single trip.
A five-day route: two nights in the Gerês, one in Soajo or Lindoso, and two in Guimarães with an afternoon in Braga. If you add Porto, add two more nights.
How do you get there from Spain?
From Galicia, by car: Braga is about 110 km from Vigo, a little over an hour, and Guimarães about 90 minutes via the A3 and A7. You enter the Gerês from Ourense via Lobios and the Portela do Homem, about 90 km to the spa town. Portuguese motorways are toll roads and some are electronic only: register your plate before crossing.
From the rest of Spain, the practical option is to fly to Porto and hire a car, or arrive on CP's Celta train, which links Vigo with Porto Campanhã every day. From Madrid, the Gerês is about 540 km away.
How do you get around?
By car, for the national park: the villages, viewpoints and waterfalls are far apart, on slow mountain roads. For the cities the train is enough: from Porto there are trains to Guimarães, in about an hour, and to Braga. Guimarães station is about 20 minutes' walk from the palace.
What should you eat?
Cooking from the interior and of abundance: caldo verde, rojões of pork, roast kid and salt cod, with the Minho's vinho verde, light and fresh, on almost every table. In the villages of the national park you eat meat from the mountain breeds, such as the cachena in Arcos de Valdevez, and in the pastry shops, the pão de ló of Soajo.
How much does it cost?
The North is cheaper than Lisbon or the Algarve. In the national park there are country houses, campsites and small hotels; in Guimarães, accommodation in the centre inside the wall or next to it. If you stay in Terras de Bouro, the Gerês.Card gives you free entry to the Vilarinho da Furna and Geira museums.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need?
Three for the national park and Guimarães; five if you add Braga and the villages of the Lima valley. With Porto and the Douro, a week.
Can you go without a car?
To Guimarães and Braga, yes, by train from Porto. For the national park, a car is almost essential.
Is it close to Galicia?
Very: the Portela do Homem is a border crossing with Lobios, in Ourense, and Valença is opposite Tui.
What is there to see in Guimarães?
The castle, the palace of the Dukes of Braganza, the church of São Miguel and the squares of Oliveira and Santiago. They open from 10:00 to 18:00.
When does it rain least?
From June to September. November to March is the wettest period.
Can you go with children?
Yes: the short walks along the Geira, the granaries and Guimarães castle work well, and Porta do Mezio, in Arcos de Valdevez, has an adventure park and a pool in summer.