Vilar da Veiga

Vilar da Veiga lies on the southern side of the Serra do Gerês and combines impressive landscapes with a lively local tradition. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in this area can choose between hikes, viewpoints, nature observation and cultural discoveries. The town has a tourist information office, a thermal activities centre, a delegation of the Peneda-Gerês National Park and a company offering leisure and entertainment activities.

Hiking trails between mountains, forests and viewpoints

Several clearly distinct routes make the surrounding area interesting for different day plans. The PR3 – Trilho dos Currais is a 10-kilometre circular route that begins in Vila do Gerês in Vilar da Veiga. It passes through three livestock enclosures in the Serra do Gerês: Curral da Espinheira, Curral da Carvalha das Éguas and Curral da Lomba do Vidoeiro. The PR11 – Trilho da Preguiça is shorter, at 5 kilometres, and begins at the Casa Florestal da Preguiça forestry station in Vilar da Veiga.

The PR14 – Trilho do Sobreiral da Ermida do Gerês covers 13.3 kilometres and begins in Ermida do Gerês. It takes its name from a 200-hectare cork oak woodland overlooking the Arado and Fafião rivers. The Vela viewpoint is also an alternative route: from Aldeia da Ermida, an approximately 1.5-kilometre walk of around 30 minutes leads there. Those looking for historical traces in the landscape can choose the PR11 – Trilho das Silhas dos Ursos. It includes two historic silhas dating from the 15th/16th and 16th/17th centuries, respectively.

Nature experiences with specific trail conditions

The forests of the Serra do Gerês include oaks, holm oaks, Portuguese laurels, birches, pines, strawberry trees and yews, among others. The animals found there include deer, wolves, Garrano horses and Barrosã cattle. Wild animals, particularly birds, are frequently observed on the Trilho das Silhas dos Ursos.

The Cascata do Arado lies at an altitude of around 900 metres and forms a series of cascades between the rocks. It can be reached by car; the final kilometre follows an unpaved road to the bridge over the Rio Arado. From there, stone steps lead to the viewpoint. Swimming in the Cascata do Arado is not recommended because of the risk of serious accidents. Fecha de Barjas can be reached on foot along the left bank of the Rio Arado. The route includes crossing the Fafião, which depends on the water level. The Rocas viewpoint also combines a drive with an ascent of several hundred metres over rocks.

Further perspectives are offered by Mirante Novo at an altitude of 575 metres, with views of the Caniçada Reservoir, and by the Fraga Negra viewpoint above the valley of the Rio Gerês. Penedo da Freira is also associated with a legend about a nun and a Castilian knight.

Vezeira and regional culture

The Vezeira de Vilar da Veiga is listed in the National Inventory of Portugal’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. It represents a centuries-old communal practice: cattle owners support one another with the costs and with taking turns herding the livestock to the pastures in the Serra do Gerês. The tradition of the Sociedade de Socorro Pecuário of the Freguesia de Vilar da Veiga is passed down in practice from parents to children and grandchildren.

The Vezeira takes place from April to September. Its programme includes guided mountain hikes to the Vezeira’s livestock enclosures and shelters, as well as a gastronomic tasting. In Aldeia da Ermida, traditions connected with the agricultural and livestock calendar continue to be preserved. ATACE also promotes the Feira da chanfana and a festival of olive oil and olives there.

Which accommodation location suits your trip

When choosing a holiday apartment in Vilar da Veiga, it is worth deciding what you want to focus on during your trip. For a holiday with several hiking destinations, the various starting points and trail conditions are important reference points. If, on the other hand, you want to combine landscapes and local culture, you can combine routes to the livestock enclosures, viewpoints and historic silhas with the traditions of the Vezeira and Ermida.

If you would like to extend your planning to other places, you can also consider Vilar Da Veiga and Gerês. Which holiday apartment or holiday home is right for you depends above all on which hikes, nature observations and cultural impressions you would like to place at the centre of your trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Braga.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Vila Nova De Famalicão, Arnóia, Cepães, Esposende, Fafe, Caniçada.