WALKING, HIKING/TREKKING TRAILS
We have some maps and leaflets in the house.
On this website you can find out all about the major hiking trails near Lindoso, including the GR50 long distance:
http://www.walkingpenedageres.pt/en/
On this page you can find trails and maps, and GPS/PDA info (I've never used these, so unsure how they work).
http://adere-pg.pt/trilhos/uk/percursos3.php
(Please note the legend says that the signs in a few trails are in need of maintenance, so may not be advisable.)
If you choose the 'Lindoso gate' you can see the trails nearest to our house - the 'Lindoso gate' is one of the official 'doors' to the National Park, and there's an information centre very near the house, opposite the church:
https://goo.gl/maps/daJors7kaqR2
They have more guidance for visitors, books, maps, etc. - and can sell you tickets to visit the castle, or to book a guided visit to the castle and surrounding stone granaries.
WATERFALLS AND THERMAL HOT SPRINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF NATURE
Some links to river beach, waterfall and small pools, and hot water springs.
Very near the house, small natural pools and waterfalls...
Poço da Gola:
https://goo.gl/maps/3L9zh8JgRP62
(5 minute drive from the house)
There’s a nice little tavern serving food and drinks till night time in the Summer. And nearby a simple Cafe Mo serves coffee, drinks, sandwiches, and meals at least on lunch weekdays.
Pozas do Mallón
A beautiful river (Rio Laboreiro) with little stone pools and small waterfalls, hiking trails and a wooden bridge connecting Portugal and Spain. You can easily spend a whole day here. There’s a road all the way down to the valley, and cars are usually parked by the side of the road. Attention as it is a beautiful but quite steep mountain road.
https://goo.gl/maps/EsYpQoupx5UCkduR6
In Spain, very near Lindoso, there are several towns with hot springs.
On the way to Ourense you will find my favourite, right next to a lake. These are amazing, thermal pools in Bande, where there are some Roman remains and three hot pools - free access. Nearby there is a spa in Aquis Querquenis.
https://goo.gl/maps/nZejo4CGpn92
Sometimes, especially in the Winter, these stone pools get submerged by the reservoir’s high waters.
Another hot spring, in Lobios, by the side of the road, next to the river, where a hot stream is mixed with cold water from the running river. Very interesting, although very popular. There is also a picnic area further up, and you can walk along mountain trails until you reach a few waterfalls.
https://goo.gl/maps/X9k4ccf9rs82
Some photos:
https://www.galiciamaxica.eu/galicia/ourense/riocaldo/
Ponte da Barca municipal pools (paid for but very cheap, indoors and outdoors, and free river beach):
https://goo.gl/maps/2f1NjiPiedE2
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: WATER SPORTS, CANYONING, HORSE RIDING
You can contact the official National Park nature tourism agency Go2Nature, who showcase and organise activities. The website gives an overview, but I don’t think you can book directly yet - best to give them a ring, they speak English and other languages.
There are some companies that organise paddling board / canoeing / kayak trips if you’re interested:
https://www.facebook.com/aktivanatura
A guy called Luis runs it. He seems like a pretty decent, passionate guy who loves nature / sports.
Tbogã, on the way from Ponte da Barca to Lindoso, organise a range of activities: canyoning, stand-up paddle, electric bikes
https://portal.toboga.pt/en/tours.html
And as for horse riding, I'd try first this one:
Quinta do Fijó, in Arcos de Valdevez. The teacher/manager Carlos is super nice and a very experienced rider, with links to riding networks across Europe.
http://quintadofijo.eu/turismoequestre?lang=en
Or these:
https://www.equidesafios.com/en_GB
(But not quite in Lindoso - they’re in Campo do Gerês, on the southern part of the national park, about 1 hour / 40 Km from our house)
Keen Tours, based in Braga, but also do tours in Gerês:
https://keentours.com/tours/horseback-riding/
RESTAURANTS
Nearby you can find the restaurant Lindoverde, which serves traditional Portuguese food. They do cheaper deals for the lunch menu too. It’s only a 3-minute, 1.1Km drive. Or walk (but walking on roadside, so I prefer to drive there):
https://goo.gl/maps/21gRMVaeN4PDCXDD9
Even nearer the house there is another one, called Restaurante São Martinho. However it has very mixed reviews. We haven’t been there yet for a meal.
https://g.page/restaurante-sao-martinho?share
Further down the mountain, in Ponte da Barca, there are lots of restaurants.
I can recommend:
- a more modern restaurant, with mixed styles of food, blending traditional with lots of great pizzas and salads - and very affordable:
https://goo.gl/maps/8JDpnbqAnNv
- opposite the local winery in the nearest town (Adega Cooperativa de Ponte da Barca) there’s a nice traditional place popular with locals that does a variety of dishes, including the tasty mixed grill (parrilhada de carne), and also selling charcoal grilled peri-peri chicken (and other meats) to take away.
https://goo.gl/maps/j5FiPsAS37zTP6UYA
WINE TASTING AND WINERY VISITS
http://adegapontedabarca.pt/enoturismo/programas-de-enoturismo/
It's all in Portuguese, unfortunately, I'd suggest you use Google Translate to check the 3 wine tasting / winery visit programmes - if you're interested I can try to put you in touch with someone there who can liaise with you in your language.
You can also go to their point of direct sale to the public - from a giant wooden wine barrel by the entrance of the wine cooperative's building: https://goo.gl/maps/ogav9PjMz8M2 Some great wines - I would go for this one: Adega Ponte da Barca Branco Grande Escolha
LINDOSO, THE REGION AND THE PENEDA-GERÊS NATIONAL PARK
Lindoso and the national park
Lindoso is one of the 'Aldeias de Portugal', the Portuguese brand that recognizes interesting villages in Northern Portugal. It is located in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, in Alto Minho, 4 km from Spain and is part of the Peneda-Gerês National Park. Our house is inside the national park, an amazing protected area where rich nature, culture and history merge. There's a lot you can do and discover: from trekking, to water sports, to visiting wine estates and trying quality restaurants.
The house is a 5-10 minute walk to the Lindoso Gateway to the Peneda-Gerês National Park:
http://www.natural.pt/portal/en/Infraestrutura/Item/37
You can also ask them for maps and information on places to go.
More information about the National Park:
https://natural.pt/portal/en/AreaProtegida/Item/1
THE CASTLE
The castle of Lindoso, built in the reign of D. Afonso III in the 13th century, is classified as a national monument and deserves a careful visit. As one of the official 'doors' of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, there is an interpretive center near the church and inside the castle. To book a guided tour (costs about €3 / adult) to the castle and granaries use the email portalindoso@cmpb.pt. Admission without a guide costs around €2. You can enter the outer walls for free and walk around the whole castle - it’s just the inner part and the tower that requires payment to visit.
Another point of interest, next to the castle, is the set of granaries of the village. There are more than 50 of these, from the 18th and 19th centuries.
