The amazing Unesco Biosphere Reserve in Spain: it stretches along the European Union’s longest (and oldest) border

At times it would appear as though mother nature herself had drawn some of our national frontiers. While the majestic Pyrenees may be a case in point, it is also the case along a particular stretch of the Spanish-Portuguese border, the European Union’s longest and oldest frontier and home to scenes of captivating wild beauty. 

A shared Biosphere Reserve between Portugal and Spain

Some 70 kilometres south of Ourense, mother nature springs to life with imposing summits reaching heights of more than 1500 metres. There, the Gerês-Xurés Biosphere Reserve reveals a bountiful scenery of mountains whose pure air and hidden sites captivate the explorer.

The vibrant landscape of Gerês-Xurés

Although two mountain chains lend their names to this rocky park, other peaks form part of this Unesco designated natural space. A quarter part of this protected territory is found on Spanish soil where a surprising landscape of granite formations and coursing rivers race through steep valleys.

The combination of Atlantic, Mediterranean and alpine influences has bestowed upon Gerês-Xurés an extraordinary biodiversity of more than one-hundred native vegetable species. Its abundant fauna, seemingly plucked from a fairytale, includes the Minerva owl and genet. As one ascends, the dense forest cedes to a rocky terrain of exposed mineral creating a natural mosaic as diverse as it is astounding.

A harmonious human footprint 

Traces of the people who once inhabited these mountains can be seen throughout the region. Dolmens littering the countryside speak to age-old civilisations, while rustic sagacity is evident in the mills, lagoons and granary shelters, known as canastros (or espigueiros on the Portuguese side of the river), used by shepherds. Springs, crossroads and stone walls mark these trails rich in history. 

When the waters of the Conchas Reservoir descend, the encampment of Aquis Querquernis, a timeworn Roman bastion, reappears. The fortification’s ruins can be visited and the site’s Interactive Centre recreates the Roman conquest of this frontier region. Nearby, the Visigothic church of Santa Comba in Bande and the Baroque façade of Santa María la Real Church in Entrimo bear architectonic witness to diverse epochs.

Crossing the border, known colloquially as the "Raya" (stripe in Spanish), into Portugal, lies the sanctuary of A Peneda in the village of Melgaço, a hub of religious devotion and pilgrimage where its impressive waterfall takes centre stage during the rains. Accessible walking routes run along the banks of the Miño River or by crossing directly from the village of Entrimo.  A stop at the ancient fort of Laboreiro, where nature and history meet, complements an unbeatable itinerary.

You can also read this article in Spanish.

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