Vale da Ribeira do Mosteiro

An 8 km circular trail of difficult grade through the Ribeira do Mosteiro valley, a tributary of the River Douro, deep within the Douro Internacional Natural Park. One of the richest routes for archaeology and nature in the Trás-os-Montes northeast. The trail begins near the mouth of the Ribeira do Mosteiro, descending gradually to the stream, where olive groves, almond orchards and citrus terraces still survive. After crossing the stream via a stepping-stone bridge, the route climbs upstream through the narrower Ribeira do Brita valley, ascending the winding Calçada de Alpajares, an ancient cobbled road of which 1 km remains. Halfway up stands the Fraga do Gato, with rock paintings dating back approximately 10,000 to 8,000 years. At the highest point rises the Castro de São Paulo, a Bronze Age settlement with traces of Roman occupation, where an old dovecote and medieval rock-cut tombs survive. The return follows a winding natural trail. Source: trilhosecaminhadas.pt / Douro Internacional Natural Park.