Attractions and Places To See around Chamoim - Top 20

The Chalcedony Trail (PR1 TBR – Trilho da Cidade da Calcedonia) is one of the most iconic routes in Peneda-Gerês National Park, located in Covide (Braga), within the municipality of Terras de Bouro. It leads to the ruins of the City of Chalcedony, an ancient pre-Roman hill fort high in the mountains. It offers panoramic views over the Homem River valley and the Gerês mountains. The trail passes through native forests, rocky areas, and natural viewpoints.

The Calcedonia Crack is one of those passages that seems to have come straight out of an old fairy tale: a monumental crack between two granite giants. For those who like a challenge, the route involves climbing and jumping between huge blocks fitted together at the base. Going up is easier than going down: there is more support, more traction, and less hesitation. There is no need to cross it (the trail elegantly skirts the crack) but, for the more adventurous, facing this crack is almost a ritual: a mix of adrenaline, vertigo and raw landscape that leaves its mark on those who pass by.

Dam with a fantastic view, and also provides quick access to both banks...

We hiked the Covid loop (yellow and red lines) clockwise. The ascent was OK. The rocky landscape was spectacular. The Slut was also impressive, but considering the many rocks, it was just another somewhat more exclusive highlight among many. The descent, however...described in Komoot as well-maintained hiking trails, no special skills required. It's an overgrown trail with (very) high steps and scree sections. Very good fitness and surefootedness are required to safely navigate it. The less than three hours for the loop is also very ambitious. At the end of the descent, there was a dog park with some very aggressive dogs running loose on the trail; we felt like we barely made it through unscathed. Next time, I'd turn around at the Slut and take the same route back. Be sure to bring plenty of drinks. Great scenery, very tiring.

The tour indicated is twice as long, so not 12, but 24km. For a round trip, I expected the entire route to be 12km. So we had to find a shortcut. It's a shame, but it was still nice.

One of the most famous waterfalls is the Cascata Do Arado, whose waters pour into a picturesque swimming area. It's better to go in the morning - better light for taking photos.

The dam dams the River Homem into a reservoir. The dam and the associated reservoir are located on the edge of the Peneda-Gerês National Park. About 1 km southeast of the dam is the municipality of Campo do Gerês. The project to build the dam began in 1966. The construction was completed in 1972. In addition to generating electricity, the dam also serves as flood protection.

The Caniçada Dam (Portuguese: Barragem da Caniçada) is located in the Northern region of Portugal in the Braga district near the municipality of Caniçada. It dams up the Cávado River and its tributary Rio Gerês to form a four-armed reservoir (port. Albufeira (da Barragem) da Caniçada). In the middle of the reservoir, near the point where the Rio Gerês originally flowed into the Rio Cávado, the lake is bridged by two bridges. To the north of the reservoir is the Peneda-Gerês National Park and part of the lake area belongs to the national park. The city of Braga is located about 15 km southwest of the Caniçada dam. Upstream, the next hydroelectric power station on the Cávado is the Salamonde dam.