Top 7 Natural Monuments around Rabal

As you walk along the trails of Rio de Onor, prepare to be surprised by a silent giant: a majestic, centuries-old Pyrenean oak, declared a Tree of Public Interest in 2012. Its grandeur is a sight to behold and invites you to contemplate.

This dirt track winds alongside the Sabor River, which flows through a valley covered in green alder, ash and poplar trees. All around, immense cliffs rise up like natural walls, making you feel tiny amidst the grandeur of the landscape.

Considered the “bread tree” in the regions north of the Tagus, the chestnut tree was the staple food before the arrival of the potato and the main source of carbohydrates in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. This deciduous tree can grow up to 30 to 35 metres in height and reach diameters of up to 12 metres, although the trunk becomes hollow as the tree ages. It is very long-lived and can live for over a thousand years. The European chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Miller) belongs to the Castanea genus and the Fagaceae family, the same family that includes cork oaks and oaks in general. The genus includes 12 to 13 species, five of which are of Asian origin and seven of which are North American. The common chestnut tree is the only one native to Europe. This is a tree that managed to survive the last glacial period (Würms glaciation) in some parts of central and Mediterranean Europe and is currently found all over the world, including North and South America and Australia. Several studies indicate that the natural distribution of the European chestnut tree corresponds to these refuge zones, where it remained during the glacial events. These areas later served as starting points for the colonization of other regions, before humanity dedicated itself to cultivating the species. One of these refuges is located in the Picos de Europa region and another between the south of Galicia and the north of Portugal, which is why the chestnut tree is considered an indigenous or native species of our country. The chestnut tree grows well in temperate climates and the ideal conditions for its development are found in places with average temperature and humidity, where rainfall reaches at least 600 mm per year – more than 100 mm in the summer. It is, however, sensitive to late frosts and very low temperatures. It prefers soils at least 50 cm deep, loose and rich in nutrients, slightly acidic (pH between 4.5 and 6.5) and not calcareous. Although it can grow in less suitable conditions, it develops and produces best in coastal or mountainous areas, at medium altitude, with hot and humid summers and mild winters.

The Montesinho Natural Park covers an area of approximately 75 thousand hectares and is located in the Terra Fria Transmontana region, in the extreme northeast of Portugal, bordering the Spanish communities of Galicia and Castile-Leon. It covers the territories of two municipalities, namely Bragança and Vinhais. As a curiosity, you should know that there are more than 90 villages within the Montesinho Natural Park and that the highest point in the park is the Serra do Montesinho, whose peak is 1,486 metres above sea level.

The Serra Serrada Dam, built on the bed of the Andorinhas river, is located in the parish of França, in the municipality of Bragança, Bragança District, in Portugal. The dam was designed in 1986 and began operating in 1989.

always exciting rock formations

It is an absolutely dreamlike landscape, just to fall in love with. There is very little going on in terms of tourism here and if you don't need the hustle and bustle of the big city, you've come to the right place.

A very relaxing and beautiful nature. Here you would like to linger and immerse yourself in the quiet natural landscape.