Day 19: Sweating in Peneda-Gerês National Park & Swimming in the Atlantic

3.8.2025

Highlights today:

• Cávado Dam
• Peneda-Gerês National Park

After breakfast, we set off again towards the 'interior'. After my husband has parked the rental car, we're ready to go.

Today we're heading to the northeast of Portugal, to the Peneda-Gerês National Park, located about 100 km away.

The weather is quite warm today; even in the morning, when we pass through Braga, it’s already 25 degrees, and my app predicts a maximum temperature of +38 degrees. So it’s going to be another sweaty day...

Our first stop at 11 AM is the Cávado Dam. The idea is to find a nice spot here and go swimming in the lake. The temperatures are quickly rising towards 'I need to cool off' range, so why not take a dip in the lake? Sounds great.

We stop at a café with a lake view, watch some posers on jet skis, and try our luck at finding a parking spot at one of the lake entrances. However, we didn't consider the Portuguese...

It is Sunday, and seemingly every Portuguese who owns a car has come to the lake today. The streets are parked up; it’s barely possible to pass through the middle of the street. Crazy!

We can’t even find the smallest parking space to at least catch a glimpse of the lake, beach, or anything else - no space!

What a shame...

Somewhat frustrated, we drive on. Then it’s Plan B - there are supposed to be waterfalls and swimming holes in the national park!

The roads get narrower, and as we reach the national park, we encounter steep roads with countless hairpin turns and locals who I’d love to take the keys away from - the way they're speeding around in these narrow streets and curves!😤😤😤

It's too early for a picnic - we pass by some great picnic spots - but the gentlemen are not hungry yet.

We continue up narrow, gravel roads to Miradouro Novo da Pedra Bela. From up here, there’s another fantastic view of the dam!

Even here in the forest, there are really great picnic spots. But even now, at noon, the gentlemen are not hungry and have no desire to eat.

We drive a bit back to the road and then proceed. The next stop is supposed to be a waterfall, but what can I say... parking chaos. There is no parking near the waterfall at all, walking in over 30 degrees is out of the question. My husband tries to use all his persuasion skills, but my son and I have absolutely no desire to walk to an overcrowded waterfall - which is probably too cold to swim anyway...

Next problem: there are no toilets or sanitary facilities anywhere around here. We’re not wearing swimsuits - where can we change?? There are people everywhere... A toilet would indeed be nice, but there isn't one. Not even a portable toilet or anything.

My husband gives up - let’s keep going.

You can still climb a stony hill and enjoy the view at Miradouro das Rocas. Since I can’t find a parking spot and also don’t want to tackle any hills in this heat, my husband does this solo while my son and I wait in the car.

We stop at Miradouro da Ermida, where there is a small tourist information kiosk. We get some tips, although the lady has to admit that parking will be very difficult today because the national park is very crowded due to the heat and, of course, because it's Sunday.

We try our luck at one of the swimming pools and stop above on the road. Further down everything is parked, and you have to climb down a bit to reach the pools.

Once again, I have the problem of a missing toilet and changing option. There’s no parking here anyway, so we move on.

At the next pools near Ponte da Pigarreira, we’re lucky and find a parking spot by the roadside. My son doesn’t want to climb to the pool; he would rather have lunch now. Therefore, my husband, armed with swim shorts, climbs over the rocks alone and cools off in one of the pools while we find a place in the shade and have something to eat and drink. It has reached 40 degrees by now, it’s really hot, and it’s hard to feel motivated to do anything in these temperatures.

After a brief stop at Miradouro Lobo de Fafião - View with Wolf - we decide to drive back towards Porto and try our luck at the sea. It’s too hot and crowded for us here in the national park...

Around 3:30 PM we reach the coast and drive to Praia do Cabo do Mundo, where we had lunch on the first day. There was also a public toilet here - which are rare on the beach!

The parking situation is terrible - cars are everywhere - even on fields, slopes, hills - everywhere you can get a car, it’s parked. My son and I quickly jump out to use the toilet while my husband waits in the car. We can’t find a parking spot here...

Next, we head to the next - much nicer - beach, Praia do Aterro. Where there was a huge almost empty parking lot on Friday, today there are hundreds of cars! Insane!! Are all the locals at the beach today???

We circle the massive parking lot twice; in every side street, at least five more cars wait for someone to leave. Crazy...

Then we get lucky: someone gets into their car right in front of us and drives off - Check! Our parking spot!!!

As on the first day, the weather becomes significantly more pleasant (at least for me) as soon as you walk from the parking lot over the dune to the sea. It’s windy here and not as hot anymore. We find a spot in the shade of the lifeguard tower and test the water.

Several sandbanks are currently visible; it’s low tide, the water is relatively shallow, and you can walk well up to your knees in the water at the sandbanks.

But: this is only for the tough, as the water is only 16 degrees today (yesterday was 15.7 °C). Refreshingly delightful, but at this temperature, I don’t feel like swimming anymore. My husband dares to be the only one in the chilly water - mostly due to the waves because that’s particularly fun to ride the waves and try body surfing😂

We chill at the beach until nearly 7 PM - simply wonderful! At the end of the vacation, one should just be able to lay lazily on the beach!

We pack our things together and want to look for a restaurant on the beach for dinner. However, searching for a restaurant turns out to be much harder than expected:

There’s none! And the ones that exist are either closed or have nothing for dinner.

We drive along the road towards the port, find a parking spot, and walk in search of a restaurant. Without success. After walking along the beach for a while, we then - we even joked about it at first - land at the only 'restaurant' near the beach: McDonald's!

With a veggie burger and a salad, we sit outside and look at the sea. Well, at least we have a sea view and our dinner turned out to be much cheaper than planned🤣

Afterwards, we walk along the promenade and watch the sunset. We don't wait for the sunset, as we still have to pack.

Last day in Portugal - it was nice!

For the statistics:

Walked: 5.5 km

Driven: approx. 240 km

Accommodation: 3*** Tryp Porto Centro (BB/Fr)

Weather: Lots of sunshine, up to +40 degrees