Mogadouro

For an authentic picture of contemporary town life in the Terra Fria, look no further than the old frontier fortress of MOGADOURO, on the fringes of the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional. With the winding journey here from north or south half the attraction, it’s hard to escape the impression of a town caught between past and present, ready to embrace tourism but not quite sure what it has to offer tourists. Its main sight is the restored keep of a twelfth-century castle, unexceptional as a monument, but the castle hill commands terrific views over a patchwork of tilled fields, traditional pigeon houses and an imposing grain elevator, as well as the municipal swimming pool and stadium and a spreading line of suburban development.

Mogadouro is 47km from Miranda do Douro and 58km from Torre de Moncorvo, both better overnight stops. In the centre of town is the wide, flower-bedded Largo Trindade Coelho; the castle tower is visible from here, signposted straight up Rua Santa Marinha. There’s an information office for the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional at Rua Santa Marinha 4.

Heading south (for Freixo de Espada à Cinta or Torre de Moncorvo), don’t miss a stop at the superb viewing platform at Lagoaça, 25km from Mogadouro, looking over the deep Douro valley into Spain.