Designated in 1998

The International Douro Nature Park covers 85 150 hectares, following the course of the river Douro for 122 km along the Spanish border, the Douro valley and surrounding plateaux, and extends to the south through the Águeda river valley. The Park encompasses areas of Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, Freixo de Espada à Cinta and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo municipalities. The most notable features of this area are the valleys of the rivers Douro and Águeda, which are typically bordered by steep slopes and rock formations, locally called arribas (cliffs). The maximum altitude at the top of these rock formations is 895 m and the minimum is 125 m, on the Portuguese stretch of the river Douro, near Barca d’Alva. In this large area of massive rocky crags, cliff-nesting birds such as the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos and Bonelli’s eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus, as well as the black stork Ciconia nigra and chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, are the most characteristic species. Mammals are represented by the Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus, roe deer Capreolus capreolus, otter Lutra lutra and wildcat Felis sylvestris. The vegetation of this area is characterised by large stands of holm oak Quercus rotundifolia, together with prickly juniper Juniperus oxicedrus. In higher areas Pyrenean oak Quercus pyrenaica and Portuguese oak Quercus faginea are found.

Farming and cattle raising are the most significant economic activities. Mediterranean crops are dominant (grapes, olives, almonds and oranges), planted on the steep rock formations (sometimes on ledges) all the way to the banks of the Douro. In the plateau areas the dominant type of agriculture is extensive dry farming of cereals rotating with fallow. This region has important archaeological remains such as Palaeolithic rock engravings, castles and signs of the Roman occupation such as houses, burial sites, bridges and roads. Romanesque and Gothic bridges and churches are also found. The International Douro region is rich in ethnic traditions, like the Pauliteiros of Miranda, the Miranda dialect, craftsmanship (wood and silk) and local cuisine (posta mirandesa).