Mogadouro in 3D

Mogadouro is a municipality in the district of Bragança, in the north-east of Trás-os-Montes, lying between the Douro and Sabor rivers. It covers about 760 km² and has 21 parishes; according to the 2021 Census (as cited on Wikipedia), around 8,300 people live here, and the municipality gives an average altitude of about 700 metres.

This is a land of plateau and cliffs. To the south-east the Douro forms the border with Spain (Castilla y León), and part of the municipality lies within the Douro Internacional Natural Park, which covers 12 of its parishes. Here the river runs through steep gorges, far from the terraced landscape of the Douro Vinhateiro, and stone heritage sits alongside small villages and open countryside.

What to see and do

• Mogadouro Castle, in the town centre, and Penas Róias Castle, a castle built on rock whose keep was raised around 1172, according to an inscription, as reported by the Portuguese cultural heritage authority.
• Igreja Matriz de Mogadouro and the Igreja e Convento de São Francisco, in the historic centre; the municipality also has several listed pillories.
• Medieval churches such as Santa Maria do Azinhoso and Algosinho, highlighted by the municipality as part of its heritage.
• Penas Róias, a stone village with the Monóptero de São Gonçalo and several chapels.
• Douro Internacional viewpoints: the Miradouro da Cerca, near Urrós, is about 3 km from the village, along a dirt track and a short walk (trail PR3 MGD). According to a travel guide, there is no barrier at the cliff edge, so great care is needed with children or if you suffer from vertigo.

The landscape also includes the Sabor Lakes, the Bemposta Dam (inaugurated in 1964) and the Mirandese Plateau. The Fragas do Diabo archaeological site, with rock art, is another point of interest mentioned on Wikipedia.

Food and local products

According to the municipality, local cooking is built on pork sausages, traditional soups, roast kid and lamb, cheeses, honey, olive oil, wine and wild mushrooms. Almonds are also among the municipality's agricultural products. It is worth checking locally what each restaurant or producer offers in each season.

Getting there and when to go

Mogadouro lies inland in north-eastern Trás-os-Montes; the former Sabor railway line, which ran through here, closed in 1988, so the journey is made by road. We did not find official distances from Porto or Régua, so we suggest checking an up-to-date map. For events, festivals and open trails, it is best to contact the Mogadouro tourist office before your trip.

To extend your stay, neighbouring municipalities include Miranda do Douro, Torre de Moncorvo and Freixo de Espada à Cinta.

Where to stay in Mogadouro

Our catalogue lists 16 places to stay in the municipality: five in the town of Mogadouro itself, three in Vale de Porco and the rest in localities such as Estação do Mogadouro, Salgueiro, Quinta do Souto, Sampaio, Parada and Quinta das Quebradas. See the list of accommodation on this page; the ratings shown come from Booking.com guests.