Beyond the peaks of Serra do Marão mountain range, Portugal has hidden its wildest treasure. The vastness of the secluded Trás-os-Montes (“Behind the Mountains”) region carries the aroma of chestnuts and smoked meat, smiles are as sweet as the local honey and the paths are sprinkled with almond blossoms.

In this part of the North of Portugal, everything is extreme — climate, flavor, history, landscape, adventures and experiences. Knowing Trás-os-Montes is knowing the limits of one’s courage and getting to the root of what is Portuguese.

The cool, clear waters of the Ribeira de Pena invite you to go for a swim or adventure activities like canoeing or canyoning.

Fisgas de Ermelo — the most iconic site in the Parque Natural do Alvão — is an imposing waterfall with a vertical drop of around 400 meters (1,200 feet).

Montalegre town is famed for delicious cuisine and legendary Fridays the 13th, a kind of Halloween night when locals and visitors take to the streets and fun reigns.

And don’t miss the opportunity to try the thermal water of volcanic origin at the Fonte do Povo in the Termas de Chaves spa.

Are you after the perfect trip? Trás-os-Montes could be the place.

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