regions of Portugal: northern Portugal

Hospitable and colourful, the Lima Valley is a lively place to visit, especially in August and September when every tiny village organizes a festa. In between the celebrations, the walking is excellent - you'll stroll along gorgeous cobbled roads that snake alongside broad rivers and centuries-old vineyards.

The Serra do Gerês is a massive granite mountain range at the heart of the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês in Portugal's far northern Minho region. Its fringes are popular with drivers and picnickers, while its desolate peaks rise amidst some of most isolated wilderness in Portugal.

The Parque Natural de Montesinho lies in the Terra Fria of the Trás-os-Montes. It's aptly named on both counts. Trás-os-Montes means beyond the mountains, and Montesinho is squeezed into the northeastern-most corner of the country, bordered on three sides by Spain. Terra Fria (cold earth) reflects the plummeting winter temperatures and the biting, chilly winds that sweep across the mountains.

horseshoe shaped pombals dot the countryside in Portugal's north east. These strange buildings are used to house pigeons for food and fertilizer

Don't be put off: Montesinho is a beautiful, little-visited pocket of Portugal, warm in summer and a great place to see wolves and birds of prey. Scattered amongst the wilderness are around 100 tiny villages, and exploring their individual quirks can keep you occupied for weeks.

Douro Internacional Leave the tourist trail behind to follow the string of isolated fortress towns that lead across the high plateau of the Trás-os-Montes. The Douro river cuts a deep, fertile, 122km-long groove that contrasts with the surrounding barren plains. The steep canyon walls are ideal habitat for nesting birds of prey - the Douro valley is one of the best places in Europe to see large raptors.