The International Douro Natural Park covers the area where the River Douro forms the border between Portugal and Spain, between Miranda do Douro and Barca de Alva, and also the River Águeda, a tributary of the Douro.
Created in 1998, it is one of the most recent natural parks in Portugal and covers an area of 85,150 hectares of protected area.
In this area the Douro River flows through deep gorges carved in the rocks, the Douro cliffs. The river has in this stretch of about 120 kilometres a great unevenness which originated the construction of 5 dams, they are: Miranda, Picote and Bemposta in Portugal and Aldeadavila and Saucelle in Spain.
In terms of fauna we find several birds that nest here such as the Egyptian vulture (symbol of the park), the golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, the griffon vulture and the black stork.
The vegetation is characterised by woods of juniper, holm oak, oak, cork oak and nettle trees. There are also olive groves, vines, almond trees and orange trees.
During the months of February and March, the almond trees in blossom are a spectacle not to be missed in this region, when the almond blossom festival takes place.