Pedras Salgadas

In the granite hills of Trás-os-Montes, an hour beyond Vila Real, the spa park of Pedras Salgadas spreads its centenary avenues and mineral springs under some of the tallest trees in northern Portugal. The water that made the place famous — bottled since the 19th century — still flows from its fountains, and the old park has been quietly reinvented as one of the most original places to stay in the country.

Springs, trees and architecture

The thermal waters were proclaimed exceptional by doctors in 1871, and bathing began with the opening of the spa in 1880; a casino and grand avenues followed, beloved of the society of the time. Today the green park of some twenty hectares, at 580 metres of altitude, keeps eight kilometres of trails under cedar and chestnut, the old spring pavilions, a small museum of the water’s story in a Raul Lino building, and a modern thermal spa restored by the architect Siza Vieira. Scattered among the trees stand the park’s signature eco-houses and two tree-houses designed by Luís Rebelo de Andrade, which have made Pedras Salgadas a destination for design-lovers as much as for bathers. Northwards, the old frontier town of Chaves and its Roman baths make a natural extension of the journey.

O que ver

• The historic avenue and its giant trees
• The old fountains and spring pavilions
• The thermal spa restored by Siza Vieira
• The Pedras Experience museum
• The eco-houses and tree-houses in the woods

Practical information

Pedras Salgadas lies in the municipality of Vila Pouca de Aguiar, about 1 hour 10 from Porto and 40 minutes from Vila Real. The park is open to visitors daily; the spa, hotel and tree-houses should be booked ahead. The museum keeps short seasonal hours — confirm before travelling.

Image credit: Pedras Salgadas by dorfun — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.