Mountain Climbing in Portugal: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

Although most of Portugal’s top mountain climbing spots are more than 1.000 kilometers away from the mainland, on Madeira and the Azores, there is still some mountain climbing to be done in the north of the country.

Alto da Pedrice (1.758 meters), Nevosa (1.548 meters) and Larouco (1.536 meters) are the main mountain climbing targets in the highlands. None require more climbing than simple scrambling and are a good way to whet the appetite for further mountain climbing adventures.

The main course of Portuguese mountain climbing is on the islands. Mount Pico (2.351 meters) on Pico Island in the Azores and Pico Ruivo (1.861 meters) on Madeira are the two two highest island peaks and the most prominent ones in Portugal. Both involve gaining quite a bit of altitude quite quickly but are not overly technical.

Climbers here enjoy the chance to see varied landscapes as he or she goes, finishing off with stunning vistas out over the Atlantic Ocean. Certainly worth a visit for climbers of any level.

**Stunning scenery **

From the smaller mountains on the mainland to the highest volcanic peaks on the islands, Portugal boasts some excellent scenery. Enjoy views out over rolling hills and yellow-green meadows in the glacial valleys of Manteigas or take in breathtaking vistas out over the semi-tropical forests of the Azores and the turquoise-blue Atlantic Ocean beyond.

Come for the culture

From the cities to the countryside and the islands, Portugal boasts plenty of cultural sights. When you’re not out on the mountains take some time to get acquainted with the country’s rich architectural heritage, fascinating seafaring history and delicious gastronomy and wine.

Get acquainted with the sport

While you won’t find any very technically difficult climbs anywhere in Portugal, the little Atlantic country is a great place to start learning the sport. On the mainland, at most you will need to scramble to reach the top of these low-lying summits. On the islands, some climbing is required though none of it is technical and some of these peaks involve rapid elevation change.

During the summer, Portugal has great weather. The average temperature sits around mid-20s, and occasionally 30ºC. The mountains in the north tend to be cooler than the south, but the south is usually windier. Rain is quite infrequent throughout the country during the summer.

Depending on where you are going in the country, you will want to fly into the international airports at Lisbon (LIS) or Porto (OPO). From there, the rest of the country is pretty well connected by bus or domestic flight.

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March to October