Monument to the Guardian Angel – Meadinha Lagoon loop from Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

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Portugal

Viana do Castelo

Gavieira

Monument to the Guardian Angel – Meadinha Lagoon loop from Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

Moderate

4.9

(39)

168

hikers

Monument to the Guardian Angel – Meadinha Lagoon loop from Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

03:54

11.2km

600m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 7, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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46 m

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda

Highlight • Religious Site

away from Porto, exceptional hike for the nature and the site.

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198 m

Monument to the Guardian Angel

Highlight • Monument

At the lower part of the Stations of the Cross, in a circular square, there is a column donated by Queen Maria I of Portugal, bearing the guardian angel of the sanctuary.

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480 m

Staircase of the Virtues (Escadório das Virtudes)

Highlight • Monument

The last ascent to the Sanctuary church is via the staircase of virtues, with statues representing faith, hope, charity, and glory, dated 1854, a work by master Francisco Luis Barreiros.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theologische_Tugenden
In the meantime, there is also a paid elevator within reach to bypass this last effort. Visually not successful for me. :-(

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489 m

Hotel da Peneda

Highlight • Rest Area

The current building dates back to the mid-18th century and was, for a time, a barracks. It's very robustly constructed from stone blocks and charmingly furnished. The clean, small rooms are designed for pilgrims and short stays and are perfectly adequate. The small restaurant also conjures up delicious local dishes.

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588 m

Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda

Highlight • Religious Site

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda, located in northern Portugal:
It is located in the parish of Gavieira, municipality of Arcos de Valdevez, within the Peneda-Gerês National Park, about 150 km from Porto. [pt.wikipedia.org], [danielasan...araujo.com]
It is built over a cave beneath a granite massif known as Penedo da Meadinha, in a spectacular location bordering a deep valley.

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608 m

Cascata da Peneda

Highlight • Waterfall

Peneda Waterfall, located next to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda:
It is located in the parish of Gavieira, municipality of Arcos de Valdevez, within the Peneda-Gerês National Park.
It has a drop of 30 meters, visible from afar thanks to its white spray.
The waters fall just behind the former dormitories of the Sanctuary, now converted into the Hotel Peneda, and flow under the building before joining the Peneda River.

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2.06 km

Meadinha Lagoon

Highlight • Lake

Lagoa da Meadinha is a small lagoon located in Peneda-Gerês National Park, in the Meadinha area, very close to the famous granite wall that attracts climbers.

It is a natural lagoon with calm waters, formed by the accumulation of water in granite depressions.

The landscape is spectacular: large granite boulders, meadows, and views of the Gerês mountain range.
It is ideal for photography, wildlife observation, and relaxing on hiking trails.

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2.10 km