A Raia - Baixa Limia

The A Raia is the frontier zone where the Parque Natural Galego "Baixa Limia Serra do Xurés" and the neighbouring Portuguese national park "Peneda-Geres" form a cross-border park that is unique in Europe.

The municipalities belonging to this destination are: Cartelle, A Merca, Gomesende, Ramirás, Pontedeva, Padrenda, Quintelade Leirado, Celanova, Verea, Bande, Lobeira, Entrimo, Lobios, Muinos, Calvos dce Randín, Porqueira, Os Blancos, Baltar, Sandiás, Xinzo de Limia, Trasmiras, Cualedro, Sarreaus, Vilar de Barro, Laza, Monterrei, Oímbra, Verín, Castrelo do Val, Riós y Vilardevós.
Roman legions passed here in the conquest of the Callaici tribe, that is of the Galaicos. In those times no frontier was present and it would be a long time before there was one.

One same river with two variants. Limia to the Galicians who witness its birth  in the Antela springs, and Lima to the Portuguese who witness its death at Viana do Castelo. All this area is dominated by fluvial courses. The Limia follows many tributaries and takes in two large dams: Conchas and Lindoso. The latter with a dam in Portuguese territory and its waters in Galicia.

Nevertheless, this is a dry frontier, as it's not the rivers that dominate the landscape, but the forests, creating a saw-like profile. They are unmistakeable with their characteristic peaks like castles. By altitude , they preserve the lowest glacial circus' of the Iberian Peninsula.

From north to south, the Laboreiro and Queguas mountain ranges; the O Quinxo forests; the Santa Eufemia Heights which neighbour the Xurés Heights, it's highest point being that of A Nevosa (1.539m); further west the O Pisco range, and further still the A Pena range and land that in previous times didn't belong to either Spain or Portugal.

These rugged rocks have witnessed the last bears to be hunted down in these latitudes, and today they witness the return of the Xurés goat through the re-introduction plan of the mountain goat. In order to preserve all the diversity one of the first cross-border collaboration efforts was put in place. By rank the Parque Nacional de Peneda-Geres (Portugal) together with the Parque Natural Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés form one single natural jewel of this old and new Gallaecia. The Lusitanian part preserves dense forests with handsome trees that were originally used as cross-beams, sterns and masts that were renowned across the seven seas.