Parque Natural Fragas do Eume

According to legend, when God created the three rivers that rise in the Xistral mountain range (Eume, Landro and Masma), he promised a man every year to the one that reached the sea first. Betrayed by the other two, which left it sleeping, the Eume had to cross valleys and mountains in order to win. That is why it ended up rough and wild and why it takes the life of a man every year ‚or used to, before the reservoirs were created

The Fragas do Eume is a unique ecosystem in Europe. Bordering the river of the same name (84 km long), the trees are the main element of an ecological system (Atlantic forest) that is very characteristic thanks to the proximity of the sea and the profound riverbanks, which led to the creation of a nature reserve in 1997. It is therefore a protected area that can, however, be visited and which will pleasantly surprise all who do so.

Along the banks of five municipalities there are more than 9,126 hectares of different kinds of woodland. Nearest the river grow riverbank forests of black poplars and alders, which hide real gems of ferns and mosses, characteristic of the park, and also two rare species of daffodils. Oak forests appear further up the mountainous slopes.

Although the flora is the jewel of the Fragas, it also houses some endemic animal species that are in danger of extinction, from small amphibians to reptiles such as the salamander, to larger species such as the wolf or different kinds of birds of prey.