The best MTB trails around França

Here begins an uphill section through forests

Bragança Castle, located in northeastern Portugal, is one of the most impressive and well-preserved medieval castles in the country. Keep: At 33 meters high, it is one of the most imposing in Portugal. Inside, it houses the Bragança Military Museum, where you can see a vast collection of light weaponry, from the 12th century to the First World War. From the top of the tower, there is a breathtaking view over the old city, the new part of Bragança, and the surrounding mountains (Montesinho, Sanábria). The Princess Tower is an old residential outbuilding (Alcáçova Tower) famous for a tragic love legend. In the citadel, you can stroll through the streets within the walls, where the medieval atmosphere remains almost intact.

The Portela da Canda Pass, also known as the Canda Pass or simply A Canda, is a mountain pass of great geographical, historical, and cultural value that connects Galicia (province of Ourense) with Castile and León (province of Zamora). Located in the Sierra Segundera mountain range, within the Galician Massif, it has traditionally been a crossing point for travelers, merchants, and pilgrims. It forms part of the Sanabrés Way of St. James, an extension of the Silver Route (Vía de la Plata), and is the entry point into Galicia for pilgrims coming from the south. The surrounding area features Jacobean sculptures and wayside crosses (cruceiros) that guide the route, the work of the artist Nicanor Carballo.

Classified as a National Monument in 1910, the castle that stands before our eyes today occupies an area of 3.2 hectares and has an approximate perimeter of 670 meters. Its walled section, with an irregular oval layout, is punctuated by pyramidal battlements and highlighted by 23 towers, of which 10 are turrets, 2 have a hexagonal plan, and 11 are quadrangular. Currently, access to the Keep is via the north-facing side, through an external staircase made of schist masonry, attached to the tower's outer structure. This is flanked by seven magnificent vaulted brick turrets (three to the east, three to the west, and one to the south), which join the wall section on the northern slope of the fortification. Inside, the Military Museum, officially founded in 1983, occupies the four floors, sixteen rooms, terrace, and crypt of the Keep, as well as the entire exterior space bordered by the turrets, including the Princess Tower. This museum possesses a collection of great historical value, allowing visitors to follow the evolution of light weaponry from the 16th century to the mid-20th century. It seeks to promote the appreciation, enrichment, and exhibition of the historical-military heritage attributed to it and to disseminate the cultural values linked to military history. Visitors can also climb to the crenellated terrace to contemplate the marvelous landscapes, overlooking the Nogueira, Montesinho, and Coroa mountain ranges, the peaks of Sanábria, and the Leonese lands.

Bragança Castle, one of the most characteristic examples of medieval architecture, was built in 1409 on the orders of king João I on foundations dating back to the times of the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. Formed by an imposing keep and a double wall, it has stood up well to the tests of time. The central parade ground, known as the citadel or old town and where the church of Santa Maria and the Domus Municipalis are to be found, retain its medieval lines with narrow streets and small whitewashed houses. Inside the 17-metre wide and 33-metre tall Keep, there are some notable gothic features including the battlements, the railed windows and the stone carved arms of the Casa Real de Avis (Royal House of Avis), founded by king João I. Also inside, there is the Military Museum. Heading up to the top floor is well worth it if only for the wonderful views out over the city and surrounding countryside. Fifteen towers and three gateways complete the walls. The Torre da Princesa (Tower of the Princess), a former belonging of the Casa dos Alcaides stores the legend of a princess taken prisoner. There is also the Porta da Vila (Town Gateway) that welcomes in visitors to the castle.

A castle complex surrounded by a closed castle wall, including a small old town with miniature gardens. Well worth seeing.

15 towers and three gates, plus the 33-meter-high keep - it's worth stopping by. The view of the city is beautiful.

Small Zamorana town near Portugal in the Sanabria region. Picturesque town with numerous fountains and a bar where you can stop to recharge your batteries.