This book helps you explore north western Portugal by car or on foot. Here, in the province of Minho (arguably the most beautiful part of the country), the lush greenness of the coastal lowlands, the Costa Verde, contrasts sharply with the mountainous interior - one of Europe's last wilderness areas. The guide covers an area from the northern coast south as far as Porto and east to the Peneda-Gers National Park. While emphasising excursions in the the Peneda-Gers (Portugal's only national park), the book also describes more gregarious pursuits - visiting local markets, sampling at the Port wine lodges, and cruising on the Douro. 4 car tours (with accompanying touring map), 68 long and short walks (each with 1:50,000 topo map), 20 picnic suggestions. Plans of Porto, Ponte de Lima, Ponte da Barca, Arcos de Valdevez, Viana do Castelo, Braga. Free online update service with specific route change information on the publisher's website, maintained daily. The 'Landscapes' series, with 50 destinations, has been dubbed 'the blue Bibles' by the Sunday Times and led to Sunflower being one of only four publishers (from a field of 18) chosen as a Which? Recommended Provider of Guidebooks.