CRD08A Mezquita Route

Drawing Galicia closer, via the Via de Prata

This route is a bridge with Galicia. It is not a loop along the border, but an 88.9-kilometre circuit that crosses the Serra da Coroa, enters Spain at Mazalvos, follows the Via de Prata of the Caminho de Santiago through A Mezquita, and skirts the Serra da Gamoneda up to the highest point in the entire network, at 1,332 metres, with around 2,100 metres of accumulated climbing. It is a red route, designed to attract Spanish cyclists to Vinhais and to invite Portuguese riders to discover the neighbouring country.

Start and finish in Vinhais

The route is circular and begins and ends at the Porta de Vinhais, at the Interface de Transportes, with cafés and restaurants in the first two kilometres and a café at kilometre 5.6. The immediate destination is the Serra da Coroa: between kilometres 3 and 17, the route climbs around 450 metres to 1,128 metres, via Landedo.

The Moimenta border crossing

Carvalhas, at kilometre 20.0, has a café, and at kilometre 21.0 the route crosses the border at Moimenta/Mazalvos. This is the last stop in Portugal for around 35 kilometres.

In Galician territory

Once in Spain, the itinerary passes through Manzalvos, O Carrizal, O Mallo, A Mezquita, and O Pereiro. For around eight kilometres the route heads eastward along a road running parallel to the A-52 motorway, with fine views; this section forms an important part of the Via de Prata of the Caminho de Santiago, lending the route a cultural and pilgrimage dimension.

A Gamoneda

The Serra da Gamoneda stands out prominently in the landscape and is the next destination, though the route does not climb it in full: between kilometres 34 and 44, around 380 metres are gained to reach the highest point of the day, at 1,332 metres, at kilometre 44.1, skirting the mountain on the way to Castromil. The road via Hermisende leads back into Portugal to the north of Moimenta.

Moimenta, Mofreita and Soeira

Moimenta, at kilometre 56.3, with toilet facilities and the Museu do Contrabando, is the return stop. From there the route stays within the municipality: it runs close to the border as far as Mofreita, then descends to Fresulfe, at kilometre 72.6, and to the Ponte Velha de Soeira, at kilometre 78.6, the lowest point of the day at 605 metres. Vila Verde, at kilometre 82.9, with a picnic area, and the EN103 lead back to the town. Those wishing to venture further into Galicia will find the Rota de A Gudiña, a black route that shares the return leg with this one.