Hiking the Fisgas do Ermelo Trail – PR3 Mondim de Basto

Last Updated on 2025-08-19 by Jorge Bastos

The Fisgas do Ermelo trail (PR3 – Mondim de Basto) is a circular trail with about 13 km that starts and ends in Ermelo, Mondim de Basto, passing by several viewpoints of the Alvão Natural Park, and whose high point is Fisgas do Ermelo, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Portugal.

In our opinion, this trail is one of the best in Portugal, offering beautiful landscapes, the chance to swim in natural lagoons, and a highlight that’s worth visiting: Fisgas do Ermelo.

Furthermore, it is a trail that introduces us to the typical mountainous landscapes of northern Portugal, taking us through schist paths and traditional villages. Although the area is remote, access is quite good.

So, if you are looking for a beautiful walk with waterfalls and lagoons in the north of Portugal, the Fisgas do Ermelo trail is one of the best options.

PR3 MDB – Fisgas de Ermelo

Our experience on the Fisgas de Ermelo trail

The Fisgas do Ermelo trail officially starts in Ermelo, Mondim de Basto, next to the village’s church. We say officially because, in practice, the trail is circular, and therefore, you can start anywhere with access to it.

Thus, other start/end options could be in the village of Varzigueto or the Fisgas lookout. However, this article will explain the route that starts/ends in Ermelo because that’s what we did.

Starting next to the Church, we have to walk through the village for a few tens of meters before turning left and going down towards the river Olo. The descent to the river is steep, but it is done very quickly.

Arriving at the river, we have a wooden bridge to cross and start a long climb of just over 2.5 km. The area next to the river is quite beautiful, but it is still too early on the route to think about going for a swim.

The next 2.5 km is the most challenging part of the route, taking us from 320 to 720 meters in altitude. In addition to the climb, we must consider that almost the entire stage of the route is done under the sun. If winter is enjoyable, then summer makes everything much harder.

Along this approximately 2.5 km, we pass by several viewpoints from where we can see Fisgas de Ermelo from different angles. But besides the falls, the whole landscape is beautiful, with the mountains, the ancient paths, and the valley of the river Olo. In spring, it is also usual for the mountains to be covered with yellow and lilac flowers.

The second phase of this walk is along the river Olo, taking us from km 3.5 to 7.5 of the Fisgas do Ermelo trail. Here, the route is undulating, without significant ups and downs, but with many points of interest.

Just at km 4.5, we have Piocas de Cima, the beautiful natural lagoons on the river Olo, where you can (and should) swim in summer. They are beautiful natural lagoons, and therefore, it is normal to have a lot of people in the summer.

Continuing the route, we will go to the village of Varzigueto, a small shale village. We are already about halfway through the journey, so it’s a great time to think about resting and recharging your energies. If you don’t want to get too heavy with food and drinks, a snack-bar in the village serves meals.

In Varzigueto, the trail crosses the Olo River for the second time, and we start the return to the Fisgas do Ermelo area. Up to Km 7.5, the route is undulating and very similar to the previous one, but on the other side of the river.

Around Km 7.5, we start a long descent, sometimes steep and a bit technical due to the rocks, but nothing too complicated. About a km after the beginning of the descent, we arrive at a road and the main viewpoint of Fisgas do Ermelo.

From the viewpoint, the view is fabulous, especially when the river has a good flow (winter and spring). This is not a very big river, so the waterfalls lose some of their spectacularity in summer and dry periods.

Make the most of the viewpoint, take pictures, and enjoy the landscape, because from here, we will leave Fisgas de Ermelo behind.

The descent is practically continuous. We only have a slight climb to reach Fojo, where there is a small chapel, but we quickly go back down until we get an intersection where the Piocas de Baixo is indicated.

If you want to go there, you must detour about 300 meters. Similarly to Piocas de Cima, these natural lagoons are perfect for bathing, diving, swimming, having a snack, and resting before returning to the trail.

Returning to our trail, we have to continue our descent until around Km 11.5, when we reach the new bridge over the river Olo. We cross the river for the last time and start the last climb.

This final part of the route is always uphill and is quite challenging, both because it is pretty steep and because we already have more than 11 km of mountain trails in our legs. But given that it’s relatively short, it’s perfectly doable. In 10 or 15 minutes, we are back in Ermelo and ready to return.

This is a typical mountain trail without extensive flat areas. Either we are descending or ascending, which requires some physical effort. In total, the journey covers just over 12 km, taking between 4 and 5 hours, plus the time to stop for a swim and lunch.

Fortunately, the trail is very well marked and well cared for, so it is unlikely that you will get lost. In addition to the natural beauty and the waterfall, this is another reason why we consider the Fisgas do Ermelo trail one of the best trails in Portugal.

Best time of year to hike the Fisgas do Ermelo trail

The best time of year to hike the Fisgas do Ermelo trail depends a lot on what you want from the trail.

If the goal is to see the waterfall in all its splendor, then it’s best to do it in spring or winter, a few days after a heavy rain. The river will have a high flow at that time, and the waterfall will be imposing. However, it won’t be possible to go to the water in the Piocas. The water and air temperatures (especially in winter) do not allow this.

If you want to swim in Piocas, it’s best to go in summer when the temperature is high. However, note that the trail will be very hard in summer due to the absence of shadows on most of the route. Furthermore, this is a very popular area for those who like natural lakes and mountains, so you will probably have a lot of people around.

In our opinion, the worst time of the year to hike the trail is during the rains or shortly after. The cold and humidity can make the route a little dangerous, as a good part of the trail has a lot of stone on the ground.

Who can hike this trail?

This is a moderate to difficult trail, so it is more advisable for those who are used to long walks and mountain trails. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you should be accustomed to regular exercise, as the distance and altitude gain are considerable.

It is not possible for people with mobility and flexibility problems, but it is perfectly possible for children who are used to walking.

The trail is very well signposted, so even if you don’t have much experience on trails, you can do it perfectly. In any case, we always advise you to take the trail route on your mobile phone.

What to take on a hike to Fisgas do Ermelo?

The Fisgas de Ermelo trail is not especially technical or too long, so no specific material is needed. Furthermore, Varzigueto has a small cafe snack-bar where you can always go to eat or drink something. We still advise you to bring:

• Plenty of water (minimum 1l per person in summer);
• Snacks to eat along the hike;
• Comfortable walking shoes;
• Comfortable clothes;
• Swimwear, sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen in summer;
• Warm clothing in winter. Don’t forget that in the mountains, the weather changes very quickly.
• Cameras and cell phones are also available, offering numerous opportunities to capture beautiful photos. The phone is also to be used as a GPS.
• Small backpack to carry all this;

How to get to the Fisgas do Ermelo trail?

As we said, you can start the trail at several points, namely in Ermelo, Miradouro das Fisgas, and Varzigueto. The most common and officially advised way is to begin in Ermelo and go counterclockwise—exactly as we did and explained above.

In Ermelo, the trail starts about 20 or 30 meters from the local church, with an information panel that makes the beginning of the trail easy to identify. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to park there, but you can always look a little further ahead or back in the village.

Getting to Ermelo is relatively simple but time-consuming. The trip from Porto is approximately 105 km, taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes. It involves first taking the A4 to exit 20, and then continuing on the N304 towards Mondim. Before reaching Mondim, turn towards Ermelo.

If you’re coming from Braga, head to Mondim de Basto, take the N304, and then exit for Ermelo. We always prefer to go to Mondim to have a second breakfast before the trail.

Where to stay when you do the Fisgas do Ermelo trail?

As mentioned earlier, the trail is about 1 hour and a half from Porto and almost the same time from Braga, making it possible to visit and return on the same day from most of Northern Portugal.

However, if you want to get to know the region and climb Monte Farinha, explore the Alvão Natural Park, go to Viso, and even eat some of the typical dishes of Minho and Northern Portugal, the best thing to do is to stay in Mondim de Basto.

There are some accommodation options in Mondim, but the one we recommend is the Agua Hotels Mondim de Basto. This is an excellent quality hotel with a pool and spa. Prices are low, as it is not in a highly touristy area.

In our opinion, this is one of the hotels with the best quality/price ratio in northern Portugal. It is slightly outside Mondim, but close enough to go there for dinner/lunch.

Check prices and availability here!

If you prefer another accommodation type, see the map below for all available options.

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