The Peneda-Gerês National Park, in the far northwest of Portugal between Upper Minho and Trás-os-Montes, is the only Portuguese protected area classified as a national park by the IUCN. With its wild landscapes of mountains, forests and rivers, the park is home to an abundant and diverse fauna and flora. It is also home to a number of traditional villages, which have been carefully preserved and are among the most interesting in Portugal.