The Geira Romana, also known as the Via Nova XIX, was a Roman road built nearly 2,000 years ago to connect Bracara Augusta (today’s Braga) to Asturica Augusta (Astorga, in Spain). It was one of the most important routes in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, used for trade, military movement, and communication across the Roman provinces of Gallaecia and Lusitania.

The section between Campo do Gerês and Portela do Homem is among the best-preserved stretches in Portugal. Here, the road passes through the Mata da Albergaria, a lush oak forest where time seems to have stood still. Along the way, you can still see original Roman milestones (miliários), carved with Latin inscriptions that once indicated distances to Braga. Some stones are in their original position, standing quietly by the trail, reminders of an ancient world that shaped the region’s history.

Walking this part of the Geira Romana today is like stepping back in time — the same route once used by Roman soldiers, traders, and travelers now invites hikers and cyclists to experience Gerês at a slower, more authentic pace, surrounded by forest, streams, and silence.