Designated in 1995

The Guadiana Park includes part of Mértola and Serpa municipalities, as well as part of the river Guadiana, from the area upstream of Pulo do Lobo down to the mouth of Vascão creek, the boundary between the Alentejo and the Algarve. The highest point is 370 m. The contrasting landscape is the distinguishing feature of this protected area. Its undulating plains overlooking the whole region alternate with mountain chains such as S. Barão and Alcaria and the narrow valleys of the Guadiana, where substantial concentrations of Mediterranean woodland are found. However, perhaps the most beautiful place in landscape terms is Pulo do Lobo, where the river runs between steep rocks and form rapids and small waterfalls. The Park’s landscapes include stands of oaks such as holm oak Quercus rotundifolia and open treeless plains for cereal cultivation, which are the favourite habitat of the great bustard Otis tarda and the black-bellied sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis. Vegetation in the riverside areas includes oleander Nerium oleander, shrubby spurge Securinega tinctoria, willows Salix spp. and narrow-leaved ash Fraxinus angustifolia. These lands are shaped by the river currents, which are the habitat of Anaecypris hispanica, a fish endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. The rocky, sheer Guadiana valley, inaccessible to humans, provides good shelter and nesting sites for species like the black stork Ciconia nigra, Bonelli’s eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus and golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos.

Mértola is visibly the historical outcome of the ancient presence of humans in the region, as clearly shown by the numerous archaeological remains and museums in the village - a mélange of Roman, Islamic and Christian influences. There is evidence of this in several features: the castle (built over a Roman acropolis and an Islamic Alcaçova); the 12th-century parish church (a former mosque, now used as a Catholic place of worship, built over Roman and Paleo-Christian structures); the Torre do Rio (a Roman harbour defence structure giving access to the river); and the prominent Torre do Relógio (clock tower) built over one of the wall towers overlooking the river. In the past, Mértola was the economic centre of a large and rich region. Nowadays, the main activities are traditional agriculture and cattle-raising. Hunting and tourism are also increasing.