It is located in the Serra de São Mamede, in the border region of northeast Alentejo
The Park occupies an area of approximately 56000ha spread across four municipalities in the Portalegre district: Portalegre, Castelo de Vide, Marvão and Arronches.
The southern area of the park has a smooth and undulating relief with an altitude that varies between 300 and 400 m.
The Portalegre Patamar, which is located at an altitude of 400 to 500 m, forms a kind of step that juts out from the southern part of the park, and constitutes a transition zone between the traditional Alentejo landscape and the mountains.
The mountain is mostly located to the north and center of the park area with altitudes above 800 m, it is an area marked by a landscape of quartzite ridges and prominent reliefs.
The creation of the Natural Park marks, in line with its natural and scenic heritage, the beginning of a process of restoration of the mountain's traditional agricultural systems, agriculture continues to be the dominant economic activity in this region.
In the more mountainous area, small and medium-sized properties predominate with a diverse use resulting from the consequent compartmentalization of the space: oak groves, chestnut groves and cork oak forests alternating with olive groves, pine forests and eucalyptus groves, the dryland alternating with small irrigated areas and woodlands in the higher altitude areas.
To the south, the small and medium-sized property is replaced by large property, with extensive rainfed agriculture predominating with cork oak and holm oak forests, and cattle raising.
The morphologies of the area influence the type of climate that exists in the region, with a pronounced dry period in the summer and a cold and rainy winter, a situation that occurs due to its high altitude, which means that the mountain range suffers from an Iberian continental and an Atlantic influence.
The highest altitude lines of the mountain have a NW-SE orientation, the slopes facing S-SE are hot and dry, while the slopes facing N-NW are cold and humid.
The dominant winds are from the north, northwest and west, which alleviate the summer heat and dryness, maintaining more abundant rain.
The action of marine air leads to a lower temperature range and greater annual precipitation in relation to the surrounding area.
The geographical and topographical position of Serra de São Mamede makes it the highest south of the Tagus, making it possible to find plant species with Mediterranean, Atlantic and Central European characteristics. In the Flora of the Park there are very distinct edaphoclimatic areas that are associated with different landscape units: on the slopes facing north, they are cooler and moister with vegetation such as black oak, and the woods are dominated by rockrose and gorse.
On the warmer south-facing slopes, the panorama is very different since the climate is markedly Mediterranean with the dominant species being: the cork oak, and the dominant forests are Mediterranean xals dominated by rockrose (Cistus ladanifer).
In the Park's border areas we find a typically Mediterranean type of vegetation with a predominance of cork oak, holm oak and pastures.
The park area is of great ornithological importance both in the national territory and in the Iberian Peninsula, being part of the migratory route of many bird species between Europe and Africa.
In the area, 150 species were inventoried, such as: Bonelli's eagle, griffon vulture, black vulture, black kite, eagle owl, short-toed eagle, European hawk, common partridge, blackbird, common jay, robin, etc.
Among mammals, the following stand out: the badger, the bull, the weasel, the scabs, the genet, the wild cat, the fox, the wild rabbit, the wild boar, the hare and the deer.
In the old lead mine of Cova da Moura, as well as in limestone caves, there are important colonies of bats, considered one of the most important in Europe.
In this area there is the presence of numerous amphibians and reptiles, among which the following stand out: water lizard, Iberian midwife toad, Iberian newt and tortoises.
The southern area of the park has a smooth and undulating relief with an altitude that varies between 300 and 400 m.
The Portalegre Patamar, which is located at an altitude of 400 to 500 m, forms a kind of step that juts out from the southern part of the park, and constitutes a transition zone between the traditional Alentejo landscape and the mountains.
The mountain is mostly located to the north and center of the park area with altitudes above 800 m, it is an area marked by a landscape of quartzite ridges and prominent reliefs.
The creation of the Natural Park marks, in line with its natural and scenic heritage, the beginning of a process of restoration of the mountain's traditional agricultural systems, agriculture continues to be the dominant economic activity in this region.
In the more mountainous area, small and medium-sized properties predominate with a diverse use resulting from the consequent compartmentalization of the space: oak groves, chestnut groves and cork oak forests alternating with olive groves, pine forests and eucalyptus groves, the dryland alternating with small irrigated areas and woodlands in the higher altitude areas.
To the south, the small and medium-sized property is replaced by large property, with extensive rainfed agriculture predominating with cork oak and holm oak forests, and cattle raising.
The morphologies of the area influence the type of climate that exists in the region, with a pronounced dry period in the summer and a cold and rainy winter, a situation that occurs due to its high altitude, which means that the mountain range suffers from an Iberian continental and an Atlantic influence.
The highest altitude lines of the mountain have a NW-SE orientation, the slopes facing S-SE are hot and dry, while the slopes facing N-NW are cold and humid.
The dominant winds are from the north, northwest and west, which alleviate the summer heat and dryness, maintaining more abundant rain.
The action of marine air leads to a lower temperature range and greater annual precipitation in relation to the surrounding area.
The geographical and topographical position of Serra de São Mamede makes it the highest south of the Tagus, making it possible to find plant species with Mediterranean, Atlantic and Central European characteristics. In the Flora of the Park there are very distinct edaphoclimatic areas that are associated with different landscape units: on the slopes facing north, they are cooler and moister with vegetation such as black oak, and the woods are dominated by rockrose and gorse.
On the warmer south-facing slopes, the panorama is very different since the climate is markedly Mediterranean with the dominant species being: the cork oak, and the dominant forests are Mediterranean xals dominated by rockrose (Cistus ladanifer).
In the Park's border areas we find a typically Mediterranean type of vegetation with a predominance of cork oak, holm oak and pastures.
The park area is of great ornithological importance both in the national territory and in the Iberian Peninsula, being part of the migratory route of many bird species between Europe and Africa.
In the area, 150 species were inventoried, such as: Bonelli's eagle, griffon vulture, black vulture, black kite, eagle owl, short-toed eagle, European hawk, common partridge, blackbird, common jay, robin, etc.
Among mammals, the following stand out: the badger, the bull, the weasel, the scabs, the genet, the wild cat, the fox, the wild rabbit, the wild boar, the hare and the deer.
In the old lead mine of Cova da Moura, as well as in limestone caves, there are important colonies of bats, considered one of the most important in Europe.
In this area there is the presence of numerous amphibians and reptiles, among which the following stand out: water lizard, Iberian midwife toad, Iberian newt and tortoises.
