Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Small statues of Buddha line the path to the top of the mountain.
Mitaki-dera
A view of the Sandiaoling bike tunnel.
Sandiaoling Bike Tunnel
The old ticket house at League Park now houses the Baseball Heritage Museum.
League Park
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Passersby stop to admire the punny offerings of Brooklyn’s only dinosaur bodega.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope
1 day ago
Native Americans have a longstanding, rich, and vibrant culture in Wyoming.
Wyoming’s Sacred Landscapes: A Journey Through Native American History
1 day ago
This strawberry cucumber sorbet tastes like early summer in a scoop.
Salt & Straw Wants You to Create Your Own Ice Cream Flavors
3 days ago
Catch a glimpse of some of the many wildflowers Crested Butte is known for.
Rodeos, Star Parties, and Festivals: Your Guide to Colorado’s Magical Summer Events
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Portugal Minas dos Carris
AO Edited

Minas dos Carris

An abandoned mining complex in Serra do Gerês.

Portugal

Added By
wermworm
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Wild horses grazing on the abandoned complex   Pedro/CC BY 2.0
Wild horses grazing on the abandoned complex   Pedro/CC BY 2.0
Abandoned complex   Paf~itwiki/CC BY-SA 4.0
Ruin high in the Serra do Gerês   Pedro/CC BY 2.0
Wild horses grazing on the abandoned complex   Pedro/CC BY 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Minas dos Carris is a former mining complex located in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, on the border with Spain. It has been abandoned since the 1970s. The complex was composed of several mining concessions, the main ones being Salto do Lobo, Corgas das Negras, and Lamalonga.

Mining in the area began in the 1940s, tungsten was a metal that was widely exploited and mined in Portugal in the mid-20th century. Exploration in the Gerês mountains reached its peak in the 1950s and had declined by the end of the 1970s, at which point the mine was abandoned.

The site is only accessible by land routes and on foot, there are several trails leading to or through the mining concession. It is possible to reach this complex from the north, via the Shadow Mine, an abandoned mining complex on the Spanish side. There are also trails that reach the site from the east or south. But the most common route starts near Portela do Homem, along the Homem River Valley following the old path that linked the mine to the road of Portela do Homem. It is the shortest way to reach the site but it is quite demanding and although it is the fastest it always takes about six to seven hours round trip.

The routes to the place are always loaded with a unique beauty that only the Serra do Gerês can provide, it is regular to spot wild horses grazing or goats perched in the ravines. When the weather is clear the view is breathtaking—after all, it stands at an altitude of 1,500 meters. In the winter, the area is covered in snow and creates an even more surreal atmosphere.

At the site, you can see several buildings that used to support the mining industry, all in ruins. There is an artificial lake at the northern end of the complex and several underground access shafts.

The presence of wild animals, the ruins in a desolate state, the granite landscape of the Serra do Gerês, the existence of wells to go underground and above all the fact that we are in an extremely remote place, give Minas dos Carris a strong feeling of magic and amazement.

Related Tags

Abandoned Mines Abandoned Mines National Parks Metal Trails Mountains

Know Before You Go

It is wise to go prepared because it is a remote place, abandoned and with wild animals. Please take precautions because the access is very demanding. Careful around the ruins and take note of the shafts.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon

Explore Portugal through food, from the cities to the seaside.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

wermworm

Published

September 30, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://carris-geres.blogspot.com/
  • http://pnpgeres.pt/2018/03/11/minas-dos-carris/
  • http://carris-geres.blogspot.com/p/minas-dos-carris-historias-mineiras-na.html
  • https://mti-minas-portugal.blogspot.com/2016/06/minas-dos-carris.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peneda-Ger%C3%AAs_National_Park
Minas dos Carris
Unnamed Road
4840
Portugal
41.808867, -8.04881
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Drowned Village of Vilarinho da Furna

Portugal

miles away

Ponte da Misarela (Misalera Bridge)

Montalegre, Portugal

miles away

Espigueros of Lindoso

Lindoso, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Portugal

Portugal

Europe

Places 166
Stories 11

Nearby Places

Drowned Village of Vilarinho da Furna

Portugal

miles away

Ponte da Misarela (Misalera Bridge)

Montalegre, Portugal

miles away

Espigueros of Lindoso

Lindoso, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Portugal

Portugal

Europe

Places 166
Stories 11

Related Places

  • Bamboo Creek Tin Mine

    Litchfield Park, Australia

    Bamboo Creek Tin Mine

    This site contains preserved ruins and industrial remnants of Western Australia's mining heritage.

  • An empty vein between two rocks that was once rich with iron ore.

    York, South Carolina

    Colonial Iron Mine

    During the American Revolutionary War, iron excavated from this mine was used to make swords, cannons, and more.

  • Bankhead

    Bankhead, Alberta

    Bankhead Ghost Town

    The ruins of the "20-year town" lay out among the mountains of Alberta.

  • Living quarters

    Aouli, Morocco

    Ahouli Mines

    Large-scale operations in these mines ceased in the 1960s, leaving behind crumbling processing facilities and deserted living quarters.

  • Decrepit shed.

    Denio Junction, Nevada

    Homer Verne (Adams) Mine

    An isolated early 20th-century gold mine in the remote Pine Forest Range contains much preserved equipment.

  • Sunset at Morro do Pai Inácio

    Palmeiras, Brazil

    Morro do Pai Inácio

    This peak in Chapada Diamantina National Park offers the most stunning sunsets.

  • Looking down on the foundations from the old mill site for the Mazama Queen mine.

    Mazama, Washington

    Mazama Queen Mine

    The crumbling remains of a gold mine that was operational in the 1930s.

  • Old shack by Nevada Quicksilver Mine, with pronghorn antelope.

    Lovelock, Nevada

    Nevada Quicksilver Mine

    An abandoned mine serves as a stark memorial of when mercury was a valued strategic metal.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.