On October 17 and 18, AGA – Associação Geoparque Arouca hosted a delegation from the Geopark of Granada (Spain). This UNESCO World Geopark has been visiting Arouca Geopark since 2018 in order not only to get to know the natural and cultural heritage, but also to understand the dynamics of AGA and the involvement of its members.

The visit began with a welcome from Margarida Belém, Mayor of Arouca and President of the AGA Board, António Duarte, Councillor for the Environment and Daniela Rocha, AGA’s Executive Coordinator.

The participants had the opportunity to visit the Monastery of Arouca, the Arouca Agrícola – local market and the Arouca Conventual Sweets Factory in the hands of Jorge Bastos. In the Freita mountain range, they visited the Casa das Pedras Parideiras, an interpretation center, and went on a hike interpreted by Why Not On Nature. In the Paiva valley they crossed the 516 Arouca and visited the Paiva Walkways with NaTour Way, and the Trilobites Museum.

The educational component enriched the program with the sharing of some educational projects, with the aim of making known the sense of belonging that is experienced in the Arouca Geopark and its interconnection with geoconservation. The projects presented included “Illustrate your School”, “Botar Cantas” at the Moldes school, the “Arouca Secondary School Forest Nursery” and a visit to the Ribeiro do Gondim Park.

The Hotel S. Pedro, the restaurants Tasquinha da Quinta, Avistada, Assembleia and Barkeiro, managed by Just Come, were other AGA members that welcomed the delegation from the Granada Geopark.

Daniela Rocha stressed that “this visit focused mainly on the work that AGA has been doing for the territory, particularly with its members, and once again reinforced the common work between the Iberian geoparks, in the context of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the Global Geoparks Network (GGN)”.