In the heart of the wonderful Peneda-Gerês National Park, the Geira, situated in the rural region of Terras do Bouro, is also known as Via XVIII of the Antonino Itinerary, and is the popular name of the VIA NOVA, one of the most important Roman Roads, that linked Braga (Bracara Augusta) to Astorga (Asturica Augusta), on of the most important roads in the Iberian Peninsula.

It is thought that the VIA NOVA was built in the second half of the 1st century a.C., and was an important part of the immense road network built by the Roman Empire, allowing the territorial organization, the intense mine activity (specially the gold mines), a wider mobility of the army and, of course, an all new transition and communication of goods and people, allowing the development of the settlements.

This would have been a road with about 318km of extension, which nowadays lasts this piece in good conditions, in between Portugal and Spain, for about 40km long. It is worth knowing the spots that this wonderful site has to offer, with pedestrian itineraries suggestions.

Here can be found several roman milestones, an unique heritage that is worth to be known. Milestones permitted distances and locations to be known and recorded exactly and were present on the main roman roads, at every thousand steps, indicating the distance. On each milestone was carved the name of the Emperor that ordered the construction or conservation of the road.