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Portugal’s Biosphere Reserves: all fourteen territories

Portugal has fourteen Biosphere Reserves in the UNESCO list consulted on 3 October 2026. These territories belong to the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), connecting biodiversity conservation, research and sustainable development with local communities. This index brings together islands, farming landscapes, wetlands and territories shared with Spain.

What designation means

A reserve can include settlements, working fields and marine areas. It is not necessarily an enclosed site or a statutory nature reserve with the same boundary. The model distinguishes core, buffer and transition zones; activities and visiting arrangements depend on the rules applicable to each place.

The dates below refer to UNESCO designation, rather than the founding of settlements or the creation of every natural park. Each entry links to a guide or official profile.

Mainland Portugal

Azores

Madeira

Portugal–Spain territories

Choosing a territory

For an introduction to the Azorean reserves, compare Corvo’s Caldeirão and crafts, Graciosa’s Furna do Enxofre and islets, Flores’ peatlands and São Jorge’s fajãs. Each island combines different environments and histories, even when they share UNESCO recognition.

Gerês–Xurés, Meseta Ibérica and Tejo/Tajo Internacional are three transboundary reserves, each counted once in this Portuguese index. Their Spanish components remain in Spain. National profile areas and labels should not be confused with the entire shared territory.

Planning your discovery

Choose the landscape and themes that interest you, then consult the local portal and those responsible for routes, centres or activities. Confirm opening, accessibility, transport and weather. Territorial designation does not provide a single ticket or guarantee access to every place within a reserve.

MAB differs from World Heritage, Global Geoparks and Memory of the World. Biosphere reserves have their own periodic review processes; a list of territories is not a complete inventory of their monuments, habitats or traditions.

In this section — 14

Biosphere Reserves

14
Arrábida Biosphere Reserve: hills, sea and communitiesExplore Arrábida, a biosphere reserve since 2025: hills and sea across Palmela, Sesimbra and Setúbal, with heritage and sources to plan your discovery. Berlengas Biosphere Reserve: islands, sea and PenicheDiscover Berlengas Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2011: archipelago, sea and Peniche, with maritime heritage and sources to help organise a visit. Castro Verde Biosphere Reserve: fields, birds and songExplore Castro Verde, a biosphere reserve since 2017: cereal fields, Campo Branco birds and rural memory, with sources to help plan your discovery. Corvo Biosphere Reserve: Caldeirão and island traditionsExplore Corvo Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO in 2007: Caldeirão, marine landscapes and island traditions, with sources to help plan your visit. Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve: landscape and lifeExplore Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2016: coastal cliffs, wetlands and farming traditions, with sources to help plan your visit. Flores Biosphere Reserve: water and inhabited landscapesExplore Flores Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2009: peatlands, crater lakes and coastal communities in the Azores, with sources to help plan a visit. Gerês–Xurés Biosphere Reserve: border mountains and villagesExplore Gerês–Xurés, a biosphere reserve since 2009, across Portugal and Spain: mountains, villages and rural heritage, with sources to plan a visit. Graciosa Biosphere Reserve: caves, birds and communitiesDiscover Graciosa Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2007: Furna do Enxofre, seabirds and village heritage, with sources to help you organise your visit. Meseta Ibérica Biosphere Reserve: rivers and border culturesExplore Meseta Ibérica, a biosphere reserve since 2015, across Portugal and Spain: rivers, villages and traditions, with sources to plan your discovery. Paul do Boquilobo Biosphere Reserve: water and RibatejoExplore Paul do Boquilobo, a biosphere reserve since 1981: wetland, farming and Ribatejo equestrian traditions, with sources to help plan your visit. Porto Santo Biosphere Reserve: island, sea and clay-roofed housesDiscover Porto Santo Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2020: beach, islets, Pico Branco and clay-roofed houses, with sources to plan your exploration. Santana Biosphere Reserve: forest, sea and thatched housesExplore Santana Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2011: laurel forest, Rocha do Navio and thatched houses, with sources to help plan your discovery. Serra da Estrela Biosphere Reserve: mountain nature and pastoral lifeExplore Serra da Estrela Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2026: mountain landscapes, pastoral life and wool, with sources to help plan your discovery. Tejo/Tajo Internacional Biosphere Reserve: river and border cultureExplore Tejo/Tajo Internacional, a biosphere reserve since 2016, across Portugal and Spain: river landscapes and border culture, with sources for visits.

Frequently asked questions

How many biosphere reserves does Portugal have?
The UNESCO list consulted on 3 October 2026 contains fourteen: four in the Azores, two in Madeira and eight on the mainland, counting three territories shared with Spain once each.
How does a reserve differ from a natural park?
MAB is a UNESCO programme connecting conservation, research and sustainable development. Reserves may include settlements and marine areas; natural park boundaries and rules are separate instruments.

Sources

  1. UNESCO — Biosphere reserves by country
  2. UNESCO — Portugal Resource Hub
  3. UNESCO — Biosphere reserves
  4. UNESCO — Designation and review process
  5. UNESCO — New biosphere reserves (2026)