Towns of interest

BARCELOS Between Braga and the Atlantic coast is the town of Barcelos. From its origins as a settlement in Roman times, Barcelos is one of the prettiest places in the north of Portugal and the ceramics centre of Portugal. The XIV century was a period of great development and dynamic growth for Barcelos, displayed by the building of the bridge, the city walls, of which there still remains the Torre da Porta Nova, the Paço dos Duques and the Igreja Matriz. The walled historic centre is a medieval maze of streets overlooking the river Cavado, with a striking Baroque church on the main square. The town's large weekly market every Thursday is a major attraction for locals and tourists alike. It is one of the largest in Europe and the range of goods on sale is astonishing.

CAMINA  Proudly situated opposite Spain at the mouth of the enchanting River Minho, this fortified border town where several battles were fought between Portugal and Spain is almost surrounded by water. There are delightful 15th and 16th century buildings near the main square - of particular interest is the Clock Tower Crenellated tower belonging to the medieval city walls. Standing on a tiny island in the middle of the estuary are the ruins of the fort of Ínsua, built to defend the entrance to the river in the fifteenth century. A daily ferry-boat links the two banks of the river (Portugal and Spain).

GUIMARAES The undisputed birthplace of the country which still possesses many reminders of its past glory. When Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself the first king of Portugal in 1139, he chose Guimaraes as his capital. If you would like to see the city at its most magnificent, you should drive up the 4 mile road to the top of Monte da Penha, from where you will have the chance to enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views in the north of Portugal. This road will take you past the Pousada de Santa Marinha da Costa, an old convent founded by D. Mafalda de Sabóia, the wife of D. Afonso Henriques. On 13 December 2001, UNESCO inscribed the historical centre of the city of Guimarães on the list of World Heritage.

MELGACO A new Youth Hostel is located at the Estágios de Melgaço centre were only a river, the “Minho”, separates Portugal from Spain.This river is one of the best places to practice rafting, but if, instead of the adrenaline rushing through your veins, you would rather enjoy the landscape, then try canoeing. There are specialized monitors who will take care of this adventure for you. Just ask at the guest house.This river is one of the best places to practice rafting, but if, instead of the adrenaline rushing through your veins, you would rather enjoy the landscape, then try canoeing.

There are specialized monitors who will take care of this adventure for you. Just ask at the youth hostel.Melgaço is also one of the Peneda-Gerês National Park doorways. Here you can do either mountain sports or just go for a walk.

You can go to the other side of the river into Spain and see Portugal from a different angle. Monção is Melgaço’s neighbour town. Here it is easy enough to cross over the “Minho”, take lots of pictures and make your friends at home jealous.

Do you like cinema? Then how about visiting a museum which is totally dedicated to the art of making films?

Films such as “Lord of the Rings” or “Eragon” were pure fantasy before filming techniques were refined and able to put on screen what was once a dream. The history of cinema is made of small achievements, from a simple silhouette projected on the wall to images of thousands of soldiers fighting just before your eyes.So, to answer all those questions about this fascinating industry another star was born - the museum of cinema in Melgaço.Located in the heart of the historical area of Melgaço, in the former building that housed the Fiscal Guard, the Cinema Museum of Melgaço – Jean Loup Passek, the only one of its kind in the country, is home to hundreds of objects related to the history of Cinema.

The objects were collected by Jean Loup Passek throughout his life and later donated to the municipality. The life of this French man is closely linked to the seventh art, namely through the La Rochelle International Festival, which he directed since 1973, and was also chief-copywriter of the Larousse Cinema Dictionary, editions 1986 to 2002, and Cinema Adviser of the Georges Pompidou Centre, amongst other posts.The museum has two floors: on the ground floor you will find the reception and a permanent exhibition area dedicated to Pre-Cinema, where you can see magic lanterns, lampscopes, fenakistiscope, Zoetrope and Praxinscope, amongst other objects like posters and photographs.

Then there is the New World Room, where you can see an optical box, a theatre diorama and some photographs in an area that also features projections.On the first floor there are temporary thematic exhibitions: currently you can visit the exhibition “The Golden Age of French Cinema from 1930 to 1960”.As of the opening of the museum to the public in June 2005, it has already registered over ten thousand visitors. Recently, it acquired nine new objects, like the magic lantern and a «Kinematograph», made in Germany by Ernst Plank, around 1900, or a Praxinoscope by Émile Reynaud (Paris – 1877). 

PAREDES DE COURA Situated in a region that has many sites of great archaeological interest, Paredes de Coura was particularly important during the Wars of Restoration fought between Portugal and Spain in the seventeenth century. Of particular interest is Sao Pedro de Rubiaes church dating back from the 13th century, built in romanesque style. In recent years, the town has begun to attract large crowds of young people in August due to the music festival held on the banks of the River Coura.

PONTE DA BARCA Situated in a luxuriant green region by the banks of the River Lima, Ponte da Barca is thought to have taken its name form the boat (barca) that connected the two banks before the bridge (ponte) was built in the fifteenth century. The town´s historical centre has a number of manor houses and some beautiful monuments dating from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century that are worth a visit, just like the surrounding area, where two monuments of special interest are the thirteenth-century Romanesque church at Bravaes and the castle at Lindoso (XIII century), which played such an important role in the defence of the region. Part of the municipality is included in the Peneda-Geres National Park, which has excellent facilities for sports and leisure activities.

PONTE DE LIMA The River Lima is crossed at this point by a Roman bridge that gave its name to this very ancient and very beautiful town, which received its first charter in 1125 from D. Teresa, the mother of the first king of Portugal. Ponte de Lima is at the centre of a rich farming region, where the famous vinho verde is produced. This is the area of the country where the greatest number of manor houses and palaces can be be found. The old centre of the town is a delight with its narrow streets and shops displaying their smoked hams and sausages. There is a wide choice of restaurants around the main square and along the river bank. In September, the town enjoys an event known as the Feiras Novas (New Fairs). This is the town festival, which includes a huge market, fireworks, a funfair, carnival costumes and a brass band competition. An excellent golf course is set on a hillside just outside town, while the surrounding countryside is superb for walkers.

VALENÇA Standing on the border with Spain and overlooking the River Minho, Valença is surrounded by walls and displays all the characteristic features of a town that was fortified in the style of the French military architect, Vauban. Its first name was "Contrasta", which referred to a village standing opposite another one and was clearly a reference to its position directly across the River Minho from the Galician town of Tui. The old town of Valenca is virtually intact with cobbled streets and stone houses with iron balconies, surrounded by 17th century granite ramparts.

Valença owes a great deal of its importance to the fact that for centuries it was Portugal’s defensive stronghold, being frequently attacked by barbarians, Arabs and the Spanish neighbours, and also suffering with the French invasions in the 19th century.Valença’s fortification has four doors. You may chose to enter through the Santiago or the Sol one, the Gaviana (Arco Gótico-Gothic Arch), through the Fonte da Villa (Town Fountain) or the Coroada.

Inside the walls, you must see the Campo de Marte. Here you can find the Paiol Geral (General Storehouse) and also the baroque constructions of the Military Chapel of Bom Jesus and S. Sebastião Chapel.

It is worth walking through the sinuous and narrow roads of Valença, pebble paved and full of interesting buildings. Notice, for instance, the Eirado House, of the 15th century, with a gothic window and garnished with crenels, or the Poço House, of the 18th century, with its wrought iron balconies.Integrated in the Caminhos de Santiago and Românico Routes, Valença offers, besides a considerable medieval architectural collection, beautiful natural landscapes. In the Cristelo Natural Park, for example, you can practice water sports and in the Minho River’s peer you have a privileged view point over the old Eiffel bridge and the imponent Praça Forte. Don’t just stand there, come and see for your self

VIANA DO CASTELO Viana do Castelo was founded in the thirteenth century by D. Afonso III, the king of Portugal, under the name of Viana da Foz do Lima. Until the sixteenth century, the town belonged exclusively to the common people, and the nobility were forbidden to settle here. When its doors were finally opened, Viana was suddenly enriched with palaces, churches, convents and fountains forming a remarkable heritage that is well worth a visit. Nowadays, Viana is a lively fishing and ship-building port, famous for its winding streets and ancient monuments. Sitting comfortably between the Lima estuary and the base of rolling hills, the town is also noted for its pottery and regional handicrafts, most of which can be purchased in the Friday market. In the centre of town, Praca da Republica is one of the most handsome squares in Portugal, constructed in the 16th century. Cabedelo beach has been often described as one of the most beautiful in the whole country. Dancers, musicians and other celebrants, wearing traditional local costumes, come from all over the country to take part in the four day festa (3rd week of August), the most spectacular in Portugal.

VILA PRAIA DE ANCORA A small fishing village located on the north-western tip of Portugal, which becomes a popular beach resort during the summer due to the area's bathing conditions. Its tiny harbour is still used by fishing boats, which are guided through the narrow entrance by specially erected lights. Of particular interest is Vila Praia de Ancora fortress (or Fortim da Lagarteira), a mediaeval defensive process that was still in use at the end of the 17C, involving the pouring of hot liquid over assailants.

VILA NOVA DE CERVEIRA Welcome to Vila Nova de Cerveira, a typical Portuguese village to the north of Viana do Castelo, and very near Spain. The river is all that separates it from the neighbouring country. So don’t miss this chance to go across the border on a ferryboat. Once there, take the chance to taste the famous tapas, sometimes just a snack eaten as a starter or often a complete a meal. A small piece of bread is the base and then you can put basically anything on top: a pincho (slice) of tortilla, a bit of sausage or whatever you fancy. And the prices are irresistible too. For only a bit of change left in your pocket you can experience one of the best things this country has to offer: its food. And there’s more: The Galician language is rather similar to Portuguese, so you don’t even have to learn an extra language when you go to this part of Spain.

Back to Portugal, make sure you get to know the village where you’ll be staying. One of the oldest in Portugal, it has always had a strategic importance. So, besides doing the religious tour, visiting churches and chapels around the region – which are true art museums – you should also see the monuments connected to the defense of the country. The castle and the ancient walls are a good example. And you can add the towers and the old doors to the picture, because many centuries ago, when the night came, all entrances and exits to the village were locked and whoever happened to come home late would simply have to spend the night outside the city’s walls and wait for dawn to break to get back in. An old-fashioned kind of toll, only they didn’t work 24 hours a day!

The whole fort was abandoned for many years, but fortunately someone remembered to renovate it, and it is now a historic hostel, belonging to Enatur. If you’re really into having a look inside, ask to go in and see the areas open to the public. After all, it’s not everyday that you get the chance to see a historic monument in such good shape!.

Before you head to the belvedere of Monte da Senhora da Encarnação, prepare a snack and get a nice warm blanket to take with you. This will allow you to stay there for a while, surveying the vast landscape if you feel like it. This way, when you get peckish or cold, the demands of nature won’t catch you out.

You’ll be able to spot the isles of Boega and Amores from the spot – which is a very romantic one.

For those who’d rather be stimulating their adrenaline, there’s rock climbing, mountaineering, orienteering and, of course, hiking – a good option if you want to be more in touch with nature. For action combined with music, the Vilar de Mouros annual festival takes place nearby, but it only happens in June. Maybe you’ve heard of it or even been there. After all, major international rock stars – as well as Portuguese ones – flock to this location in the province of Minho to entertain thousands of music fans. If you like looking at old things, try walking in Vila Nova de Cerveira on the second Sunday of each month: you’ll be surprised with the bargains you’ll be able to pick up.

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