Porto is the north’s most important city and has given its name to the famous wine and to Portugal itself. Visit the ancient quarters of the city especially the waterfront ‘zona ribeirinha’. Not to be missed are the Stock Exchange Palace, the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral, the church of Cedofeita (Romanesque), the Clérigos tower (Porto’s ex-libris of Baroque architecture) the Casa de Serralves (museum of modern art) and the Romantic Style Museum of Quinta da Macieirinha. One should not miss a visit to the Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia to enjoy many free tastings of the famous port wine. In this region the locals are fiercely proud of their folk traditions of dance and song (showing strong Celtic influence, as in the Pauliteiros dance at the village of Miranda) and in their secular festivals and processions.

A paradise of unspoiled natural resources, this is the perfect region for trekking, canoeing or simply taking a well earned break at one of our pousadas.

The Douro river is the longest in northern Portugal and gives its name to an entire northern region; between Mesão Frio and Pinhão lies the stretch where the valley sides are lined with terraced vineyards that produce the famous Port wine. Such wealth created by the empire and the vineyards is evident in the magnificent local manor houses, such as the Baroque mansion at Mateus, near Vila Real and in the great 17th century sanctuaries, whose building was financed by local dignitaries many centuries ago. One of the best examples is Nossa Senhora dos Remédios in Lamego.

Along the coastline north of Porto runs a coastal road linking Vila do Conde to Valença. It takes the curious traveller past beautiful beaches through a picture postcard landscape of enchanting villages such as Caminha and Vila Nova de Cerveira. No trip to northern Portugal is complete without a look at the Côa Archaeological Park where a set of paleolithic cave paintings were discovered on the banks the river Côa. You have to admit, this may be an unusual thing to visit on a holiday but it will become a memory that will stay with you forever.

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