Must see attractions in The Minho

Braga’s extraordinary cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun when the archdiocese was restored in 1070 and completed in the following century. It’s…

The largest, oldest and most celebrated of the Minho's markets is the Feira de Barcelos, held every Thursday in Barcelos on the banks of Rio Cávado…

The city’s pièce de résistance, this elegant 31-arched bridge across the Rio Lima is now limited to foot traffic. Most of it dates from the 14th century,…

Climbing dramatically to the hilltop pilgrimage site of Bom Jesus do Monte, 5km east of Braga, is this extraordinary staircase, with allegorical fountains…

For spectacular views over the Albufeira de Caniçada reservoir and the southern reaches of Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês, snake 6km uphill through the…

Braga's newest museum is housed inside Palácio do Raio, whose exuberantly tiled rococo façade (by André Soares) is must-see material for any aficionado of…

About 10km south of Lamas de Mouro, straddling a deep ravine, Peneda is one of the park’s most stunning mountain villages, and the serra’s namesake. Its…

Built on the site of a 9th-century pre-Romanesque hermitage, this lovely 12th-century Benedictine monastery in a remote river valley fell under the sway…

Valença's fortaleza is in fact two fortresses, bristling with bastions, watchtowers, massive gateways and defensive bulwarks, connected by a single bridge…

One of the most evocative archaeological sites in Portugal, Citânia de Briteiros, 15km north of Guimarães, is the largest of a liberal scattering of…

There are two good reasons to visit Viana’s 228m eucalyptus-clad hill. One is the wondrous view down the coast and up the Lima valley. The other is the…

Some 7km southeast up a twisting, cobbled road – or a short ride on an ageing cable car – is the wooded summit of Penha (617m) overlooking Guimarães, the…

The best part of Monção’s old town is the utter lack of tourism. It’s almost exclusively a local scene in chestnut-shaded Praça Deu-la-Deu, where a hand…

On the N101, 5km south of Monção, this grand early 19th-century neoclassical palace has been open to the public since 2010. Visits are by guided tour only…

A guided tour grants access to the cathedral’s three most striking chapels: the showpiece Capela dos Reis, home to the tombs of Henri of Burgundy and Dona…

An 18th-century aristocrat’s palace is home to Braga's enthusiastic municipal museum, with a nice collection of Roman relics and 17th- to 19th-century…

Built during the reign of Afonso III, this 13th-century castle 5km from the Spanish border long served as a key Portuguese military outpost. These days it…

Founded by Countess Mumadona in the 12th century and rebuilt four centuries later, the beautiful Largo da Oliveira is dominated by this convent church.

In a gorgeous red mansion right after the Roman bridge in Arcozelo is this museum dedicated to Portuguese toys. The focus is on toys made from the late…

For panoramic views up and down the Lima valley, climb 6km into the hills northwest of Ponte de Lima to this tiny, bizarre chapel dedicated to Santo…