Northern Portugal Travel Guide

The economic powerhouse of the north is Oporto , the country's second largest city and most industrious centre. It's an enticingly lively place, made especially attractive by the port-producing suburb of Vila Nova de Gaia , whose wines are supplied by the vineyards of the River Douro. The Douro Valley , a spectacular rocky gorge as it approaches the sea, is followed by a magnificent rail route whose branch lines run along some equally lovely valleys - along the River Tâmega to Amarante, along the Corgo to Vila Real, and along to Tua, from where there are bus connections to Bragança , capital of the isolated region of Trás-os-Montes . The Portuguese consider the northwest province of the Minho to be the most beautiful part of their country, and with its river valleys, wooded hills, trailing vines and wild coastline, the attractions are obvious. A small, thoroughly rural and conservative region, its towns are often outrageously picturesque and full of quiet charm. Monuments and museums are concentrated in Braga and Guimarães , while between them lie the extensive Celtic ruins of the Citânia de Briteiros , the most impressive archeological site in Portugal. Viana do Castelo , the main town of the Minho coast, is an enjoyably low-key resort with a wonderful beach.