Viana do Castelo

Viana do Castelo is one of the most beautiful Portuguese cities, in the Minho region of Northern Portugal. The Pilgrimage of Nossa Senhora da Agonia and the amazing views of the Lima River make this city unforgettable. The city is famous for the monuments in and around the city, and the surrounding natural beauty.

Understand




Viana do Castelo (vee-UH-nuh doo kuhsh-TEH-loo, /vi.ˈɐ.nɐ du kɐʃ.ˈte.ɫu/) is the capital of a municipality with and has some 36,750 inhabitants. The municipality borders the municipality of Caminha in the north, the municipality of Ponte de Lima in the east, the municipalities of Barcelos and Esposende in the south and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The city's origins date back to before the Christian era, as it can be seen in the hill fort near the Basilica of Santa Luzia. It received its first foral from King Afonso III of Portugal in 1258, as well as the name Viana da Foz do Lima, because of its geographic location; in 1848 it became a city by a decree of Maria II of Portugal, and received the name of Viana do Castelo.

By plane
The closest airport is Sá Carneiro International Airport in Porto, with frequent flights from Lisbon, Madeira, and many principal European cities. You can fly to Porto and then catch a transport to the city (see below).

By train


The train station of Viana do Castelo is located in this borough, and there is a train to almost every city in the country, such as Lisbon, Aveiro, Braga, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Fátima, Figueira da Foz, Portimão, Porto, Guimarães and Guarda.



By bus
Some companies, such as AVIC, have connections to Porto and Lisboa.

By car
The two main highways through town are:
 * A28 - Connects the town to Porto, Matosinhos, Leça da Palmeira, Póvoa de Varzim, Apúlia/Barcelos, Esposende, Vila Praia de Âncora and Caminha.
 * A27 - Connects the town to Ponte de Lima and Ponte da Barca.

On foot
The most obvious way to see the town is on foot. Most of the city's attractions and a large part of its shopping are found in the historic downtown, quite close to each other, and many pathways downtown are pedestrian-only.

By bicycle
Although there are few bicycle lanes, the city center is very bike friendly. Rentals are available in the Tourist Information Office near Praça da Liberdade. During the summer, the 2/4 seats pedal karts are also very popular.

By bus
AVIC and Transcunha city buses ply the streets.

By car
Traffic is light, and roads are clearly marked.

Car rentals

 * Avis Rent-a-Car, Rua de Gotim 35, tel. +351 258 817 540.
 * Auto Europe Portugal, 800 780 008.
 * Europcar, Praça General Barbosa 124, tel. +351 813370.

See

 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.
 * Museu do Traje, This is a museum dedicated to traditional Portuguese clothing, with a particular focus on the costumes from the Viana do Castelo region. You can learn about the history and significance of the costumes, as well as see some beautiful examples.

Do

 * Beach -  most beaches along the coast line have Blue Flag classification and start not more than a 10 minute drive from the city center, so make sure you take your time to enjoy one of the best things the region has to offer. One of the most popular beaches is Praia do Cabedelo, known for its great surfing conditions, on the south bank of the Lima River. It has a long stretch of golden sand, clear waters, and excellent facilities. Another popular beach is Praia do Norte, on the north bank of the Lima River. It is a long, wide beach with soft sand, calm waters, and good facilities, including showers, toilets, and a beach bar.
 * Hiking -  the foothills of Viana Do Castelo have some hiking paths. You can get maps from the tourist information office.
 * Museums -  Viana do Castelo is the capital of gold of Portugal. You may visit a privately—owned gold museum with some characteristic exhibits of the Minho area. The most characteristic technique of working the gold in Viana do Castelo is filigree and you have excellent examples in exhibition there.

Buy

 * Filagree pendants
 * Filagree pendants

Eat
Local specialties include bacalhau à margarida da praça (a cod dish), pescada Vianense (local fish), and caldo verde (green soup).