Vila Nova de Foz Côa

Vila Nova de Foz Côa is a town of 7,300 people (2011) in Alto Douro wine region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, northern Portugal. It principal draw for visitors are the sites of prehistoric rock art scattered through the nearby Côa Valley (a ), and the museum in town that serves as a portal for understanding them.

Understand


Vila Nova de Foz Côa (VEE-luh NAW-vuh d(ih) FAWSH KOH-uh, /vi.ɫɐ ˈnɔ.vɐ dɨ ˈfɔʃ ˈko.ɐ/)

The rock engravings were discovered in 1994. They are supported by vertical shale surfaces, with preferential exposure to the east. The dimensions of the engravings vary between 15 cm and 180 cm, although those 40–50 cm in length predominate. The engraving techniques used are perforation and abrasion, which sometimes coexist, with the abrasion regularizing the perforation. The strokes are wide, although they are sometimes accompanied by a large amount of fine strokes, which served as a sketch or complemented the previous ones. In other cases, these thin lines draw shapes that are difficult to perceive. There are also engravings filled with multiple strokes.

Get in
Access to Vila Nova de Foz Côa from the south is via the EN 102 (which passes through Trancoso and Marialva), and from the north via IP 2 (which connects the town to Bragança and Pocinho).

There is no train service.

See

 * Pocinho river quay
 * Vessel "Senhora da Veiga": The municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa organizes trips on the Douro River in the rabelo boat “ Senhora da Veiga ”. This vessel has the capacity to transport 70 people. The tours are made along the Douro River between the city of Peso da Régua and Barca d'Alva.
 * Built historical heritage: The municipality has historic villages that were once the seat of the municipality, such as Freixo de Numão, Almendra and Castelo Melhor, which was important in the defence of the territory. There are countless palaces, manor houses and pillories.
 * Vessel "Senhora da Veiga": The municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa organizes trips on the Douro River in the rabelo boat “ Senhora da Veiga ”. This vessel has the capacity to transport 70 people. The tours are made along the Douro River between the city of Peso da Régua and Barca d'Alva.
 * Built historical heritage: The municipality has historic villages that were once the seat of the municipality, such as Freixo de Numão, Almendra and Castelo Melhor, which was important in the defence of the territory. There are countless palaces, manor houses and pillories.

Do

 * Almond Blossom and Heritage Festival: The entire municipality moves around in the famous fortnight of Amendoeiras em Flor, especially on the three weekends that make up it. The Feira Franca is usually very busy (on the 1st Sunday of March) and the Allegorical Parade, which usually includes around 50 cars, runs, under the animation of fanfares and musical bands, the main arteries of the city.
 * Almond Blossom and Heritage Festival: The entire municipality moves around in the famous fortnight of Amendoeiras em Flor, especially on the three weekends that make up it. The Feira Franca is usually very busy (on the 1st Sunday of March) and the Allegorical Parade, which usually includes around 50 cars, runs, under the animation of fanfares and musical bands, the main arteries of the city.

Eat
Fresh vegetables and tasty fruits give the menus the natural flavour of the products. Its white and red wines are full-bodied or strong, like all genuine Douro wines. The local bread has a pleasant flavour, of wheat or rye, goes well with cheese, chorizo ​​or olives.

The oil is also characteristic of the region and can keep cooked succulent sautéed with tender sprouts, cabbage and sprouts. The fish in the river Douro and its tributaries, pork, lamb or goat and game such as rabbit, hare and partridge are appreciated dishes.

The fruit is varied in late summer, fleshy peaches, honey figs, delicious melons, oranges and grapes. However, it is the dried fruits, especially the almond, that provide the raw material for the most exquisite culinary specialties: the almond sweets, the supplications, the egg lampreys and also the "coscorões", the folares and the rough balls, freed and stings.



Go next

 * Pinhão (Alijó)
 * Peso da Régua
 * Vila Real
 * Castle of Pinhel, one of the more important castles along the Côa River Valley