Vila Real

Vila Real is a city of 52,000 people (2011) the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region in Northern Portugal. It is the home of the beautiful Palácio de Mateus.

Understand


Vila Real (VEE-luh rree-AHL, /ˈvi.ɫɐ ʁi.ˈaɫ/) has 51,850 residents (2011), with 29,624 residing in the city proper.

Sitting on a plateau at the confluence of the Corgo and Cabril rivers, the city is framed in a beautiful natural landscape (Escarpas do Corgo), with the backdrop of the mountains of Alvão and, further away, Marão. Over more than seven hundred years of existence, Vila Real has gained the contours it has today, a city of beautiful monuments, where the temples and noble houses stand out. It used to be known as the Corte de Trás-os-Montes, because the Marqueses of Vila Real lived in it and had a palace. This noble family had a close family connection with the Portuguese Royal House.

History
The region shows traces of habitation from the paleolithic era, while the settlement of Panóias had a Roman presence. Vila Real was founded in 1289 by King Denis of Portugal, hence its name, meaning Royal Town. It housed more members of the royal family during the Middle Ages than any other settlement in Portugal except the capital in Lisbon, and family Coats of Arms remain above old houses, some of which still occupied by those families. Vineyards were introduced to the municipality in 1764, growing red, white and rosé wines for export.

By car

 * A24 - Connects Chaves (frontier with Galiza, Spain), to the north, and Viseu, to the south.
 * A7 - Indirect connection to Minho (Braga, Guimarães, etc.), from Vila Pouca de Aguiar, via A24.
 * A4 - Main Road that connects Porto, to the West, and Bragança, Northeast and the frontier with Castilla y Leon, Spain.

By plane
The Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, the main airport serving the northern region, is 100 km away and is accessible by motorway A4.



Get around
The city bus system in Vila Real is run by Urbanos Vila Real; there are 5 lines.

See

 * Chapel of Espírito Santo or Chapel of Bom Jesus do Hospital
 * Casa de Carvalho Araújo, an important sailor who stood out in his profession, for having prevented the escort boat (the steam ship S. Miguel) from being sunk by a German submarine, sacrificing the mine-dredge he commanded (NRP Augusto de Castilho) and your own life.
 * Casa dos Brocas, built by Camilo Castelo Branco's grandfather and where he lived for some time.
 * Casa dos Marqueses of Vila Real, with a beautiful Manueline style window, where they lived until they fell out of favour due to their involvement in the conspiracy against D. João IV, in 1641.
 * Church of Mercy
 * Church of São Domingos / Sé de Vila Real
 * St. Peter's Church
 * Church of Bom Jesus do Calvário
 * Church of São Paulo / Capela Nova, of baroque style, whose authorship is attributed to Nicolau Nasoni
 * Bairro da Judiaria de Vila Real, one of the most interesting housing developments, with the entrance before the Metallic Bridge over the Corgo River and through there the ancient Roman and medieval road, with the primitive bridge.
 * Church of Bom Jesus do Calvário
 * Church of São Paulo / Capela Nova, of baroque style, whose authorship is attributed to Nicolau Nasoni
 * Bairro da Judiaria de Vila Real, one of the most interesting housing developments, with the entrance before the Metallic Bridge over the Corgo River and through there the ancient Roman and medieval road, with the primitive bridge.
 * Bairro da Judiaria de Vila Real, one of the most interesting housing developments, with the entrance before the Metallic Bridge over the Corgo River and through there the ancient Roman and medieval road, with the primitive bridge.
 * Bairro da Judiaria de Vila Real, one of the most interesting housing developments, with the entrance before the Metallic Bridge over the Corgo River and through there the ancient Roman and medieval road, with the primitive bridge.
 * Bairro da Judiaria de Vila Real, one of the most interesting housing developments, with the entrance before the Metallic Bridge over the Corgo River and through there the ancient Roman and medieval road, with the primitive bridge.

Buy




Drink
Praça Pioledo in the city centre has a set of bars around.

Go next

 * Pinhão (Alijó)