Torre Medieval BARCELOS
Between 1401 and 1461, D. Afonso, the eighth Count of Barcelos and the first Duke of Bragança, ordered walls to be built around Barcelos, with three towers marking the entrances to the city. The Porta do Cimo da Vila was the only gate that was to withstand the ravages of time and urban reconstruction. In the 16th century, a Renaissance top and battlements were added to the gate, and its name was changed to Torre da Porta Nova (Newgate Tower).
In view of its great sturdiness, with one of its walls measuring as much as 2 metres thick, it became the prison tower from the end of the 16th century onwards. This remained the case until well into the 20th century when it was finally given another function and converted into the local Tourist Information Centre. Recent renovation works (2010-2013) have added new features such as an area for culture, education and tourism, and it has become one of the most visited places in the region. In 2014, this property received the "Most Accessible Municipality” first prize, in the category of Leisure/Heritage/Tourism. |
Teatrul Gil Vicente BARCELOS
The Gil Vicente was and still is an important cultural influence for the locals of Barcelos.
Without a doubt, for the most part of the past century, the only house capable of hosting the creations that took place in Barcelos be it crative or recreational. Many generations passed its doors and broaden their cultural horizons, especially the classes that knew no favoritism and had no money for traveling to see theater parts or movies |
Museu de Olaria BARCELOS
The Pottery Museum was created in 1963, following the donation of a very valuable collection gathered by the ethnographer Joaquim Sellés Paes Villas Boas. It was originally named “Regional Museum of Ceramics”, later on known as the Museum of the “Portuguese Popular Pottery”. Its collection continued growing and became a true compilation of the national pottery; the institution was renamed as the ‘Pottery Museum”.
Located in the historic centre of the city in the – House of Mendanhas, the building had two major interventions (1995 and 2013) in order to accomplish the objectives of the institution. Covering an area of 2,000mt², the Pottery Museum holds an asset of nearly 9 000 objects. It represents the national as well as other Portuguese-speaking countries pottery traditions. |
The Rooster of Barcelos and Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo
The Folk Tale of the Rooster of Barcelos tells the story of a dead rooster's miraculous intervention in proving the innocence of a man who had been falsely accused and sentenced to death. The story is associated with the 17th-century calvary that is part of the collection of the Archaeological Museum located in Paço dos Condes, a gothic-style palace in Barcelos, a city in the Braga District of northwest Portugal.
According to the tale, a landowner in Barcelos had silver stolen and the inhabitants of that city were looking for the person who had committed the crime. One day, a man from Galicia turned up and became suspect, despite his pleas of innocence. The Galician swore that he was merely passing through Barcelos on a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela to complete a promise. Nevertheless, the authorities arrested the man and condemned him to hang. The man asked them to take him in front of the judge who had condemned him. The authorities honoured his request and took him to the house of the magistrate, who was holding a banquet with some friends. Affirming his innocence, the man pointed to a roasted rooster on top of the banquet table and exclaimed, "It is as certain that I am innocent as that rooster will crow when they hang me." The judge pushed aside his plate, deciding not eat the rooster, but otherwise ignored the appeal. |
Affirming his innocence, the man pointed to a roasted rooster on top of the banquet table and exclaimed, "It is as certain that I am innocent as that rooster will crow when they hang me." The judge pushed aside his plate, deciding not eat the rooster, but otherwise ignored the appeal.
However, while the pilgrim was being hanged, the roasted rooster stood up on the table and crowed as predicted. Understanding his error, the judge ran to the gallows, to discover that the man had been saved from being hanged thanks to a poorly made knot in the rope. The man was immediately freed and sent off in peace.
Some years later, he returned to Barcelos to sculpt the Calvary (or Crucifix) to the Lord of the Rooster (Portuguese, "Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo") in praise to the Virgin Mary and to Saint James. The monument is located in the Archaeological Museum of Barcelos.
However, while the pilgrim was being hanged, the roasted rooster stood up on the table and crowed as predicted. Understanding his error, the judge ran to the gallows, to discover that the man had been saved from being hanged thanks to a poorly made knot in the rope. The man was immediately freed and sent off in peace.
Some years later, he returned to Barcelos to sculpt the Calvary (or Crucifix) to the Lord of the Rooster (Portuguese, "Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo") in praise to the Virgin Mary and to Saint James. The monument is located in the Archaeological Museum of Barcelos.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte BRAGA
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese Catholic shrine in Tenões, outside the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount.
This sanctuary is a notable example of Christian pilgrimage site with a monumental, Baroque stairway that climbs 116 meters (381 feet). It is an important tourist attraction of Braga. On 7 July 2019, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many hilltops in Portugal and other parts of Europe have been sites of religious devotion since antiquity, and it is possible that the Bom Jesus hill was one of these. However, the first indication of a chapel over the hill dates from 1373. This chapel - dedicated to the Holy Cross - was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1629 a pilgrimage church was built dedicated to the Bom Jesus (Good Jesus), with six chapels dedicated to the Passion of Christ. |
The Douro Valley PORTO
The Douro Valley could as easily be called the enchanted valley, such is the beauty and magic that its landscapes offer.
Departing from Porto, where the river flows into the sea and where the Douro wines (table wines and Port wine), produced on its hillsides, also end up, there are various ways to get to know this cultural landscape, listed as a World Heritage Site: by road, by train, on a cruise boat and even by helicopter. None will leave you indifferent. |
Ferreira Wine Cellars PORTO
Built by a family of winemakers from the Douro, in 1751, Ferreira possessed a rich tradition and a proeminent role in the history of Porto Wine. Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira contributed significantly to the consolidation of the brand. A legendary woman with a unique personality, who became a myth and a symbol of strength, facing the adversities of 19th century Douro.
Ferreira Wine Cellars have a history of over 250 years and became a symbol of the highest quality when it comes to Port. |
São Bento railway station PORTO
São Bento Railway Station (Portuguese: estação ferroviária de São Bento) is a 20th-century railway terminal in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, in the municipality of Porto, district of Porto. The English translation of São Bento is Saint Benedict. The station is located in the Historic Centre of Porto, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as a National Monument of Portugal.
This building was constructed over a number of years, starting in 1904, based on plans by architect José Marques da Silva. The large panels of azulejo tile were designed and painted by Jorge Colaço; they were completed in 1916 and the station was then inaugurated. The murals represent moments in the country's history and the multicolored panels depict rural scenes showing the people of various regions. |
Clérigos Church PORTO
The church was built for the Brotherhood of the Clérigos (Clergy) by Nicolau Nasoni, an Italian architect and painter who left an extensive body of work in the north of Portugal during the 18th century.
The Clérigos Church was one of the first baroque churches in Portugal to adopt a typical baroque elliptic floorplan. The altarpiece of the main chapel, made of polychromed marble, was executed by Manuel dos Santos Porto. The monumental tower of the church, located at the back of the building, was only built between 1754 and 1763. The baroque decoration here also shows influence from the Roman Baroque, while the whole design was inspired by Tuscan campaniles. The tower is 75.6 metres high, dominating the city. There are 240 steps to be climbed to reach the top of its six floors. This great structure has become the symbol of the city. |
Livraria Lello
The Livraria Lello & Irmão, commonly known in English as the Lello Bookstore, is a bookstore located in civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, in the northern Portuguese municipality of Porto.
Along with Bertrand in Lisbon, it is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and frequently rated among the top bookstores in the world (placing third in lists by guidebook publisher Lonely Planet and The Guardian). |
Sanctuary of Santa Luzia
It’s a Byzantine Revival temple of the 20th century. Stands out the roof decorated with paintings, the access to which access is found in the ground floor of the Museum, via an elevator and then by a narrow staircase (price 0.80€).
From the Hill of Santa Luzia, you will enjoy a stunning view of the coast and the Valley of Lima. To ascend to the temple, you can use the cable lift (prices: 2.00€; round-trip 3.00€) departing close from the railway station. You can also go by car (3.5 km), or walking (2 km). Near the Basilica, also located in the mountains, you will find the ruins of the old Cidade de Veha Town. |
Tui
Tui (Galician pronunciation: [ˈtuj]) is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra in the autonomous community of Galicia, in Spain. It is situated in the comarca of O Baixo Miño. It is located on the right bank of the Miño River, facing the Portuguese town of Valença. The municipality of Tui is composed of 11 parishes: Randufe, Malvas, Pexegueiro, Areas, Pazos de Reis, Rebordáns, Ribadelouro, Guillarei, Paramos, Baldráns and Caldelas.
Two bridges connect Tui and Valença: Tui International Bridge (known in Portugal as Valença International Bridge or "Friendship Bridge"), completed in 1878 under the direction of Pelayo Mancebo, and a modern one from the 1990s. Both countries being signatories of the Schengen Treaty, there are normally no formalities in crossing what is the busiest border-point in northern Portugal. |