Villas in Northern Portugal

Eager to discover the sights, sounds and tastes of Northern Portugal? Here you will find mountains for hiking, beaches to relax on, medieval villages and towns to explore and delicious wines to taste in the regions of Minho, Costa Verde and the Douro Valley. Find fantastic villas in and around Lamego, popular for the production of Port wines or in Amarante, producers of sparkling green wine. Stay in quaint Praia da Costa Nova, historic Viana do Castelo, beautiful Braga, medieval Guimaraes or Porto, home to the best dessert wines and port. Discover Northern Portugal and enjoy your dream villa.

You can choose from a wide selection of holiday villas to an exceptional standard. Find several villas with exclusive amenities and an unsurpassed level of quality and service. To enjoy some sea views, choose the villas located on hills and elevated residential areas. Most of them can offer amazing swimming pools, manicured gardens, lovely patios, terraces and large areas for entertainment. These are perfect for families or groups of friends. Thinking of celebrating a special event? Some villas are specific for large parties and celebrations with room for 14 people. If you are a sporty person and you like spending your holidays practising your favourite sport, some villas have tennis courts and sport playgrounds to enjoy an active holiday time.

North Portugal is an area of exceptionally good wines that match a fine and exquisite gastronomy. From Port to Vinho Verde and DOC Douro and sweet dessert wines, wine lovers can enjoy a unique experience touring the birthplace of these wines and discovering the hints and flavours that have given them so much fame and prestige. The Douro Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the famous Port wine, still produced in unique conditions and an old fashioned way, and the DOC Douro wines. Another appreciated wine variety is Vinho Verde, fruity and lighter, produced in northwest Portugal. The favourite Vinho Verde is Alvarinho, produced in Monção and Melgaço, in the region of Minho. Taste also the Douro Moscatel wine and the sparkling wine from Távora-Varosa.

Northern Portugal is home to several historic cities with old buildings and monuments telling the history of those walls and stones. Explore the Renaissance fountain, the Romanesque cathedral or the Flemish style church of the medieval port city of Viana do Castelo. The Baroque village of Lamego, in the Douro region is filled with history including an important sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, a stone cistern, a 12th century castle and a lovely church. Amarante is one of those little and pretty villages with a special charm and Romanesque architecture, religious monuments and the lovely St. Gonçalo church, which is said to look magical as the sunlight shines upon it. In Guimaraes, considered the birthplace of Portugal, you will find Gothic buildings, a medieval old town and the ruins of a castle. History abounds in Northern Portugal and is waiting for you to come and see it.

Part of travelling is getting to taste the typical cuisine of a region, country or town. Northern Portugal offers a great variety of dishes and if you want to eat like a local, indulge in codfish, smoked sausages, medium-rare meat and tripe! Do as the locals do. In Porto, try some “tripas à moda do Porto” which are basically tripes, beans and cured sausages. In the Douro Valley go for some “Cozido à Portuguesa”, a boiled dinner with a mix of veggies and meats and finally, smoked sausages, such as blood sausage, “chourizo”, and “farinheira”. Wash it down with some Douro wines. In Braga, sample some “Bacalhau à Braga”, a traditional dish of codfish with an explosion of flavours. In Mirandela, indulge in “Alheira de Mirandela”, one of the Seven Food Wonders of Portugal and imagine the flavour of this smoked sausage melting in your mouth. Also, in Bragança, you can taste two of the most characteristic dishes in northern Portugal - “Caldo verde” and “Posta à Mirandesa”, a medium-rare beef steak with potatoes and drizzled with olive oil.

As we have mentioned above, Northern Portugal is an excellent region for wine production. Take a journey to the riches of the past and enjoy the Vinho Verde wine tour exploring Guimarães, Braga and Amarante. Another route is from Cávado to Lima, taking you to Barcelos, Viana do Castelo, Ponte de Lima, Ponte da Barca and Arcos de Valdevez. And a third tour runs along the border with Galicia, where you will enjoy in Caminha, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Valença and Monção, capital of the famous Alvarinho. For Port wine routes there are endless routes along the Douro River and in Lamego. Want a better experience? In the Demarcated Douro Region, several farms welcome visitors during September and October to experience the art of Port wine taking part in the harvest!

Porto is a coastal city known for its stately bridges and port wine production. In the medieval Ribeira district there is a maze of narrow cobbled streets wind past merchants’ houses and cafes. São Francisco Church or Santa Clara are known for their lavish baroque interiors with ornate gilded woodwork. An impressive Palácio de Bolsa and a lovely neighbourhood to watch the sun go down, Foz de Douro. Enjoy Porto and the laid-back atmosphere.

The Douro Valley, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, oozes beauty, magic and incredible landscapes to enjoy fantastic activities during your holidays. Visit some wine producing quintas in Vila Nova de Gaia, where Port wine is aged, join the grape harvest, go on an environmental cruise near Mirando do Douro and explore the wine growing villages of Barcos, Favaios, Provessende, Ucanh, Salzedas and Trevões. In Pinhão, the railway station is a must-see and before arriving in Pocinho, visit the castle of Numão. Carved valleys, inclined terraces, exposed vines and man’s labour shape a unique landscape, green in summer and flame-coloured in autumn. Plan your journey today!

Close to the Spanish border, Valença, also known as Valença do Minho is a region to discover the authentic flavour of the region. This fortified village is located above the Minho River, that separates the village from Spain, and it is one of the greenest areas in Northern Portugal. It keeps the citadel walls, a wonder of military engineering. Visit the village, browse the little shops and enjoy a nice meal at any of the eateries.

The largest protected area in Portugal is in the north of the country. Here we find Peneda-Gerês National Park a beautiful and stunning region with a rich wildlife, holly woods and giant oaks. Hike the paths and enjoy the silence and the animals you can spot along the way. Garrano ponies wander freely, roe deer and Iberian wolves can also be seen sometimes. Besides the animals, you will see traces of older human life in Roman milestones, menhirs and cromlechs.

Espigueiros are old corn granaries, made from granite and sometimes of wood, supported by stone legs. These peculiar structures scattered around the village of Soajo are very common in Galicia as well, where they call them “hórreos”. Near the church you will find a spot with several granaries still used to keep corn cool and dry. The oldest one dates to 1872.