Portugal

Praia do Cabedelo (& 25/833-24-85), open Tuesday to Sunday noon to 3pm and 7pm
to 1am.
6 VILA REAL
399km (247 miles) NE of Lisbon; 113km (70 miles) E of Porto
The capital of Trás-os-Montes is a lively little town built on a hilly plateau in the foothills
of the Serra do Marão. Bridges across the ravines link some parts of town. Gorges cut by
the Corgo and Cabril rivers, which flow together here, are visible from a terrace high
above, where a castle once stood. The lookout is reached in a direct line from the cemetery.
From this vicinity, you can also see houses overhanging the ravine of the Corgo.
You can spend a worthy 2 hours or so wandering through Vila Real’s historic core and
enjoy a glass of port in one of the cafes, which brim with youthful energy. The main
sights and buildings of interest are along the Avenida Carvalho Araújo.
The agricultural town makes a good base for many beautiful trips into the area,
including the Parque Nacional do Alvão to the northwest, with its waterfalls, flowerfilled
valleys, and ravines. The tourist office provides maps and suggests places to visit.
To drive to the park, follow the IP-4 west for 10km (6 1 ⁄4 miles), turning onto N304 heading
for Mondim de Bastro and Campeã. This stretch takes you through some of the most
scenic areas of Trás-os-Montes—once you’ve passed through the dreary modern suburbs
of Vila Real, which are in marked contrast to the mellow historic core.
ESSENTIALS
Arriving
BY TRAIN Currently, there is no rail service, but that could change in the life of this
edition. For information, call & 808/208-208.
BY BUS Buses from Porto take only 2 hours. There are 15 runs a day, and the one-way
fare is 7.50€. Five buses a day make the 5-hour and 50-minute trip from Lisbon. The
cost is 18€ one-way. For information and schedules, call & 25/932-26-74.
BY CAR From Porto, continue east along the express route, A4, following signs to
Amarante, where you continue east along N15 into Vila Real.
Visitor Information
The Vila Real tourist office is at Av. Carvalho Araújo 94 (& 25/932-28-19; www.cmvilareal.pt).
It’s open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 7pm, Saturday 9:30am to 12:30pm
and 2 to 6pm.
EXPLORING THE TOWN You won’t be dazzled by “must-see” monuments, although
the historic core as a whole makes for an interesting walk. Vila Real is called a Royal Town
because it contains many formerly aristocratic houses dating from the 16th to the 18th
centuries. It’s fun to poke your nose down the tiny offshoot streets, hoping to make discoveries.
The main monuments are concentrated in and around Avenida Carvalho Araújo.
Chief among these is the Capela Nova (New Chapel), sometimes called the Capela
dos Clérigos (Chapel of the Clergy) by the locals. It is the finest baroque monument in
Vila Real. The architecture might have been the work of Nicolau Nasoni, the 18th-century
master. It has a floral facade. The chapel lies 2 blocks east of the cathedral, Rua dos
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THE MINHO REGION & TRÁS-OS-MONTES 14
VILA REAL