Northern Portugal

Northern Portugal (Portuguese: Região do Norte) is the "oldest" region of Portugal, where the nation began.

Regions

Regions of Northern Portugal

Douro Litoral centred on the city of Porto, now the capital of the Norte Region

Minho Portugal's northernmost region, centered on the city of Braga and bordering Galicia, Spain

Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Portugal's northeast corner, where vast plateaus, river valleys, mountains, and castles abound. The Alto Douro Wine Region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Cities

• 1 Porto — the main hub and largest city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 2 Amarante — a beautiful city and a popular pilgrimage destination
• 3 Braga — the country's religious capital city, sprawling along the Cávado valley
• 4 Bragança — one of the oldest cities in Portugal, with a fine medieval castle
• 5 Espinho — a seaside resort and fishing town
• 6 Guimarães — the founding place of the nation, an historic city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 7 Lamego — an ancient city, dating back to Roman times, where D. Afonso Henriques was acclaimed the first King of Portugal in 1140
• 8 Póvoa de Varzim — one of the oldest fishing towns in Portugal, and a beach resort
• 9 Viana do Castelo — visitors come for the Pilgrimage of Nossa Senhora da Agonia and the amazing views of the Lima River

Other destinations

• 1 Alto Douro Wine Region – 2,000 year-old wine region, where Port wine (vinho do Porto) is produced, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 2 Peneda-Gerês National Park — Portugal's only national park, set in the mountains of Peneda, Larouco, and Geres
• 3 Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley — prehistoric archaeological area and an inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site

Understand

Região do Norte (rr(ih)-zhee-UHNW doo NOHR-t(ih), /ʁɨ.ʒi.ˈɐ̃w du ˈnoɾ.tɨ/)

Visitor information

• Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal, ☏ +351 258 820 270, turismo@portoenorte.pt. They have tourist offices throughout the north of the country. (updated Jun 2021)

Talk

While Portuguese is the national language throughout the country, Mirandese is a recognized local language spoken in the Terra de Miranda area around Miranda do Douro.

Get in

• Campanhã railway station
• Sá Carneiro Airport (Porto Airport), (OPO ^IATA)

Get around

Teleférico de Gaia with the Dom Luís I Bridge

Drive, take the bus or train; subway in Porto metropolitan area.

See

• Porto Riverside (Ribeira do Porto)
• Castles in Guimarães, Feira, Bragança
• Basilica in Viana do Castelo
• Valença Fortification
• Natural wonders of the Douro Valley, Miranda do Douro and Peneda-Gerês National Park

Do

• Porto museums
• Walk through Dom Luis bridge
• Beaches
• Casinos of Espinho and Povoa.
• Douro river cruise

Eat

Bacalhau (cod), Francesinha

Drink

Port wine

Stay safe

Generally safe.

Go next

• Aveiro — city noted for its canals and Art Nouveau architecture
• Beiras – Portugal's central region to the south
• Castile and Leon — Spanish region to the east and northeast with many UNESCO World Heritage cities
• Coimbra — site of Portugal's most oldest and most prestigious university
• Galicia — Spanish region to the north whose Galego language is closely related to Portuguese
• Viseu — historic cathedral city