Porto Region

Arouca is characterised by a vast mountainous area of steep-sided valleys that reach their highest altitudes in the Freita and Montemuro mountains.

The municipality is in the middle of the Douro River basin and is crossed by the Paiva River. It is home to a vast ethnographic, natural and geological heritage that can be contemplated on a walk along the Paiva Walkways or from the top of the 516 Arouca – Suspension Bridge.

The area of the municipality of Arouca is classified as a UNESCO World Geopark. It is home to an important geological heritage, including the internationally essential geosites of “Trilobites Gigantes de Canelas” and “Pedras Parideiras da Castanheira”, which, together with the rest of the municipality’s natural and cultural heritage, constitute the territory’s tourism development strategy.

The town centre has a vast historical and cultural heritage, with the Monastery of Arouca as its main historical monument.

The variety and richness of the local gastronomy are particularly evident in the meat dishes and conventual and regional sweets.

Espinho has an intense maritime and rural vocation due to the territory’s physical and human characteristics.

The 8 kilometres of beaches make this municipality an actual bathing colony where you can practice different sports and explore environmental protection areas, which are home to unique species.

Surfing, bodyboarding, golf, and birdwatching are some of the most popular activities, and the territory is equipped with various infrastructures and facilities ready to receive practitioners and host competitions.

Regarding culture, mention should be made of national and international events in music, fine arts, literature, cinema, and astronomy.

Gondomar Gondomar benefits from a 37-kilometer length of the Douro River, a natural resource that gives the area breathtaking landscapes and authentic seaside retreats ideal for water sports. The influence of the Douro in the municipality is notorious and can be felt in the local gastronomy through the famous shad and lamprey dishes.

Gondomar’s cultural heritage is a source of pride for its people and a significant tourist attraction, resulting from the legacy left by the mining industry, the art of carpentry, and the goldsmiths who still produce the most beautiful filigree jewels in the world. Jewellery, in particular, is the main economic activity, and the destination has been called the “Capital of Jewellery.”

Gondomar also has a valuable built heritage, made up of manor houses and stately homes.

Maia has a privileged location, which makes it easy to reach and travel to other places in the north of Portugal, which explains the positioning of Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport and its recognition of this Municipality, as one of the most important business destinations in the country.

In addition to this accessibility platform, the municipality brings together a complete and diverse range of activities and equipment prepared to welcome visitors that will be invited to discover the historical-cultural contrasts existing between the oldest and the newest monuments, which highlight influences of Art Nouveau and Contemporary Art.

Matosinhos has a strong connection with the sea, a consequence of its coastal location and the fishing activities that developed there from a very early age. It is no coincidence that one of the best port infrastructures in the country, awarded nationally and internationally, is located here – the Port of Leixões.

Various types of fresh fish and seafood are caught daily from its extensive coastline, making local cuisine the main tourism product.

Along with this, contemporary architecture finds a vast space to express itself in this area, resulting in world-renowned works by Álvaro Siza, Fernando Távora, Alcino Soutinho or Souto Moura, such as the Boa Nova Tea House, the Matosinhos Marginal and the Marés Swimming Pool.

Oliveira de Azeméis has managed to preserve its millennia-old relics of human occupation, offering a wide range of built heritage, from the hill forts of Ul and Ossela, the windmills, the La Salette Park and Chapel of, among others.

The activity of the millers is very characteristic of this region, which produced high-quality rice and flour from an early age and also created the famous Ul bread.

In cultural terms, it is essential to highlight the presence of significant figures of Portuguese literature in the area, such as Ferreira de Castro and Eça de Queirós, as well as the promotion of various cultural and associative events.

The municipality owns an important business hub linked to the areas of footwear, metallurgy, and metalworking industries, with national and international projections. In this context, industrial tourism is getting a growing importance.

Paredes is the 27th largest municipality in Portugal and the 10th with the youngest population. Around 65 percent of the Portuguese furniture is produced here, proving the entrepreneurial nature of its inhabitants and the presence of an important industrial past that has been adapted over time.

The Sousa and Ferreira rivers have shaped the area’s landscape, characterized by mountains, valleys, and countless species of fauna and flora, natural places that make up the Park of Serras do Porto. Castromil and Banjas are home to one of the most important geological and mining sites in northern Portugal.

In addition, several mills, churches, medieval monasteries, farms, and manor houses complement the rural landscape and pay homage to the past and the importance of religion.

Vale de Cambra brings together unique natural elements that make this territory a truly “magic valley.” As part of the Great Route Montanhas Mágicas (Magical Mountains), there are many waterfalls, reservoirs, and historic villages that can be found and explored here through pedestrian and interpretive trails.

Gastronomy is the county’s ex-libris, with its dishes of roast veal, sausages, hams and wines that attract lovers of the art of eating well.

The development of the dairy industry boosted the growth of the municipality’s industrial Hub and the establishment of major national business names.

Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has a history of successive occupations, invasions and sieges, giving it the name Invicta City.

Its landscape is divided between the river and the sea. Still, its historic centre stands out for encapsulating in its monuments a vast artistic and cultural heritage, which was classified by Unesco in 1996 as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

The city gives its name to Port Wine and this makes it reach the four corners of the world through its sophisticated flavor.

Maintaining its hospitable and conservative character, Porto is also contemporary in its streets, museums, leisure centres, terraces and shopping areas.

The history of Póvoa de Varzim has been written with the sea as its protagonist. This natural element is essential for the continuity of the fishing and agricultural activities that characterize the municipality.

Those who visit the town center will find many examples of the traditional poveiro houses belonging to the proud fishing community, but also new buildings and services that reflect the town’s growth and development.

Its coastal location has been exploited to increase the destination’s tourist attractiveness, as visitors can practice different nautical activities, enjoy beaches with recognized quality – the “blue flag” – and spend time with family and friends.

Santa Maria da Feira, once known as “Terras de Santa Maria” (Lands of Santa Maria), was an important meeting point for various peoples, allowing us to collect remains dating back to different historical periods. Feira Castle, built in the 15th century, is the main tourist attraction due to its uniqueness and antiquity.

The county’s cultural offer is distinctive. The annual event “Medieval Journey in Santa Maria da Feira” is an excellent example of this, as well as the infrastructures and facilities available for cultural purposes, such as Europarque, the Paper Museum, the Lóios Museum, among others.

Industry plays an essential role in the municipality, home to the world’s largest cork processing center and the largest concentration of the footwear industry of the country.

Santo Tirso’s natural wealth is completed by the presence of two main watercourses, the rivers Leça and Ave, which bring life and colour to the magical scenery of this Place.

With a significant green area, there are several parks that can be explored through a walk or cycle path, which promotes the well-being of those who live and/or pass by.

The diversity of the municipality is also reflected in its cultural dynamics. Here you will learn about the histories and traditions of local monasteries and convents, witness popular demonstrations and participate in the activities proposed by the cultural agenda. As the ultimate symbol of artistic expression and freedom, we recommend visiting the International Museum of Contemporary Sculpture, the only one in Portugal.

In the mid-19th century, São João da Madeira became one of the largest industrial centers in Portugal, due to the establishment of the Hat Industry and, later, the development of the Footwear Industry, which gave it the name “Footwear Capital.”

At the same time, other activities in the secondary sector have been growing. The only pencil factory in the Iberian Peninsula is located in São João da Madeira, under the name of Viarco.

Its solid industrial character led to the creation of the “Industrial Heritage Circuits,” which allow you to visit the most emblematic companies and institutions linked to the sector, some of which have been converted into museums.

The Oliva Creative Factory is a cultural and artistic equipment that provides an incubator for companies in the creative industries sector and houses an exhibition center.

The municipality also has beautiful nature and leisure areas.

Surrounded by mountains and breathtaking landscapes, Trofa shows great respect for its natural and ancestral heritage, especially the presence of one of the most important archaeological sites in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, the Castro de Alvarelhos.

There are several projects to conserve and enhance the historical and cultural heritage, along with the dynamization of the natural resources through the eco-tourism and active tourism, resulting in an increase in tourism demand.

Whilst working towards the future, the municipality has an extensive industrial centre, mainly linked to the textile sector.

Valongo is surronded by two mountains – Santa Justa and Pias – giving rise to great geological and paleontological wealth. Once used for mineralization, especially in the slate extraction and processing industry, today, there is an increased effort to enhance and preserve them, through the promotion of active and nature tourism. There are many outdoor activities available to the general public, from hiking and cycling trails to horse riding and climbing.

The county’s history was also written based on the bread-making and biscuit industry, which took Valongo’s ancestral flavors to the rest of the country, thanks to the Ferreira River basin, which watered the cornfields and powered the mills.

Memories of these past times can be explored in the municipality’s museum infrastructures, as well as at some of the cultural events.

As a coastal town, Vila do Conde contemplates a landscape marked by beaches and sea, where traditions linked to fishing and shipbuilding stand out.

Here, it is also possible to explore a well-preserved historic centre with a vast architectural, archaeological and craft legacy.

Anyone who visits Vila do Conde witnesses the existence of an offer, which inherits the traditions of a people who live together and make use of the natural resources available from the land and the sea and which translates into a rich and diverse local gastronomy that invites you to taste exquisite dishes from fish and seafood, as well as conventual delicatessens produced by local people.

Vila Nova de Gaia opens the doors to a historic centre full of intertwined streets, ageing houses, sturdy monasteries and old warehouses where the famous Port wine is made.

The geography of the municipality is marked by the presence of an extensive sea and river strip that results in the offer of a wide variety of beaches and walkways. At a national level, Gaia is the second municipality with the most Blue Flag beaches in the country.

Its natural conditions have made it possible to establish fishing traditions in some parishes, such as Afurada and Aguda, where gastronomy is very popular.

The territory’s natural wealth is vast and a cause for increased concern for conserving its fauna and flora, such as the Biological Park, the Aguda Coastal Station and the Douro Estuary Nature Reserve.