From the interior of Trás-os-Montes to the Minho coast of Portugal
The national road 103, which crosses the country from side to side, connecting Viana do Castelo to Bragança, is one of the most genuine road routes in Porto and the North. There are a total of 274 kilometers that can be covered in its entirety or in several stages, on foot, by car, by motorcycle or by bicycle.
It is impossible to enumerate the potential of this beautiful road, but the truth is that its ancient orology, vegetation and landscape characteristics take the traveler on a journey through twelve municipalities that are traveled at the rhythm as their specificities change significantly as the territory is crossed. north of the interior to the Portuguese coast.
These are some of these physical metamorphoses, but also transformations that stand out in this itinerary that crosses seterios; it has heritage from all periods and architectural styles; rural and urban landscape, natural parks, endogenous products; native races, hunting and fishing areas, golf, spas, horseback riding, nature activities, gastronomy extreme sports, some of the best in the country, in addition to immemorial traditions.
Leaving Bragança from the Flor da Ponte roundabout – not before visiting its historic center to see the castle, the Domus Municipalis, the citadel, the Cathedral and the various museums and interpretation centers – the N103 heads towards Vinhais.
In the surroundings, the S. Bartolomeu Viewpoint and the gateway to the Montesinho Natural Park stand out. The Park Interpretive Center and the Porco e do Fumeiro Interpretive Center are, along with the magnificent Vinhais Biological Park, some of the gems not to be missed in this county of chestnuts and Bísaro pork of undeniable quality.
Continuing along the incredible N103, you reach the lands of Valpaços. The surroundings of the Rabaçal River are unavoidable at these stops: the park and its river beach, the bridge, the ecovia and the interpretive center are part of this open-air complex. The Equestrian Center of Travancas, the abandoned village of Picões and regional products such as chestnuts from the chestnut groves of Carrazedo de Montenegro and Folar de Valpaços are a must to visit before continuing your journey.
Arriving in Chaves, the route must include a Ponte de Trajano, a circuit through the historic center to get to know the religious heritage and some important equipment, not forgetting, of course, the thermal complex and a few Chaves pastries along the way.
In Boticas, at the county seat, the highlight goes to the Nadir Afonso Arts Center, the Rural Museum, the Historical Repository of the Wine of the Dead, not to mention the scenic surroundings of Boticas Parque, the Pedrinha Bridge over the Beça river, the water and the walkway. To refresh yourself in these mineral waters, there is nothing better than visiting the nearby Aldeia de Carvalhelhos and its castro.
The next stop is in Montalegre, a county with unmistakable uses and attire in Parque da Peneda Geres, the only Portuguese natural park with a «national park» that is over 50 years old. Like the Alto Rabagão and Venda Nova reservoirs, amazing viewpoints along the road and villages lost in the mountains such as Pitões de Júnias are unavoidable before a stop to rest in the center. The imposing castle and the main space of the Ecomuseu do Barroso, which has four centers in the county, complete the route in this land of festivities every Friday, the 13th of the year.
Watching along the trajectory for the transition from Trás-os-Montes to Minho through the evident changes in the relief, in the flora, in the flora, in all the aspects of the landscape, we arrive at the municipality of Vieira do Minho, famous for the Dam da Caniçada, Albufeira do Ermal, outdoor sports such as telesky, climbing, trekking, the village of Agra, panoramic swings and many granaries in the heart of Peneda Gerês National Park.
The 103 continues on to Póvoa de Lanhoso. Land of hardworking artisans, especially in the peculiar art of transforming into meticulous works of filigree – admirable in the Gold Museum and in the Casa da Filigrana – the county seat, the towering castle and surroundings full of good pretexts also stand out. small stops: Monte do Pilar, Castro de Lanhoso, Praia Fluvial de Verim, Barragem das Andorinhas and “Diverlanhoso”, an adventure tourism complex with equipment and breathtaking landscapes.
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In the municipality of Braga, the city of the archbishops, it is impossible to visit Sameiro and Porto’s most recent gem and historic historic UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary and then wander through the streets of its center for a long time to visit the sublime Cathedral, the churches, the palaces and the various museums in the city.
Moving on to Barcelos, the city of culture and the impressive, it is essential to know the monumental set of its historic center, with the various churches, cruises, squares and ornate streets Galos de Barcelos to remind everyone that this is the land of the artisans of the family. Ramalho, known worldwide for his figures of barros su generis.
The Medieval “Peregrinos de Santiago”, the Cávado River, Monte da Franqueira with splendid views, the Largo with its weekly fair and the roasted rooster – legendary linked to the “miracle” of the Festa das Cruzes – Accompanied by Vinho Verde from the demarcated region of Minho make this county an epicenter of the culture and history of the entire North of Portugal.
After Barcelos, the National 103 enters the municipality of Esposende, an Atlantic attraction for lovers of nautical sports and vacationers of all latitudes. The Maritime Museum, the Lighthouse and the São João Baptista Fort are places that testify to the importance of this location on the Portuguese coast. The North Coast Natural Park, the Cávado Estuary, Foz do Neiva and the municipality’s blue beaches are some of the treasures that cannot be forgotten on this road trip.
This impressive road ends in S. Romão de Neiva, a town belonging to the municipality of Viana do Castelo, where the magnificent Benedictine Monastery of S. Romão de Neiva stands out. Viana is one of the Portuguese ethnographic lands, thanks to its procession costumes of the greatest tradition of Rome of Senhora da Agonia and the folkloric groups of the county, immortalized in the Museu do Traje. It is a full district capital, proud of its historic center with a vast heritage and a whole set of mountain and sea attractions. The Gil Eannes Hospital Ship, the Urban Ecological Park, the Monte de Santa Luzia, where the sanctuary shrine shines at the top, along with the viewpoints, the beaches and its famous Viana pie, make it unique on the entire north coast. from Portugal.
This magnificent path described in the Grand Prix of Literature, José, is all this and much more. It crosses several protected areas, UNESCO Transfrontier Biosphere Reserves: Iberian Plateau, Douro International Natural Park, Montesinho Natural Park, Peneda Gerês National Park, North Coast Natural Park. It is flanked by different rivers: Douro, Angueira, Sabor, Baceiro, Tuela, Rabaçal, Tâmega, Beça, Rabagão, Cávado, Neiva and by different mountains: Montesinho, Padrela, Larouco, Gerês. It has support in several areas of the road, as well as cafes, restaurants, esplanades, tourist accommodation units and entertainment companies prepared to give wings to the imagination and the preparation of recreational activities of various types and interests.
The Regional Tourism Entity of Porto and Northern Portugal and municipalities that are carrying out a work to promote and publicize this extraordinary road in the country and abroad.
Learn more at: https://onortelaemcima.pt/
Published in the August issue of Comunidades Magazine