Private tours in Oporto & surroundings
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Program
The area of Tras-Os-Montes ("behind the mountains") extends from the Spanish border in the north, east to the mountains of Vila Real.
It is a green and fertile area of rolling hills. The countryside of the region is typified by picturesque villages nestling among vine-covered
hills and historic towns. It is a very satisfying area to visit, with nature reserves, historic towns, sleepy hamlets, mountainous
landscapes, natural parks and the vineyards which produce the varieties of the famous Port wine.
Now as in the past, population is clustered in the fertile valleys (especially the upper Douro valley), where the soil is good for growing
grapes and fruit. The bare, dry arid plateau provides grazing for sheep and goats. In addition to agriculture the region has a long tradition
of handicrafts such as weaving, lace and pottery.
The old-world little town of Chaves, the Roman Aquae Flaviae, lies on a plateau in northern Portugal near the Spanish frontier, in an area
watered by the Rio Tâmega which has been intensively cultivated since ancient times. As far back as the Romans there has been recourse
to the town's hot springs and the modern thermal baths below the castle are well used today. With a substantial stone bridge over the
Rio Tâmega built in the reign of Trajan, it became an important staging point on the road between Asturica Augusta (Astorga) and
Bracara Augusta (Braga). During the Middle Ages it was a stronghold defending Portuguese territory. The town still presents a sturdy
defensive face to the world, its powerful castle rearing above the white houses with their balconies and arcades.
Crossing the Tâmega river, the Roman bridge is one of the most characteristic images of the city. The 14th century castle houses the
Archeology and Epigraphy Museum. The forts of São Francisco and São Neutel (18th century), the mother-church (Romanesque origin),
and the Misericórdia Church (Baroque) are worthy of a visit. Notice the original balconies of the houses in Rua Direita.
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Vila Real - Wiped out by Gothic and Muslim invasions, the region of Serra Marao was empty until the 12th century, when King Dinis established Vila
Real (pop. 25,000). The medieval city overlooks the deep gorges of the Corgo and Cabril Rivers in the foothills of the Serra, and is the gateway to Parque
Natural do Alvãois, Portugal’s smallest natural park. Its 8,000 hectares of pine-covered paradise, only 15km north of Vila Real, offers excellent short hiking
trails. Vila Real’s most visited site is the Casa de Mateus, considered to be a perfect example of Portuguese Baroque and "the most fantastic country
house in Portugal", world-famous for being featured on the label of Mateus Rosé wine. Although the Mangualde family still live there, parts of it are open
to the public. Inside the palace there are magnificent wood ceilings as well as valuable furniture, carpets, paintings and silverware, and an interesting
porcelain collection. However, the beauty of the gardens actually surpasses that of the Solar de Mateus, among the most beautiful in Europe, with box
hedges, statues and the ancient tunnel formed by topiaried thuya is a work of art; the trees allow scarcely any light to enter.
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...The Tras-os-Montes region is the north eastern part of Portugal where the northern part of the region is known as the Terra Fria
(cold land) due to its harsh winters where the extremes in winters and summers have led to the local quip to describe the climate
"nine months of winter and three months of hell". The southern part of the region is known as Terra Quente (hot land) is much
more Mediterranean in climate. It is one of the least well-known areas in Portugal and retains much of Portugal's traditions and
charm. It is a beautiful part of the world with stunning mountains of the Montesinho Natural Park in the north and the lower hills
dotted with regular rows of almond and olive trees that colour the landscape with their blossom in March and April. The name —
Beyond-the-Mountains and Upper Douro — refers to the location on the "other" (eastern) side of such mountains as Marão, Alvão
and Gerês, which separate the coast from the interior, and along the upper valley of the Douro River. In this centuries-old "corner
of the corner of Europe", alone, in a struggle against the harsh soil and inclement climate, a character was formed: "that of the sad
demeanor, the mistrusting air, courageous, daring, hardworking, loyal, and with strength of character a way of life."...
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