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Day Trips from Porto (Portugal)

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ILC-blog-Day-Trips-Porto-PortugalVisitors to the city of Porto in northern Portugal should consider exploring the area surrounding this beautiful city. The following towns are all located just an hour or less from Porto by car:

Guimarães – located just 30 minutes from Porto, this picturesque medieval city was the birthplace of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, and the country’s first capital.  It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and served as the European Capital of Culture in 2012. For more information, click here.

The town is so quaint that many decide to spend a night to truly take in all of its charms. Visitors can stay in the 12th C. Augustinian convent built by King Afonso Henrique’s mother Teresa, which is now the Pousada de Santa Marinha.  It is located about 3 km. from the town square on a hilltop overlooking the city. For more information and reservations, click here.

Braga – located 45 minutes from Porto, this beautiful city of Baroque monuments is well known for its Holy Week processions, and is the capital of the Minho region. Here you will find the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, one of the country’s best known sites.  This hilltop pilgrimage site can be reached by car, by ascending the monumental stairway on foot, or by old-fashioned funicular. For more information, click here.

Mesão Frio – after visiting some of the port wine lodges in Porto, take a break and drive about 1 hour outside of the city to explore the beautiful countryside and the actual vineyards of Portugal’s Douro Valley wine country. For information on the area and some of the vineyards, click here.

Photo credit: Turismo de Guimarães / Câmara Municipal de Guimarães

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Sites to See…What to See in Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

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ILC-blog-Sites-to-See-Santiago-SpainSantiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia, is best known for its magnificent cathedral, and as the final resting place of St. James the Apostle. It is believed that his remains were brought back from Palestine and buried here.

The tomb was said to have been rediscovered in 814 AD. King Alfonso II built a chapel on the site in the 9th C., which was later replaced by the present cathedral in the 11th C. when the early church burned down. The cathedral is the final destination for pilgrims who follow the Way of St. James through Europe and across northern Spain each year.

Here is a list of some of the things to see during your stay in Santiago:

  • Catedral de Santiago – completed in 1211, it is largest Romanesque church in Spain, and one of the largest in Europe. For more information, click here.
  • Plaza del Obradoiro – the main square is bordered by the city’s most important monuments, including the Cathedral, Palacio de Rajoy (Town Hall), and Royal Hospital.
  • Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea – Contemporary art museum that houses a good permanent collection, along with temporary exhibits. For more information, click here.
  • Museo do Pobo Galego – the former Convento de Santo Domingo de Bonaval houses the Galician Folk Museum, which exhibits interesting info on traditional life in Galicia, including fishing boats, bagpipes, costumes, and crafts. For more information, click here.
  • Museo das Peregrinacións – the Pilgrimage Museum is housed in the 14th C. Gothic House, and provides an overview of the history of the pilgrimage routes and rituals, and its contribution to the development of the city. For more information, click here.
  • Pazo de Xelmirez – constructed between the 12-13th centuries,  the palace of Archbishop Gelmírez is considered one of the outstanding examples of civic Romanesque architecture in Spain. For more information, click here.
  • Praza da Quintana – located behind the cathedral, this square is a popular meeting place in Santiago.

Photo credit: © Turismo de Santiago

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Next Stop…Mesão Frio, Portugal

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The Douro Region is so beautiful and has such a rich wine history, dating back 2,000 years, that UNESCO declared the region a World Heritage Site in 2001. We couldn’t agree more, as it is one of our favorite areas in Portugal.

Mesão Frio is only a short drive (80 km) east of Porto, and is a place where visitors will be transported back in time. The town has long been linked with wine making, and as you drive through the picturesque countryside you will see many vineyards, estates and manor houses that date from the 17th and 18th C.

Besides being home to some of the best wines in Portugal, the area also has many places of interest. Sites to see in the area include the Convento de São Gonçalo (Amarante), Sé Catedral de Lamego (Lamego), Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Lamego), Mosteiro de São João de Tarouca (Tarouca), and Ponte de Ucanha (Tarouca). Driving around the area is just magical, but you may want to also experience the journey by boat, train, or even helicopter.

Once you’re finished visiting the area’s tourist sites it may be time for a break, so why not visit a vineyard or two. Here are a few options:

Quinta do Côtto (Montez Champalimaud, Lda. Quinta do Côtto Cidadelhe) – “…Quinta do Côtto estate has 70 hectares of vineyards that are already mentioned in the first documents related with the implementation of vineyards in the Douro valley. The existing manor house is a large and elegant building from the 18th century, built upon an older building from the 15th and 16th centuries, whose remains can still be seen.” For more information, click here. The vineyard is about a 15 minute drive from Mesão Frio.

Quinta de Marrocos (Valdigem) – “The Quinta de Marrocos, one of the oldest in the Demarcated Region of the Douro, provides excellent views over the River Douro and contact with the marcos de feitoria, the solid granite pillars that were set up in 1757 to demarcate the region and which still stand there. At the beginning of the last century, the great grandfather of the current owner, César Sequeira, acquired the Quinta de Marrocos, where the house consisted of the old Franciscan Monastery. Since 1979, César Sequeira has continued in the wine growing business…” For more information, click here.  The vineyard is about a 20 minute drive from Mesão Frio.

Quinta do Seixo (Valença do Douro) – “On the south bank of the river Douro, in Cima-Corgo, right opposite the Quinta do Porto lies Quinta do Seixo, which provides a breathtaking, stunning view over the river Douro…With about 108 acres in total, production at Quinta do Seixo relies on 71 acres of selected vineyards, planted on terraces and under the vinha ao alto vertical vineyard system.” For more information, click here and for visit information, click here.  The vineyard is about a 40 minute drive from Mesão Frio.

Photo credit: © Christopher Pappas · All rights reserved.

As usual, thanks for reading. Please visit International Lodging Corporation at our home page.