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PORTUGAL (North) - Historic towns ,cities and the green (verde) region

 

Take the trip heading out of Northern Spain to the remote mountainous Verde (Green) region of Portugal, and travel back via the historic towns and cities of Braganza, Guimares, Braga, Santiago de Compostela and Gijon.
Photo shows Braganza - the Citadel
HOW TO GET THERE
We completed this trip with a car and towed caravan*. The main loop of the trip inside Spain and then into Portugal could just as easily start anywhere within it, and you could do it in a car staying in hotels or other accommodation. Headed to Portugal from the UK or Northern Europe you have plenty of options on land routes and stops on the way across France. Alternatively there are ferries into Santander and Bilbao from the UK. We took three weeks to complete the main trip loop, and a further week in total on the outward and return journeys across France taking the ferry from Newhaven(UK) to Dieppe(F).

* please see notes on travelling with a caravan or motorhome underneath the header 'Caravanning' next to 'Home' above. Suggestions for campsites are at the end of this post.

  ROUTE
This route follows many of the towns and cities along the various routes of the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage paths leading from France, Spain and Portugal to the World Heritage site of Santiago de Compostela.
  PAMPLONA
From the North Eastern corner of Spain you are within easy reach of the city of Pamplona set high in the mountains above the coast. It is 51 miles from San Sebastian, or 73 miles from Bilbao. Pamplona is famed for the San Fermin Bull Run, a crazy helter skelter dash through crowded narrow streets.
PAMPLONA - statue of the Bull Run
The tall, balconied city centre buildings and other classical architecture make this a distinctive city. The old town is compact and easy to walk around. The San Domingo food market is well worth a visit - it is the oldest in the city, conveniently sited behind the distinctive town hall building. The 14th century cathedral has a grandiose interior and cloisters, sitting behind the old city walls that tower above the river. The old Citadel (fortress) is now a large attractive park with an art gallery just a short walk from the old town.
  LOGRONO
Logrono is about 1-1.5 hours driving on from Pamplona. This is the capital of La Rioja region, famous for its fine wines. The city has a small old quarter, bordering the Ebro river. You can visit some of the original wine cellars in the centre, as well as the modern wineries on the city’s outskirts.
A section of the Camino de Santiago passes through here from Pamplona on route to Burgos and Leon before reaching Santiago de Compestela.
The path tracks the main road in quite a few places and you will spot plenty of pilgrims on the next part of your journey on to Tordesillas. There are broad vistas across the rolling plains where you will see lines of pilgrims crossing the wild terrain.
  TORDESILLAS
The journey from Logrono on to Tordesillas is around a 3 hour drive. This small historic town has a pretty centre with an arcaded square containing bars, restaurants and cafes. There is a well-preserved long medieval bridge spanning the River Duero below the town. The outstanding attraction here is what is known as the “Alhambra of Castile” - the Moorish influenced architecture and lavish interiors of the Real Convento de Santa Clara perched high above the river.
TORDESILLAS- Real Convento de Santa Clara
Originally this had been built in the fourteenth century as a Royal Palace, including Arab Baths and a central arcaded flower garden that was later repurposed as the convent’s cloister.
  BRAGANZA
A 2.5 hour drive from Tordesillas will bring you across the Spain/Portugal border to Braganza. This town has a special place in Portugese history as the original base of the Braganza royal family who ruled the country for nearly four hundred years up to the end of the monarchy at the beginning of the 20th century. The marvel here is how unspoiled the walled Citadel is after all this time (see also the picture at head of this post).
BRAGANZA - houses in the Citadel
The buildings date back as far as the 12th century and there is a well preserved Romanesque 13th century civic hall - the Domus Municipalis.
A short round trip from here into the Montesinho National Park will reward you with a good close up of the surrounding countryside, with the lovely medieval villages of Franca and Montesinho to wander around.
MONTESINHO NATIONAL PARK - hillside village

  GUIMARAES
It will take you 2.5 hours or so to reach Guimaraes from Braganza. The city is the original capital of Portugal, founded in the 12th century. Much of the old city centre is relatively unchanged since the medieval era. It is compact and easily explored on foot. The old town is overlooked by the 10th century  castle, the Castelo de Sao Miguel, which is featured on the Portugese coat of arms. The adjacent palace, the 15th century Paço dos Duques, houses an interesting museum with furnishings and paintings.
GUIMARAES - Paco dos Duques
Another standout museum, the Museu de Alberto Sampaio, is at the far end of the old town, a short walk down the narrow cobbled streets, situated in the cloister of the church Nossa Senhora da Oliveira. This has some outstanding religious artefacts including interior decorations, paintings, Azulejos( blue tiles), and other ceramic items.
The iron age Celtic hill settlement of Citania de Briteiros is near to Guimaraes, reputed to be among the best of Portugal’s archaeological sites. Dating from the 4th century BC and inhabited until the 4th century AD, it was under Roman rule for part of the latter period.
CITANIA DE BRITEIROS - Celtic Hill settlement
Partly restored /reconstructed, it is easy to walk round on the original paved streets, with the outline of more than 150 dwellings/communal buildings. Set in a picturesque setting, this monument has a great historic feel to it.
  BRAGA
You may want to find a convenient stopping point for several days to cover both Guimaraes and Braga as they are very close together, only half an hour’s driving. Braga has a long history stretching back to pre-Roman times, and much of its centre is well preserved including some of the defensive walls and towers of the old castle. The biggest part of the old town  was modelled in the 17th/18th centuries in the flamboyant Baroque and Rococo styles of architecture. A wander around the old parts of the city will reveal many attractive aspects including squares, arches and elaborately constructed and decorated palaces, churches and other civic/commercial buildings.
BRAGA
The Palacio dos Biscainhos contains a museum showing off the typical 17th/18th century interior furnishings and decor in a beautifully preserved palace with lovely gardens.
BRAGA - Palacio de Biscainhos gardens
5 miles from the centre of Braga you will find the stunning UNESCO world heritage site of Bom Jesus. This is a Baroque church set at the head of a monumental stairway linking three sections with statues, small buildings, fountains and flower beds/small gardens.
BOM JESUS
The first part of the stairs has chapels marking the 14 Stations of the Cross, the scenes leading to Christ’s crucifixion. The middle section depicts the five human senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch . The  top section finishes with depictions of the Three Virtues of faith, hope and charity. The scale and extravagance of this site can be appreciated first on a ride up by funicular, and then a slow descent on foot. The setting is in woods high above the city of Braga with views back to the spreading urban landscape.
  VIANA DO CASTELO
Headed towards the coast, it will take about an hour to reach Viana do Castelo. This small town, set at the mouth of the River Lima, reveals the wealth derived from Portugese exploration and colonisation across the world. The grandiose mansions and civic buildings are easily viewed on foot in the compact old town. A short walk will take you to a nice beach, the Praia do Cabedelo.
A half hour drive up the coast will bring you to Caminha, close to the Spanish border, a picturesque port town with a main square packed with a fountain, ancient buildings including a castellated town hall, and a clock tower.
Cafés and restaurants are clustered nearby and make for a lively environment. There are nearby the remnants of the old city walls, with the 15th century church attached.
CAMINHA
On the way back, or if you prefer on the way there, you can stop off at the large beach with boardwalks across the sand dunes at Praia de Ancora, a popular watersport venue.
  SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Travelling back into Spain you will reach Santiago de Compestela in just over a couple of hours. You should arrive a lot more lively than many of the weary pilgrims who have traversed the Caminhos to get here. The heart of the city around the cathedral is designated a UNESCO world heritage site, now pedestrianised and easily walkable, leave aside a few gradients and more than a few flights of stairs! The star attractions are the magnificent cathedral and its huge square, thronged with pilgrims and tourists.
SANTIAGO DE COMPESTELA - Cathedral
Away from the square there are lots of quiet and attractive corners of the old town. The Museum of Pilgrimage and Santiago tells the history of this place and the journeys it has inspired as a centrepiece of world religions.
GIJON
Leaving Santiago you should reach the north Spanish coast at Gijon in about 3.5 hours. This is very much a working city but has retained little of its past due to the destruction during the 20th century Civil War, and the reconstruction  which was required afterwards.
GIJON - Harbour
The remnants of the old city are restricted to the Cimadevilla, situated on a headland above the main part of the city. You can reach this on foot, visiting the Roman Baths, several squares, churches, a palace housing an art gallery and a large park looking out to sea. You can find everything in Gijon you would expect in a modern urban environment but it’s such a shame that so much of the past is missing from this the largest city in the Asturias province.
On the outskirts of the City lies the impressively stocked and landscaped Jardin Botánico Atlántico containing local and global botanical collections.
GIJON - Jardin Botanico Atlantico
LAREDO
Laredo is just over 2 hours journey on from Gijon. We picked this as a convenient stopping point on the return journey, but you may want to skip on to the more substantial delights of San Sebastián with its tapas and pintxos snacks, set in a beautiful bay with classic 19th century architecture.
Laredo is a typically attractive smaller resort with a quaint old town core, cliffs and beaches that appeal largely to Spanish holiday makers. From here you’re on your way home.

Have a Safe journey home!

SUGGESTIONS FOR CAMPSITES FOR VISITS TO POINTS ON THE CIRCLE. Click on the highlighted campsite links to get to their websites
1. PAMPLONA - Camping Ezcaba
2. LOGRONO - Camping Navarette
3. BRAGANZA- Camping Cepo Verde
4. GUIMARAES/BRAGA - GarfePark Camping
5. VIANA DO CASTELO - Parque de Campismo do Paco
6. SANTIAGO DE COMPESTELA - Camping as Cancelas

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