Trás-os-montes and Douro Region

The Alto Douro and Trás-os-Montes region is located inland in northern Portugal, and is an area of historical and traditional importance, rich in beautiful scenery and natural resources. Nowadays, access for those visiting Trás-os-Montes is becoming easier, so make your trip more comfortable by renting a vehicle. This marvellous region offers a vast range of reasons to visit, including the absence of pollution.

Trás-os-Montes is rich in attractions, which include its artistic, cultural, architectural and culinary heritage, as well as its charming and seemingly endless mountainous scenery, and the Douro River, which joins the region from east to west.

The beautiful Trás-os-Montes region is subdivided into two distinct climatic regions. The northern area has a cooler climate, with milder summers and harsher winters, whereas the zone closer to the Douro Valley experiences scorching summers and milder winters.

Places to visit:

When visiting Trás-os-Montes, don’t miss the Palácio de Mateus (Mateus Palace) in Vila Real, one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in Portugal. Buildings and pretty gardens with lakes and tiled patios surround the Palace. You should also visit the Vale do Côa Archaeological Park, which features several examples of rock art depicting the largest set of open-air Palaeolithic figurations known until now, and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. When passing through Fumeiro de Vinhais, you must try salpicão (smoked sausage) and linguiça (pork sausage), which are the highlights of the regional cuisine.

Don’t miss the historical centre of Bragança, steeped in historical significance, made up of the Castle, the Medieval Pillory, and other sites of historical interest, which are fine examples of the country’s civil-romantic architecture.

Visit the vineyards in Alto Douro Vinhateiro. This region also produces the world famous Port. The scenery is stunning, and has UNESCO World Heritage status as a cultural landscape. The region is naturally blessed and is perfect for a leisure boat trip along the river, where you can admire nature at its finest.

We also recommend a visit to the Douro International Natural Park, where the natural environment featuring rocky hillsides around the river is home to biological conditions that provide hunting grounds for birds of prey. Also pay a visit to Ponte-Torre de Ucanha, the Montesinho National Park and the mountain spa resorts, where you can admire unique scenery and the chance to enjoy high quality waters.