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Vila Real History
The recorded history seems to begin in 1289 when the King Dom Afonso III, granted the town a royal warrant. It was here that the explorer
Diogo C�o was born and who later discovered in 1482 the entrance to the mouth of
the River Congo in Africa. The rebel Manuel de Silveira Pinto da Fonseca who was
also held the title of Conde de Amarante and whose direct actions in 1823 led to
the War of the Miguelites, established his headquarters for his revolutionary
movement in the town until he was later forced to escape into exile in Spain.
Vila Real Description
Located at the converging point of two rivers it has always been a busy
agricultural and commercial town, mainly based around the lucrative wine and
port trade. Its main feature is its fine 15th Century Gothic Cathedral that was
originally a church belonging to the Order of Dominicans whose Monastery was
later completely destroyed in the 19th Century when there was a strong movement
for the liberalisation of the country from the hold of both the church and old
nobility. Nearby is the Igreja dos Cl�rigos, a church with an attractive Baroque
facade and tiled interior. The Igreja de S�o Pedro is from the 16th Century and
its interior is rich with many sculptures and sacred tiling. The Archaeological
Museum of the town also has a large collection of coins covering all periods of
history. It is from this town that boat trips through the upper valley of the
Rio D�o can be taken. The town of Vila Real is well known for its distinctive
black toned coloured pottery whose origin is unspecified. A specialty food of
the town is the "Toucinho do C�u" that is made with a pumpkin filling.
Vila Real Nearby Locations
Nearly 3 Kms. to the northeast of the town is the now world famous Casa
Mateus, a fine example of an aristocratic country manor from the early 18th
Century. Still owned by the descendants of its creator the home is open to
visitors and in which occasional music and poetry events regularly take place.
The fa�ade is that which appears on the bottle of the internationally famous
Rose wine. An attractive feature of this property is the gardens and especially
the famed "Cedar Tunnel" that is composed of cedars 7.5 metres high creating
some 35 metres of a walkway as a covered tunnel. Slightly further to the
northwest of Vila Real starts the protected area named Parque Natural do Alv�o.
Its topography varies considerably from well-cultivated valleys to the stark
mountains reaching up to 1.339 metres (4.393 feet). Being unfortunately close to
an urban area the illegal hunters still abound. Happily some hawks, otters, and
other wild life can still be spotted in the Park.
In the area of Lamas de Olo the locally grown maize is still stored in the
curious practical structures named �Segueiros�. These structures are either
built from wood or granite and raised from the ground so that they maintain the
maize in the right conditions. They have hardly changed from their original
design dating back to the early 18th Century. Close to the village is the
spectacular water cascades named Fisgas de Ermelo. On the northwest side of this
Park is the town of Cabeceiras de Basto, a popular location as a refuge from the
Moors during their lengthy occupation of Portugal. By reputation this was due to
the apparent fighting tenacity of the monks who once inhabited the Mosteiro de
Refojos.
To the east of Vila Real is the unique site of Santu�rio de Pan�ias, being the
only one of its type known in the world. It is believed that the location was
first used for the sacrifice of animals to the Gods by the human tribes of the
area. Later, the Romans also used the location for making tributes to their Gods
and then following the Romans the next invaders Visigoths also made their
sacrifices. Nearby is the Torre de Quintela constructed in the 13th Century. It
is unusual in that this Tower has no castle and the views from it are are quite
spectacular.
To the west of Vila Real is the town of Amarante and is recorded as
existing in 360BC as the home of Santo S�o Gon�alo. His claim to fame seems to
have been his ability to keep ladies from male temptation and yet finding them
husbands. In this town is a museum devoted to the fine works of the 20th Century
Portuguese Cubist painter Amadeo de Sousa-Cardoso. A contemporary and friend of
both Picasso and Braque and his works were already highly regarded in both Paris
and New York in 1913.
To the south of Vila Real is the stretch of the Rio Douro where most of the Port
wine Lodges have their �Quintas�. This area is the home of the wines that are
produced for the Port trade with multiple terraced vineyards dominated by houses
that can date back as far as to the 15th Century. The drive is most spectacular
and is some 125 Kms long with good overnight resting places and with some "Quintas"
to visit with the opportunity to taste their port. To the southwest and on the
north side of the Rio Douro is the attractive town of Mes�o Frio that contains
architecturally historic buildings. The town was a favourite in 1152 to
Portugal�s first Queen, Malfalda. Its inhabitants enjoyed certain special
privileges but they were to later suffer under the rule of the Spanish King
Philip II and the invasion of the French under Napoleon.
On the south side of the Rio Douro is the town of Lamego that claims to be the
first town in 1143 to recognize the ascendancy of Dom Afonso Henriques as the
first King of Portugal. The castle of the town, the Cathedral and the Igreja de
Santa Maria Maior de Almacave, all date from the 12th Century. The Town Museum
is well stocked with items of national importance reflecting not only local
history but international pieces. The town is noted for its involvement in the
production of wine and Viuva Lamego pottery. It is also a place of pilgrimage
particularly to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Rem�dios built in 1761 with its
impressive double staircase of 686 steps. To the east of this region known as
Tr�s-os-Montes, is the town of Torre de Moncorvo that has the biggest 16th
Century Church in the whole province. South of the town is the Vila Nova de Vale
da C�a that boasts the worlds largest known collection of open-air Stone Age
drawings that are estimated to be from about 20.000 years ago. These drawings
feature bulls, horses, fish and a naked man and the area can be visited with the
assistance of a guide. Lying about halfway between Vila Real and Guarda is the
small town of Penedono, with its small but impressive castle that records show
existed before 960 AD. On the road south to the town of Lamego is the Spa of
Termas das Caldas de Moledo and directly to the west of the same town is yet
another Spa, Caldas de Aregos.
Vila Real Map (Click Here)
Vila Real Weather
     
Vila Real Golf
Montebelo �
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Vila Real Information
 259 308 100 - Town Hall
259 340 900 - Fire Brigade
259 323 115 - Police
259 322 819 - Tourist Office
808 208 208 - Railways (CP)
800 296 296 - Support to Tourists
112 - SOS
Vila Real Locations of Interest
Municipal Museum
Museum of Geology
Museum & Home of Diogo C�o
Museum of Roman Coins
Museum of Sacred Art
Cathedral - S� de Vila Real
Centro Cultural de Region de Vila Real
Chapel - Capela dos Cl�rigos
Chapel - Capela de Nova dos Cl�rigos
Chapel - Capela de S�o Br�s
Church - Igreja da Miseric�rdia
Church - Igreja de S�o Dinis
Convento de S�o Domingos
Pal�cio de Mateus
Santu�rio da Pan�ias
Museum - Casa de Egas Moniz - (Britiande)
Museum - Casa de Maur�cio Penha - (Alij�)
Museum Eduardo Tavares - (S�o Jo�o da Pesqueira)
Museum & Wine of "Casa do Douro" - (Peso da R�gua)
Museum & Wine Presses - (Pinh�o)
Museum of 3 Mines - (Vila Pouca de Aquiar)
Regional Museum - (Lamego)
Archaeological Site - Castelo da Cidadelha (Mes�o Frio)
Archaeological Site - (Tabua�o)
Biological Park - (Lamego)
Biological Park - (Lamego)
Castle - (Ansi�es)
Castle - (Arn�ia)
Castle - (Lamego)
Castle - (Num�o)
Castle - (Penedono)
Castle of Mouras - (Vila Pouca de Aguiar)
Castle Roqueiro de Aguiar - (Vila Pouca de Aguiar)
Chapel - Ermida de S�o Pedro das �guias - (Tabua�o)
Church - (Aramar)
Church - (Arcos)
Church - (Atei)
Church - Igreja de Almacave - (Lamego)
Church - Igreja de Barro - (Resende)
Church - Igreja de Chagas - (Lamego)
Church - Igreja da Santa Cruz - (Lamego)
Church - Igreja da S�o Martinho de Mouros - (Resende)
Convento da Tarouca e Ferreirim
Mosteiro de de C�rquere - (Resende)
Mosteiro de S�o Miguel - (Cabeceiras de Basto)
Mosteiro de Tarouquela - (Cinf�es)
Porta dos Figos - (Lamego)
Santu�rio de Miradouro - (Lamego)
Santu�rio da Nossa Senhora dos Rem�dios - (Lamego)
Village - (Atei)
Village - (Fonte Arcada)
Village - (Penedono)
Village - (Tarouca)
Village - (Ucanha)
Gold Mines - (Vila Pouca de Aguiar)
Nature Park of Serra de Alv�o - (Vila Real)
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