  
SURFING HOLIDAYS IN PORTUGAL'S PORTO E NORTE REGION
CORTEGAÇA & PORTO - A ROUGH GUIDE TO THE REGION & TOWNS
One of Portugal’s oldest regions with a proud and traditional hertitage.
PORTO
The city of Porto is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and once you've been to this city the reasons are obvious. Porto is the North’s most important city and lends its name from the famous wine and this is the also the city that put the 'Port' in Portugal.
To really experience Porto you have to stroll around the old quarter 'zona ribeirinha' on the waterfront and visit its bustling downtown area. Check out the Port store houses in Vila Nova de Gaia and no trip to Porto would be complete without tasting the famous port wine.
Culture vultures should visit the Stock Exchange Palace, the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral, the church of Cedofeita (Romanesque), the Clérigos tower and church; the church of São Francisco, of Romanesque origin, with its interior covered in gilded carvings, and the church of Carmo, with tiled façades.
Museums worth a visit include: Soares dos Reis, the museum of modern art Casa de Serralves, Casa-Museu de Guerra Junqueiro and the museum of Quinta da Macieirinha.
The Douro region
The Douro river is the longest in northern Portugal. It winds its way past mountains and cliffs until it reaches the Atlantic near the city of Porto.
Many dams were constructed to make the river navigable, which means that plenty of cruise and pleasure boats depart from Porto to the Douro region. Between Mesão Frio and Pinhão lies the stretch where the valley sides are lined with terraced vineyards that produce the famous Port wine. But this region is famous for other things besides the wine that is made this region world famous. Prehistoric paintings decorate the caves in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, 17th century sanctuaries, medieval castles, manor houses, convents and little Romanesque churches cover the landscape.
North East Region of Trás-os-Montes
A paradise of unspoiled natural resources, the region is a perfect place for mountaineering, trekking, canoeing or simply relaxing in the spa towns of Carvalhelhos, Chaves, and Pedras Salgadas.
The Coastal Region of Minho
Porto is without doubt the northern Portugal's principal city. It has all the trappings of a modern city including an international airport and yet has somehow managed to keep all the charms of a riverside community. Porto has struck a balance between tradition and progress, the historic and the new. Porto has a dynamic and innovative spirit with regards to commerce and industry.
The coastline north of Porto has a coastal road linking Vila do Conde to Valença. It takes you past beautiful beaches, summer resorts and quaint traditional villages, such as Caminha and Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Three towns that set the tone for this area of Portugal are Viana do Castelo, built on and around the estuary of the Lima river; Braga, rich in history; and the medieval town of Guimarães. Mansions and manor houses in this region open their doors to bed and breakfast, offering visitors a rare privileged glimpse of aristocratic Portuguese traditions, combined with the best modern hospitality can offer.
CORTEGAÇA
Cortegaca is situated on the coast about 15 miles south of the city of Porto. With its enormous flat golden sand beaches and pine forests Cortegaça is an attractive town with its sea front promenade and traditional houses where fishermen still form a large part of the local population and multi storey buildings are nowhere to be seen. An ideal place to spend a relaxing beach vacation.
ESPINHO
Originally a fishing village consisting of wooden houses ("palheiros"), the town was transformed in the nineteenth century into a seaside resort, becoming one of the most popular in a period when people were strongly advised to bathe in the sea because of its healing properties. Nowadays, it is a lively city with a long and extensive beach, but it also offers visitors a thalassotherapy centre, the oldest golf course in the Iberian Peninsula, founded by British citizens at the end of the nineteenth century, a Casino and a full range of hotel accommodation. Amongst its various annual events are the Music Festival in June and the Cartoon Festival in November.
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