Minho is a region in Northern Portugal that has it all: history, culture, natural beauty and, of course, wine. Vineyards blanket the slopes of mountains and unfurl from the riverbanks, while a dramatic coastline stretches up to meet the Spanish border. Vibrant cities rub shoulders with historic towns and traditional mountain villages, from Porto’s trailblazing chefs to Braga’s creative energy and the Guimarães’ rich heritage.
Many people treat Minho like Portugal’s best-kept secret: an intoxicating mix of food, wine and history. It is the greenest corner of the country: a patchwork of mountain meadows and terraced vineyards threaded with lush river valleys. The fruits of the land are turned into the region’s famed vinho verde by local wine-makers in adegas, traditional wine estates tucked into the folds of the hills.
The rugged Costa Verde, or Green Coast, wraps around the region in all its wave-lashed glory. It’s not just about scenic beauty though: Minho is the birthplace of the Portuguese kingdom, with its rich history etched into its old cities. Before you go on your incredible Portuguese holiday, read our guide to Minho and Northern Portugal.
The best time to visit Minho is March to May or September to October when the weather is warm but it’s not too hot or crowded. Visiting over the summer between June and August promises the sunniest conditions but potentially also higher numbers of other tourists, so when you decide to visit, it really depends on your preferences regarding weather and busyness.
Several airlines offer direct flights between the UK and Porto, including Ryanair, easyJet and TAP Air Portugal. From Porto, regular train services run to the city of Braga in Minho, taking about 1 hour, and places like Guimarães and Viana do Castelo are also easily accessible by train.
A benefit of the Minho region is that it’s pretty well developed when it comes to transport options, so not only is there a modern network of roads to get around, but there are also relatively good public transport options.
Santa Luzia Basilica in Viana do Castelo
Since Minho hasn’t yet got the widespread recognition we think that it deserves, there’s not much that is commonly known about what the region has to offer. Let us explain why you should visit Minho in Portugal by taking you through some of the highlights of what’s on offer.
Minho is one of Portugal’s finest wine regions and is responsible for vinho verde, colloquially known as green wine, which is a young wine with a fresh, fruity flavour that goes well with Portuguese dishes. A string of adegas (wineries) offers tours and tastings; some of the best include Quinta da Aveleda and Quinta do Ameal near Braga, and Anselmo Mendes in Monção e Melgaço.
Porto is also famed for its fortified wine known as port, and the Douro Valley is the best spot to sample this prized tipple. Wine-tasting opportunities are abundant, and you can enjoy some of Portugal’s most beautiful scenery at the same time as you sip when you’re in the Minho region.
While many people hotfoot it to the Algarve or Lisbon Coast, northern Portugal beaches rival those of their southern counterparts. Porto beaches are some of the most exquisite, while further north, the Costa Verde is also a rugged, picturesque stretch. Viana do Castelo is one of the best beach towns, with lovely powdery swathes to sink your toes into.
The Minho River straddles the border between Portugal and Spain, steeped with history. One of the best sites in Northern Portugal is Valença do Minho, a fortress that was used to fend off numerous Spanish and French invasions over the centuries. Elsewhere, the region’s old cities reflect Portugal’s rich heritage: Guimarães is the first Portuguese capital while neighbouring Braga has long been a centre of religion.
The lush landscapes of Minho are Portugal’s best-kept secret: high mountains plunge to river valleys; sprawling vineyards cling to sheer precipices. Historic towns are tucked into foothills, and mountain villages huddle among the peaks. A beautiful coastline stretches right up to the border with Spain, while Peneda-Gerês, near Braga, is Portugal’s only national park – a great place to hike and cycle.
Minho is big on festivals, which are celebrated everywhere from big cities to sleepy villages. The most recognised include Feiras Novas in Ponte de Lima in September, a riot of music, fireworks and gigantone (giant) statues; Semana Santa in Braga, for a week of holy celebrations in March or April; and the Viana Romaria carnival dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows in August.
Once you’ve looped around the Vinho Verde trail across the Minho region, follow the wine route east to the iconic Douro Valley. The vertiginous mountain slopes are combed with rows of vines responsible for the region’s prized bottles, and it’s a haven for Portuguese wine lovers who want to sample and learn about the vineyards that produce these exceptional varieties.
Port is Douro Valley’s most famed tipple, with tours and tastings at traditional quintas (estates) throughout the region.
Visit the Museu do Douro and take an all-day wine tasting at the renowned Quinta do Vallado in Régua, a sleepy pocket of the westernmost Douro region Baixo Corgo – known for producing young ports.
The best place for an estate tour is the Sandeman winery at Quinta do Seixo in Pinhão, a pretty cobbled town at the heart of Cima Corgo – the most-visited corner of Douro. Be sure to take a boat tour along the river; Pipadouro offers local food and wine pairings on board a beautifully restored 1950s wooden boat from the Pinhão pier.
To head off the beaten track, travel to Douro Superior, near the Spanish border, to discover authentic quintas, quaint tabernas and homely casas.
A visit to Minho is best combined with a few days in Porto, 100 kilometres to the south. Portugal’s second-largest city is splashed with beautiful azul tiles (don’t miss the mosaics of São Bento railway station), transforming the streets into works of art. Clinging to the steep banks of the Douro, the city is brimming with cultural riches.
There are plenty of things to see in Porto: The Serralves Museum for innovative contemporary artworks, Casa da Música for concerts, and public art galore, from the azul-splashed São Bento station to street art daubed on mediaeval walls. In recent years, it’s also emerged as a top gastronomic destination thanks to a wave of boundary-pushing chefs – Pedro Lemos, Ricardo Costa, Rui Paula and José Avillez among them.
For the best of the city’s gourmet offerings, try Vasco Coelho Santos’s tasting menus at Euskalduna Studio; dine on Michelin-starred cuisine at Antiqvvm; or gorge on Portuguese dishes at The Blini. Otherwise, just wander through the cobbled streets to stumble across tiny petiscarias (tapas bars), riverside seafood restaurants (try Portuguese speciality bacalhau, dried and salted cod), port cellars, craft-beer haunts and local food markets.
If you’re considering a road trip along the coast from Lisbon to Porto and beyond, Estoril is Portugal’s favoured seaside sojourn. It all started with European aristocracy sinking their toes into its golden sand in the 19th century; the rich and famous soon followed, cementing its reputation as a summer playground.
Today, a cluster of bars and restaurants gather around manicured parks, and a palm-fringed promenade weaves along the coastline.
It’s all about beach frolics here: swim and sunbathe at Praia do Tamariz or stroll along the coastal walkway to neighbouring Cascais. If you fancy a flutter, descend upon the Casino Estoril, famously frequented by Europe’s exiled royalty and spies during World War Two – the inspiration behind Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale.
Braga has been the religious capital of Portugal since Roman times. The country’s religious centre has almost four dozen places of worship, but there’s more to this Baroque city than its ecclesiastical credentials. Scratch beneath the surface to discover a vibrant university city with a youthful, creative energy.
The historic core brims with cool cultural offerings and laid-back bars catering to the students of Universidade do Minho. The city’s narrow lanes and atmospheric plazas, lined with Baroque churches, echo with the sound of chiming bells.
Look beyond Braga’s ecclesiastical credentials to discover a mellow bar scene, independent art galleries and museums. For a selection of contemporary photography visit the Museu da Imagem, housed in a pair of historic buildings. Design lovers should check out the Chapel Tree of Life, a striking example of modern architecture.
Just outside the city is the sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, whose elaborate staircase zigzags up the hillside – climb the 577 steps to the church before taking the funicular back down. If you’re after a day-to-night scene, Livraria Centésima Página is a bookshop moonlighting as an art gallery and exhibition space, while Quatorze is a gallery-cum-music venue.
To the southeast of Braga is the loveliest Portuguese city you may never have heard of: Guimarães. For the Portuguese, however, it’s a whole different story: this proud city is the birthplace of the country’s first king, Afonso Henriques. He later made it the capital of the Portuguese kingdom, driving the Moors from its lands to the south.
Guimarães is a place where time stands still: the UNESCO-protected historic core is a tangle of mediaeval streets, with pretty plazas, fairy-tale castles and grand palaces. The university city has a youthful energy though, as seen in its museums and art centres.
Guimarães’ rich heritage is etched across its beautifully preserved mediaeval centre, best explored by simply wandering the web of cobbled lanes to discover pretty plazas and 14th-century landmarks. Nearby is the 1000-year-old hilltop castle, alongside the grand 15th-century palace built by the first Duke of Bragança.
The city isn’t just an open-air museum though: it was dubbed a European Capital of Culture for 2012. Check out the José de Guimarães International Centre of Arts, housed in a striking stack of shimmering brass cubes, and the Centre of Art and Architecture.
Although Braga and Guimarães are the most popular places to visit in Northern Portugal, Ponte de Lima is a humble village oozing charm – think beautifully preserved old manor houses and stunning gardens.
Most adegas on the vinho verde wine route offer tours and tastings, but for something a bit extraordinary, try a Segway tour through the estate of Quinta de Santa Cristina.
Architecture fans should head to Viana do Castelo to discover Manueline mansions and Baroque buildings – a nod to the wealth of the country’s colonial days. But the highlight is the hilltop Santa Luzia church, gazing out over the rooftops in all its pearlescent glory.
Catch of the day from local fishermen is served up in traditional Portuguese dishes, while a string of sandy beaches trails along the coastline. The tiny Tasquinha da Linda in Viana do Castelo may look unassuming but it serves up some of the best Portuguese dishes around; feast on oysters, octopus, mussels and, if you’re feeling adventurous, local speciality barnacles.
A 30-minute drive from Braga, Esposende is a beach-bejewelled stretch of coastline that has surprisingly remained off the tourist trail. It’s the perfect place to visit or even stay if you’re looking for a really authentic experience of Portugal, with plenty of places for relaxing days on the beach and several interesting archaeological sites to explore.
There’s no better way to properly connect with a travel destination than visiting one of its less-known regions, and Minho is the perfect blend of undiscovered and developed. Enjoy authentic experiences whilst also benefiting from an excellent range of things to do and places to stay, as well as close proximity to Porto and the Douro Valley.
Have we caught your interest with the wonderful region of Minho? Make your stay even better by staying in one of Oliver’s Travels’ handpicked villas in Minho and Northern Portugal If you need help planning, feel free to reach out to our dedicated concierge service who will be happy to advise and help to book all sorts of fabulous extra services to make your Minho holiday pop!
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