Minho Day Trip from Porto Including Lunch

Get to know the undiscovered Minho region during a small-group, full-day trip from Porto. With an expert guide leading the way, travel around the northern province, which is know for its beautiful natural scenery and lush landscapes. Experience the rural charms of historical towns such as Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo. Savor local flavors during a local lunch and get familiar with regional clothing at a costume museum. With numbers limited to eight participants, you’ll enjoy personalized attention on this small-group tour.

After pickup from your Porto hotel, travel north by air-conditioned minivan and listen as your expert guide gives an interesting overview of the history, culture and flavor of the Minho region. Bordered by two rivers, the Douro and Minho, and with a third river, the Lima, running through it, the Minho province boasts a well-watered and extremely fertile terrain. Admire the lush landscapes as you cruise up the coast.

Stop in Barcelos, a medieval walled market town that is the birthplace of a Portuguese national symbol: the rooster. Legend has it that an innocent pilgrim passed through Barcelos and was wrongly accused of a crime, only to have dead rooster miraculously save his life. Discover more about the rooster myth at an open-air archaeological museum, which features a 16th-century cross that's engraved with images depicting the famous legend.

After working your way through Barcelos historical center, continue onto Ponte de Lima, a pretty rural village populated with antique buildings and set along the banks of the Lima River. Admire its striking stone arch bridge, then call into a local restaurant, where you’ll be treated to typical regional delicacies, such as Arroz de Sarrabulho (rice stewed with pork meat and blood), as well as local wine.

Following lunch, hit the road again for a short journey to Viana do Castelo, a seaside resort town hemmed in by forest-covered mountains and the Atlantic coast. Make your way to the hilltop Basilica of Santa Luzia and look down upon breathtaking views of the town below.

Next, take in educational exhibits at the nearby Costume Museum, which focuses on traditional Portuguese clothing and culture, before indulging in a delectable princesinha do lima (a regional egg-and-sugar confection).

Come evening, you’ll be chauffeured back to your accommodation in Porto, where your tour concludes.