In 2022, tourism records were broken across much of Portugal as holidaymakers were keen to travel following two years of covid restrictions. Truth be told, the month I spent in Lisbon during the Summer of 2021, I was shocked by the inundation of tourists in the city, but it is great for Portugal and I completely understand the appeal of the country (though, being Portuguese myself, I am obviously biased). That said, the north of Portugal is much less popular than the South (although even in Porto tourism records were beaten in 2022), and given that within six months I visited the north of the country twice, I decided to share the offerings of the north.
Although the north is much colder in the winter than the south, the summers are still very warm. Over the late summer bank holiday, I was in college for Corporate Reporting, the first of three Advanced Level exams for the ICAEW Accounting qualification, so decided to visit my cousin in Porto for the week to enjoy the balmy weather and delicious food. After a couple of days, my parents and other family members joined and we drove to various other parts of the North of Portugal.
Porto
Porto is the most famous city in the North of Portugal and is one of my favourite cities in the country. During my time in Porto, we mostly studied during the day and explored the picturesque city in the evening, treating ourselves to a 'pastel de nata' (custard tart) at Manteigaria and a banoffee pie at 'Mercado Bom Sucesso'. Unfortunately, my first day in the city we experienced poor weather and a bird excreted over me. On my third day in Porto, we went wine tasting in the wine cellars on the other side of the bridge in Vila Nova de Gaia, which was very enjoyable, followed by dinner on a terrace, where another bird defecated on the table (before the food came), which was slightly off-putting. Regardless, this is a city which all types of people can enjoy; I have been to this city numerous times and am yet to run out of things to do.
Braga
Braga is a city near Porto and features a beautiful Sanctuary and Cathedral. I had visited in March 2022, to read more about my experience in Braga, read this post.
Coimbra
We spent a couple of days in this student city, whose main landmarks include a sanctuary, a university, and a clocktower, all of which are definitely worth a visit. We visited mid-week and despite the beautiful views and weather, the city was surprisingly quiet. I'd recommend strolling through the city centre in the evening and dining at the restaurant 'Sete'.
Gerês
Gerês is a large National Park in the North of Portugal which spans the Portugal-Spain border. I had wanted to visit Gerês for years, so we rented a villa over the August bank holiday weekend with various family members so fully relax. It was 32°C and our weekend was filled with barbecues, swimming, road trips, table tennis and cards. We would take in the stunning views of cascades, lakes, and mountains filled with greenery, and then enjoy fresh watermelon and 'poncha' (a typical Madeiran alcoholic drink) by the pool. It was here that I learnt how to do a front flip into the water and the most relaxed I've felt all year.
Guimarães
Guimarãres is widely recognised as the birthplace of Portugal as the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, was born here. It's fairly small but worth a quick visit to see the castle and church (as well as a plaque saying 'Aqui Nasceu Portugal', which translates to 'here, Portugal was born').
Ponte de Lima
Referred to as oldest villa in Portugal and famed for its medieval bridge, Ponte de Lima is a small, quaint town with a lot of activity. Interestingly, the town has flooded several times and some buildings have the watermarks from the flood levels of various years. When we visited, there were many markets selling produce, clothes, and linen, and colourful bunting lining the town, which was pretty to see.
Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo is a picturesque city near Porto with a beautiful, bright sanctuary and local woman are stereotyped as wearing big skirts and gold, heart-shaped jewellery. We had a lunch here at a local spot, in which the restaurant offered only two options (which isn't uncommon for Portugal), both of which were delicious and filling.
Aveiro
Last but not least is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal, situated on the coast with a river running through it: Aveiro. My cousin studied for her Bachelor's degree here and I visited often so it holds a special place in my heart. We would often rent bicycles and cycle through the city, or go on a boat tour in a colourful 'moliceniro' boat to the salt flats. One thing to note however is that the beaches here have some of the coldest water that I've ever experienced (second only to Galicia, Spain which is only slightly further North).
The North of Portugal has many picturesque towns and city to visit, as well as national parks and beaches. Why not take a week to explore this underrated part of the country and perhaps even spend a day or two in the north of Spain.
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