While the town of
Viana do Castelo isn't very big, it is part of an interesting region and worth visiting with the help of our
Viana do Castelo car hire services. Situated on the mouth of the Rio Lima, the town has been around for thousands of years, however it became a town in 1253 when its Charter was granted by Henriques Alfonso.
Nowadays, as it has been for thousands of years,
Viana do Castelo is still kept busy by its fishing industry, however tourism is increasingly becoming an important part of the town. Possibly the main feature of the town is its main square which features both a water fountain built in 1553 as well as the Misericordia house which dates from the similar 1598. Nearby you'll find a fortress-like building which is actually the 16th century church of Sao Domingos.
The
Leiria Museum is located in the interesting small Palace of Barbosa Maciel, which you can see in the main square. Its collection features a wide variety of very interesting items, ranging from rare ceramics and furniture, to paintings and other archaeological finds from the area.
One interesting time to visit
Viana do Castelo is the three-day festival of the town which draws in thousands of visitors to celebrate the image of the Nossa Senhora da Agonia.
One other interesting thing related to the town is that it is famous for its decorative filigree jewellery, which is a tradition here since the Moor occupation.
Another reason to consider our
Viana do Castelo car hire services is that the surrounding countryside features a lot of interesting activities, such as the Praia Cabedelo or you can reach the popular holiday resort of Esposende to the south. However you can also head north and reach another interesting holiday resort known as Vila Praia de Ancora where you can see a 17th century fort.
These are just a few of the things that you can see and do while in
Viana do Castelo, so make sure to employ our
Viana do Castelo car hire services in order to better enjoy your trip to this interesting and quiet Portuguese town.