Immerse yourself in the Atlantic soul of Vila do Conde, whose origins date back to 953 AD, where the past intertwines with the serenity of today.
Discover an authentic destination, away from the crowds, where every street, monument, and landscape tells centuries-old stories.
Our visit to Vila do Conde kicks off at the 14th-century Monastery of Santa Clara, perched on a hilltop with a privileged view of the Ave River and the Atlantic.
Let's explore the riverside area where the Ave River marks the meeting point between the interior and the Atlantic Ocean.
Check out the Shipbuilding Museum, housed in an old shipyard; the Nau Quinhentista, a faithful replica of a 16th-century ship; the Alfândega Régia, an old customs building where maritime trade was controlled and is now a center for interpreting the region's maritime history; and Praça D. João II, dedicated to the Portuguese maritime discoveries, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Socorro, built under a massif overlooking the Ave River, with 18th-century tiles depicting the life of Christ and a Rococo-style altarpiece.
Stroll through the historic streets and alleys, passing by the Bobbin Lace Museum, a centuries-old tradition of bobbin lace making passed down from mothers to daughters, and the Vila do Conde City Hall, housed in a 16th-century building.
Continuing our walk, we'll visit the 18th-century Chapel of Our Lord of Agony, the 16th-century Mother Church of St. John the Baptist, the House of Eça de Queiroz—a key figure in Portuguese literary realism—the Vila do Conde Memory Center, an avant-garde museum and cultural space, and the Aqueduct built between the 17th and 18th centuries to supply the Monastery of Santa Clara, where our visit ends.