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The Lima Valley is one of the most beautiful in Portugal and at its heart are the gorgeous towns of Ponte da Barca and Ponte de Lima. The River Lima has been associated with mythical properties and the Romans believed it was the mythical River of Oblivion which if crossed would lead to certain destruction, its waters thought to possess the power of the lotus that made travellers forget home and country. Apparently this was such a strong belief that Roman forces refused to cross until Brutus showed the way by plunging into the depths of the water and reciting legionaires names back at them.
The area is renowned for its rural way of life and accommodation which lend to well preserved examples of simple Romanesque architecture. Most were built in the 12th and 13th centuries under the watchful eye of Cluniac monks whose influence stretched into Portugal and Spain along the main pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.
Ponte de Lima lies is a town 23 kilometres east of Viana do Castelo named after the bridge that spans the River Lima. It is a picturesque town in which to absorb the independent and relaxed Minho atmosphere. It is becoming increasingly popular with tourists particularly in July and August and an 18 hole golf course has been built nearby to accommodate golfing visitors. But most of the attraction of Ponte de Lima is is laid back indifference to the rest of Portugal.
It is home to Portugal's oldest market that has been going on since 1125 since its first charter was granted. This is now held on alternate Mondays alongside the riverbank and is vast, offering everything and anything from farm tools to locally made cheese, wine, fresh fruit and veg. The town has a few historic sites including most obviously its Roman bridge that is the main tourist pull. The thirty one arched bridge across the Rio Lima is now pedestrian access only and only takes about five minutes to cross. Most of the bridge was extended in the 14th century and it is the segment on the north bank that is definitely Roman. Nearby village Arcozelo has a few sights including the Santo Antonio Church and an architecturally themed park with exhibits of architectural styles from around the world.
The town has managed to retain two 14th century castellated towers, Torre da Cadeia Velhan and Torre de Sao Paulo, and fragements of the walls that would have surrounded the town. These face the river at the end of Rua Cardeal Saraiva. The Torre da Cadeia Velha now houses temporary art exhibitions. Admission is free. Open Tues-Sun 2-6 pm. There's a curious azulejo on the front wall of Torre de Sao Paulo entitled Cabas sao Senhor! They're goats m'lord! This apparently relates to a local story in which Dom Afonso Henriques almost attacked a herd of goats mistaking them for moors! Not sure what that says about his military skills! Behind the tower is the 15th century Igreja Matriz with its pretty Romanesque doorway. (On Rua Cardeal Saraiva. Admission if free, open daily).
Ponte de Lima is a great base for exploring the lush Minho countryside around in which walking, canoeing and horse-riding are popular past-times. There are hiking trails running alongside the Bertiandos and Sao Pedro de Arcos lagoons. The Alto Minho Regional Tourism website has a downloadable brochure "Santiago - Rotas do Alto Minho" with walks relating to the religious pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela (with English alongside the Portuguese), link right. It is in the heart of rural tourism country and many of the country manor houses around offer accommodation but it gets booked up pretty quickly. Tourist Information Office, Paco do Marques, 4990-063 Ponte de Lima. Tel: 351 258 942 335. Fax: 351 258 942 335. Email: info@rtam.pt
Regular bus services from Viana do Castelo connect Ponte de Lima and Ponte da Barca. The A27/IP9 road runs directly to Ponte da Barca and Ponte de Lima is connected via the A3/IP1. These are handy bases for exploring the lush Alto Minho region and the northerly part of Portugal's only National Park Peneda-Geres.
In true Minho tradition there are festivals celebrated throughout the year that livens up the town. In mid September is the Feiras Novas that have been held here since 1125 - it is one of Portugal's oldest ongoing events. It is centred around the riverfront where a huge market and fair is put on and folk dancing, fireworks, bands entertain the crowds. On the ninth Wednesday after Easter is the Vaca das Cordas, a kind of bull-running event that has been going on for centuries in which young men goad a bull as it runs through the town. The more solemn Festa do Corpo de Deus takes place on the ninth Thursday after Easter around Corpus Christi where patterns of flowers adorn the streets.
The Clube Golfe de Ponte de Lima is a popular 18-hole golf resort that is open to non-members, It is located two kilometres south of Ponte de Lima near the intersection of the N201 and the N536. This is a mountain course, covering six kilometres amongst mature chestnut, cork and English oak trees leading, through a ravine, to the Quinta do Anquiao, with fantastic views over the Lima valley. Hole 3 (par 5), at 622 metres, is the longest drive in Portugal and one of the longest in Europe.
You can also follow the Rota dos Vinhos Verde (The Green Wine Route) throughout the region. Along the way you can visit wine producers and find out about the production process of this regional speciality. These are semi-sparkling wines that are picked early and drunk young. You can see the vines as you travel around the area that are kept clear of the ground by draping the vines on trees or trellises around the fields. The red is preferred by the Portuguese while the whites are more frequently exported.
Both Ponte de Lima and Ponte da Barca are good bases from which to explore the northern section of the stunning national park, Parque Nacional da Peneda-Geres. The Regional Development Association for Peneda-Geres National Park (Adere-PG) is based in Ponte da Barca on Largo da Misericordia 10, Ponte da Barca. Tel: 351 258 452 250. Open Mon-Fri 9 am-12.30 pm and 2.30-6 pm.
You can obtain leaflets and maps on all aspects of the National Park including information on the wildlife, landscape, architecture and walks. The other national park information centres are the gateway interpretation centres at Vila do Geres in the southern part of the National Park at Vilar da Veiga 4845, Geres. Tel. 351 253 391181; Fax: 351 253 391496, Arcos de Valdevez north of Ponte da Barca at Rua Padre Manuel Himalaia - 4970 Arcos de Valdevez - Tel. 25865338; Fax 258522707.
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