Villa Ferias

Villa Ferias enjoys a delightful elevated countryside position close to the historic town of Ponte de Lima. Ponte de Lima is one of Portugal’s oldest, offering an atmospheric ambience and a wonderful cultural experience. The town is the home of Vinho Verde so there is lots of opportunity to taste the delicious green wine. The Ponte de Lima Bridge is 277 metres long, stretching over the magnificent Lima River. The bridge was constructed in two sections, firstly by the Romans who built five arches, then extended by fifteen arches and fortified during the medieval period. The town boasts several magnificent churches, Igreja da Misericordia and Igreja de Santo Antonio which sits across the river with its baroque styling. Largo de Camoes Plaza is a central bustling square with wonderful views of the Lima River and a good array of cafes, bars and restaurants. Torre da Cadeia Velha is a tower which is part of the old Ponte de Lima wall. It is used for exhibitions and tourist shops. Ponte de Lima sits in glorious countryside with fabulous viewpoints. These include Miradouro of Saint Catarina which offers views of the river, Miradouro of Magdalene which enjoys views over the town and surrounding landscape and Miradouro of Bola da Pena which enjoys 360-degree views of the entire area. When out hiking or cycling in this fabulous region, you will enjoy astounding panorama. The gastronomy in the town is amazing with excellent local Portuguese dishes. Some restaurants enjoy gorgeous riverside settings. Ponte de Lima is an excellent centre for adventure activities such as the Ecovia cycling route, river bathing in Labruja, kayaking along the Lima River, mountain biking or hiking in the Serra D’Arga or birdwatching in the Lagoas de Bertiandos.

The historical town of Viana do Castelo sits on the north of the Lima River. Its compact historic centre boasts extravagant religious buildings, delightful cafes, elegant plazas and narrow shopping streets which open onto the banks of the Lima River. The pearly white, neo-Byzantine Santa Luzia Church presides over the city, sitting high on the hilltop.

Braga is regarded as one the main religious centres of Portugal, with the oldest cathedral and many Gothic churches. Every hour you will hear a cocophony of different church bells ringing out! It is the third largest city of Portugal and is a joy to explore. Braga is an enthralling university city and the setting for Bom Jesus do Monte, a fine monument. The historic centre is fully pedestrianised. There are pretty city gardens, charming plazas and busy shopping streets.

Caminha sits at the mouth of the Minho River and boasts its ancient Torre do Relogio de Caminha, the clock tower which forms part of the old city walls built in the 12th century and is a national monument. Visitors enjoy climbing to the top of the tower to enjoy fabulous views of the town. The Rua Direita or Ricardo Joaquim de Sousa Street is the cobbled main street in the historic centre. Another historic monument is the Igreja Matriz de Caminha where you can admire tiles from the 17th century. Visitors can take a ferry over to Galicia from Caminha.

The Minho beaches are amazing. Close to Caminha is the Foz do Minho Beach. It is located next to the River Minho, a wonderful area of great natural beauty with a gorgeous beach and delightful walking trails. Forte da Insua is on the little island off the coast of Caminha. Inhabited by monks from the 14th century, a 17th century fortress was built to offer them protection. Vila Praia de Ancora is another excellent beach.

Read more about Minho

Please be aware that the location tab shown on the website is not based on the property's exact location; therefore, all location amenities are an approx of facilities, restaurants, and villages/towns you might find around the property. The property's exact location will be provided to you before arrival and might come along with some recommendations about the area and what to visit.

ABOUT MINHO

The areas of Minho extend from the Spanish border in the north, south to Porto and east to the mountains of Vila Real. It is a green and fertile area of rolling hills encompassing the great rivers Minho, Lima and Douro, and the National Park of Peneda Geres. The countryside of the region is typified by long, sandy beaches bordered by pine woods, picturesque villages nestling among vine-covered hills, and historic towns such as Amarante, Guimaraes, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, and Viana do Castelo.

The area encompasses a range of postcard-worthy landscapes and features that could almost be Portugal in microcosm: dreamy river scenes, high mountains, rolling vineyards, beautiful historic towns, dramatic Atlantic beaches, ancient religious foundations and mysterious archaeological sites.

Then there's the bold, sharp and fruity Vinho Verde to consider. This young wine is fashioned from the fruit of kilometres of vineyards that wind along rivers, over foothills and into Minho mountain villages.

But while you're enjoying one of our fantastic villas in Minho, you may well want to take some time out from all that sun worship to explore everything else the region has to offer – so we've put together this handy travel guide to give you a little help and inspiration!

Check out our Minho Travel Guide >>