PORTUGAL: VALENÇA DO MINHO

Last year I spent a few days in Portugal visiting Lisboa, Sintra and the Algarve. This year I have returned to this country to begin The Portuguese Way of Saint James (El Camino de Santiago Portugués). The border city of Valença do Minho has been the starting point of this fantastic adventure which finished just a few days later in Santiago de Compostela.

You can park for free outside the fortress and walk quietly to visit it. Although the restaurants are more expensive, is more pleasant to eat at the Fortress than in Valença. The place I would recommend to visit are:

• International Bridge
• The Minho river
• City walls of Valença do Minho and panoramic view of Tui
• Praça da República
• Bom Jesus's Military chapel
• Narrow cobbled streets and chapels in the old city of Valença do Minho

Fantastic view of Tui, the Minho river and the International Bridge from the fortress of Valença do Minho

After crossing the international bridge we were in Portugal

The Fortress of Valença do Minho. It can be seen the yellow arrow of The Way of Saint James too

  

Tui and Miño river from the city walls of Valença do Minho

Praça da República in Valença do Minho

Small chapel behind a nice garden in Valença do Minho

Bom Jesus's Military chapel and Saint Teotóni's Statue in Valença do Minho

Flower in Valença do Minho beside the snack bar where we had lunch near the Tourist Office

Shopping street in the old city of Valença do Minho, where you can buy sheets and towels 

Yellow arrow of  The Way of Saint James in Valença do Minho

Following the yellow arrows and crossing the International Bridge we went from Valença do Minho to Tui. In Tui would begin the first long stage of our journey which woud lead us to Santiago the Compostela.

Other beautiful places I visited in Portugal the year before were:

• Lisboa
• Algarve beaches
• Sintra

Finally, If you like this fortress, you may be interested in other fortresses like:

• Montjuïc Castle in Barcelona
• Lucca city walls in Tuscany
• Bergamo city walls in Italy