Sports and recreation and the Costa Verde beaches:
If you like to add some variety to your holiday, and can drag yourself away from simply relaxing in the sun, Ponte de Lima is ideally located to offer an unusual range of pursuits: walking and cycling, surfing, swimming, horse-riding, canoeing, sailing, sea and river fishing, birdwatching, karting, tennis in the golf club, 4x4 trekking in the hills.
Just 25km away is the Costa Verde, a 100km long stretch of excellent, clean beaches from Spain to Porto. The family seaside resorts of Moledo and Vila Praia de Âncora, the main port town of Viana do Castelo, the charming border village of Caminha, and in between surf beaches, sandy, rocky, wide, discreet, family, romantic beaches - you can go to a different one each day to suit your mood. Close to the Villa there are also warm, sheltered river beaches on the River Lima, and in the Serra de Arga hills several hidden spots with waterfalls and crystal clear bathing pools amongst the rocks.
Touring and cultural sightseeing:
For those who enjoy rural sightseeing there's the rugged countryside of Peneda-Gerês National Park, & further away the World Heritage Douro Valley wine-growing region. The villages and country lanes of Alto Minho, offer a landscape from an earlier era, including some of Iberia’s best-preserved Roman settlements. Serra d’Arga (784m) provides great views in all directions, and the Lagoas nature reserve a chance to see some wetland wildlife. For more sophisticated entertainment, there's the Casino at Póvoa de Varzim, and plenty of history, culture and night-life in a dozen towns within a short drive, all of considerable historic interest - Guimarães, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Caminha, Valença, Tui, Braga, Barcelos, Viana do Castelo and the World Heritage City of Oporto. The traditional Romarias, folklore, singing, dancing and decorative crafts and costumes provide an unusual taste of the local culture. And the famed cuisine of the Minho region can be found in restaurants galore.
Special gastronomic days out:
We have arranged some special days out with Vita d´Aurum (the 'golden life'): you can treat yourselves to one of a range of special packages that are based on the region's famous cuisine and spectacular wines.
'Afternoon Delight' - a mini-cruise on the Douro River and a 'Royal' dinner in a first class restaurant.
'Port Party' - Open bus tour of Porto’s historic centre, followed by a Port Wine tasting and a tour of the wine lodge.
'Gourmet Day' - Lunch in a traditional Manor House, wine tasting in a Port Wine Lodge, and a 'Royal' dinner in the heart of Porto's historic centre.
'Golden Day' - Scenic train trip to Régua, in the heart of the golden Douro Valley, lunch in the city's finest restaurant overlooking the river, and a restful cruise back to Porto.
Unforgettable food and wine, tremendous surroundings and a truly relaxing and stress-free way of experiencing the best of Portugal. Treat yourself!
Golf:
Axis Ponte de Lima is an 18-hole, par 71 course of 6,005 meters, and includes one of the longest holes in Europe, at 622m. The terrain is a mixture of hilly and level, set in a rural landscape amongst the typical Minho countryside, with mountains to the east and occasional glimpses of the sea to the west, and plenty of views of vine-covered slopes down in the Lima valley.
The Clubhouse offers a pro shop, equipment hire, a restaurant and bar, sauna and health club, pool, television room, and two tennis Courts.
It may be as far you can get in Portugal from the Algarve, but the golf here is spectacular, accessible, uncrowded and affordable. Ponte de Lima is a first class course for seasoned golfers, and there are eight other courses for variety within a short drive, amongst them Vigo, Póvoa de Varzim, Esposende (9 hole), Amarante and Porto.
For an independent player's opinion of the Ponte de Lima course, John Simmons of the Royal Lytham & St Anne's Golf Club has this to say: 'To all golfers, Ponte de Lima will be the emerald in the crown of Costa Verde. For those appreciating quality in a course, but jaded by the five hour rounds and punitive prices of the Algarve, it is a find indeed. I cannot remember enjoying quiet and peaceful rounds more - with a welcome from the club which is unfailingIy courteous and warm.'
