Beaches:
The Costa Verde is a 100km stretch of beaches from Porto to Caminha on the Spanish border, and there's something to suit every one's taste - family seaside resorts at Ofir or Vila Praia de Âncora, competition surfing beaches at Afife (where you can have surf/body boarding lessons), rocky beaches, discreet romantic spots, you can even hire a ferryman to take you out to a deserted island off the coast at Caminha. Almost all are wide and sandy and, even in August, not at all crowded. Many beaches have the European Blue Flag seal of approval for cleanliness and safety. In the nearby hills there are also fresh mountain bathing pools and waterfalls; and also warm, sheltered river beaches on the River Lima. The nearest beaches are at Castelo do Neiva and Amorosa.
Touring:
Minho is Portugal’s second most popular holiday region after the Algarve. Unlike the Algarve, however, there are no British pubs or Fish ’n’ Chip shops, no amusement arcades or theme parks. It’s all rather more discreet, more natural (unspoilt, you might say). People come here to relax in a quiet rural setting.
A lot of visitors tour around, seeing the historic sites, the small market towns and villages, the rugged landscapes and the quiet empty beaches. Others come to lose themselves in a terrain that is still largely unaffected by modern European development, and amongst a people who still live a simple life. Most are subsistence farmers, and some women still wash the clothes in the stream, and go every day to collect the milk from the communal cow, in churns balanced on their heads. Traffic jams, more often than not, are caused by an ox drawn cart. The National Park, a short drive away, is one of Europe's few remaining natural wildernesses, great for walking or touring by car.
Folklore, wildlife and cuisine:
There’s a thriving regional folklore tradition – singing and dancing and various rustic handicrafts, and the region is famous for its “Romarias”, local village feast days involving religious processions, markets, fairs and evening feasts and folkloric entertainment. Centuries old rustic village celebrations!
At night there are wild boar in the hills and owls hunting, and during the day plenty of black squirrels, jays, red kites, water birds on the river below, and, of course, harmless lizards.
The regional cuisine of Minho is famous all over Portugal, and there are some great restaurants in the area - and some great wines. Minho is where Vinho Verde comes from, and is next door to the Douro valley, the home of Port Wine; Portugal’s table wines generally are one of the world’s best-kept secrets and they’re all available locally.
Other Activities:
karting
