Viana do Castelo & Ponte de Lima

 

On our second day in Northern Portugal we drove from Braga to Viana do Castelo.  We chose to visit Viana this day because it was a Monday, when traditionally many museums are closed in Portugal.  So we were saving the next few days for Braga and Guimaraes when the museums would be open.  However, there was one museum in Viana do Castelo that we wanted to visit and would be open this Monday and that was what is now a museum ship, docked in the harbour, called the Gil Eanes (or Eannes in older Portuguese spelling).  This ship was a floating hospital ship and part of the White Fleet that travelled to the fishing grounds off the Newfoundland coast.  It has a strong history and connection to Newfoundland and the onboard museum has displays discussing the connections.  The ship was constructed about 1955 in Viana do Castelo and served in various capacities until 1973.  Here are some pictures from our visit on the Gil Eanes museum ship……..

While in Viana we had a walkabout of the historic centre of the town and had lunch at the Cafe Paris at an outdoor table.  We then drove up to a hilltop site overlooking the town.  

Situated above and overlooking the town of Viana do Castelo is a stunning site commonly called the church and sanctuary of Santa Luzia on top of the Santa Luzia hill.   It offers a spectacular viewpoint of Viana do Castelo and a vista of the sweeping coastline, as seen in the photo at top and below.  There is a funicular that brings people from the town to the hilltop sanctuary, but we drove up.  We made a visit to the sanctuary, took in the views, climbed atop the church tower and snapped lots of photos.  

After our visit to Viana do Castelo we drove on to see the town of Ponte de Lima.  Ponte de Lima is about a 37min drive from Viana do Castelo.  It is the oldest chartered town in Portugal, founded in 1125.  It is a picturesque town along the Lima River and a stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to Spain.  The town is adorned with an impressive Roman bridge, from which the town name comes.  The Middle Ages marked a period of military significance for Ponte de Lima. Defensive structures, including walls, towers, and the bridge over the Lima River, were constructed.  

We didn’t stay long in Ponte de Lima but you could quickly get the sense it is a tranquil town where you could add an overnight stay and relax and linger to explore the town.  We had a stop for coffee and a snack and stopped in some local shops and then walked across the bridge and chatted with some locals.  There were what appeared to be some tourists around and the town probably attracts such being a stop along the camino.  In one doorway we poked in there was a hostel for camino walkers, adorned with a shoe stand inside the door and lines of clothes hanging in the back deck, sure signs of hikers staying onsite.  Several locals shops had lot of souvenirs of the camino trail for sale.   

When we arrived in Ponte de Lima we parked in a free public lot by the riverside.  Beside the parking lot are these curious statues that are based on a legend about roman soldiers who in 138BC were afraid to cross the river, mistaking it for the River Lethes (or river of forgetfulness).  

Also nearby is a statue with a bull and a woman with a sword, which depicts the Vaca das Cordas Festival that includes a bull running event held each year on the eve of Corpus Christi. 

Ponte de Lima is a town full of a deep history and this is evident in the brief time we spent here.