Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Vila do Conde
POP 30,000
With its quaint historic heart, poetic folk hero, glassy river mouth, luscious beaches and
salty past, you can understand why Vila do Conde is a popular weekend getaway for Porto
residents. An important salt exporter during Roman times and a prime shipbuilding port
during the Age of Discoveries, the town still drips history. Looming over it is the immense
hilltop Mosteiro de Santa Clara, which, along with surviving segments of a long-legged
medieval aqueduct, lends the town an air of monumentality. In addition to this, Vila do
Conde's beaches are some of the best north of Porto, and a metro link makes getting here
an easy afternoon jaunt from downtown Porto.
Vila do Conde sits on the northern side of the Rio Ave, where it empties into the sea.
From the metro station, look for the aqueduct (about 100m away) and follow it towards the
large convent (another 400m). From here it's a few steep blocks downhill to the town's his-
toric centre. From the centre it's another kilometre via Av Dr Artur Cunha Araúja or Av Dr
João Canavarro to Av do Brasil and the 3km-long beach.
Sights & Activities
MONASTERY
Mosteiro de Santa Clara
Peering down over the town centre and the Rio Ave, the imposing Mosteiro de Santa Clara,
founded in 1318, still has a severe-looking Gothic chapel, though the main building is an
18th-century affair. Currently the entire complex is closed to visitors.
Casa do Barco
(Cais das Lavandeiras; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
This glass-box museum is on the southwest
corner of Praça Republica. The basement level offers up models, photo displays, old fish-
ing gear and one full-sized boat that provide a glimpse into the city's shipbuilding past.
MUSEUM
Casa de José Régio
(Centro de Memória, Largo S Sebastião 14; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
Religious art, antique furnish-
ings, ceramics and early 20th-century contemporary art - including some stunning Julio
canvases - can be glimpsed at the Casa de José Régio. Named after the distinguished local-
MUSEUM
