Located between the Spanish province of Galicia and the majestic Douro Valley, the picturesque North is the most fertile region of Portugal.

The luxuriant and flourishing Minho is named after the river that, from immemorial times, marks the northern border of Portugal and it is characterized by many medieval towns and villages.
Visitors that explore the Douro valley by boat, car or train during the trip, they come across some of the most famous vineyards in the world. 
This trip through the heart of the Oporto wine-growing region is considered one of the most exciting travel experiences in Europe.

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Gastronomy
Northern Portugal is famous for its green broth, a soup made from cabbage and potatoes. Also, the sweets and desserts, using generous amounts of eggs, deserve the visitors' attention. The Portuguese stew is a national dish, made with meats, sausages, and vegetables, which has its origins in the Trás-os-Montes region. Other typical dishes can be tasted in the mountainous regions of the interior, usually using partridge, hare, lamb or pork, the favorite Portuguese meat and also serves as a base for a wide variety of sausages and smoked products (the hams of Chaves and Lamego are the best known).
Other cured meats in the north of Portugal include "farinheira", made from pork, wine, and flour, and the black pudding (morcela), a very spicy blood sausage, which is deliciously fried or grilled. Sausages and pork loin are also very popular... The chorizo ​​and the bologna are also very popular.
The variety of desserts is impressive, with the golden soup, a recipe from Viana do Castelo based on grated almonds and egg yolks, to be one of the best examples. The Abade de Priscos' pudding, named after the clergyman who created it, is seasoned with lemon, spices and Port wine. The northern cakes are rich, sweet and sugary, often being flavored with cinnamon. Toucinho-do-Céu is a very popular cake with almonds and cinnamon.

- Must visit

Braga, the capital of this region, is an ancient Celtic city with more than 300 churches - besides Bom Jesus do Monte, an impressive Baroque temple that is a famous place of pilgrimage. A little to the south is Guimarães, considered the cradle of Portugal. It was this city that Afonso Henriques took as its capital after, in 1139, proclaimed the first king of Portugal.
Trás-os-Montes is the extreme northeast of Portugal. Its wild and rustic style, with granite villages that seem to be drawn from a dream, enchant visitors who venture here.
Bragança, its main city, has an impressive walled citadel placed on an isolated peak. Farther south, the enchanting Douro valley is not only a UNESCO world heritage site but also the true home of Port wine.

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Main attractions
Mateus Palace in Vila Real
The old quarter of Viana do Castelo
Paleolithic engravings of the Côa valley
Ponte de Lima Roman Bridge
Peneda-Gerês National Park
Guimarães Castel

12th-century citadel in Bragança
Bom Jesus de Braga

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Main events and festivities

• Easter Holy Week Celebrations - Braga - April
• Gualterianas Festivals - Guimarães - August
• Guimarães Jazz - Guimarães - November
• Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Festival - Lamego - August
• Paredes de Coura Festival - Paredes de Coura - July, August
• Nossa Senhora da Agonia Festival- Viana do Castelo - August
• Cerveira Biennial - Vila Nova de Cerveira - August, September