Northern Portugal is a lush and green region filled with breathtaking landscapes, spectacular views, lots of hiking areas, charming small towns, as well as bigger cities with cool and relaxed vibes. It’s also home to Portugal’s only National Park – Peneda-Geres, great wines – Vinho Verde and Port, and the famous Caldo Verde soup. It’s a truly beautiful region in Portugal, yet undiscovered by many and often overlooked in favor of the Algarve in the south.
So far, we’ve spent 6 weeks living in Northern Portugal and enjoyed almost every second of it. During that time, we had an opportunity to visit quite a large part of this beautiful region, and today we want to show you our list of the best small towns in Northern Portugal. Be sure to add them to your bucket list!
Wondering where is the best place to have a home base? We lived in Ponte da Barca and found it a great starting point for our Northern Portugal trips. It’s located more or less in the middle of every other place mentioned in this post.
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Best small towns in Northern Portugal
Guimaraes
Guimaraes is a remarkable town that is considered the birthplace of the Kingdom of Portugal as it’s a place where Afonso Henrique, the first Portugal king, was born! Guimaraes is full of history, and its streets invite you to take a step back in time, straight to the Middle Ages.
It’s a pure delight to slowly stroll around Guimaraes old town. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most beautiful and authentic historic centers you’ll find in Portugal. Narrow streets, old stone houses with typical medieval wooden upper parts, vibrant squares, and a well-preserved castle make an impressive combination. No wonder Guimaraes Old Town was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! We think it’s one of the best small towns in Northern Portugal, don’t miss it!
Braga
Braga is one of the oldest cities in Portugal and definitely the most religious one. Thanks to a huge number of churches, as many as 47, Braga is often called the Rome of Portugal. It’s also an important stop for many walking the Camino Portugues. If you are a religious person or a huge fan of churches, you’ll have a blast in Braga!
But this city has more to offer than just dozens of churches and spiritual experiences. In its old town, you’ll find a building predating Portugal itself! There are also a lot of streets and squares full of old buildings and historical landmarks. Magnificent viewpoints are waiting just outside the city, mostly from churches like the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus or the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sameiro.
Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo is located at the mouth of the Lima River. It’s a delightful and interesting coastal city in Northern Portugal, and a popular travel destination ready to win your heart.
There you’ll find a charming old town, with many historical buildings, an iconic mountaintop church – Santuario de Santa Luzia, a fascinating Gil Eannes Hospital Ship museum, and even some beaches where you can relax for a moment… All of this makes Viana do Castelo a great small town in Northern Portugal that you should add to your bucket list.
Barcelos
Barcelos is another interesting small town in Northern Portugal worth visiting. It’s the birthplace of the famous and colorful Rooster of Barcelos! It’s probably the most recognizable and iconic symbol of Portugal, behind which lies a fascinating and miraculous legend…
In Barcelos, you’ll also find a pleasant old town that has retained some of its medieval vibes. It’s full of charming and well-kept streets that invite for a lazy stroll while admiring buildings dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Caminha
Caminha is a small and pleasant town located at the mouth of the River Minho. It was founded in the 13th century and for hundreds of years played an important military role in defending Portugal’s northern borders.
Caminha is still not a well-known destination, but it has its own charm and for sure offers some proper Northern Portugal vibes. Nowadays, it’s slowly becoming a popular spot for today’s invaders – travelers and digital nomads. Apart from the lovely old town full of medieval streets and buildings, there you’ll find stunning landscapes with beaches, mountains, river, ocean, forests…
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Caminha with a visit to Vila Nova de Cerveira and/or Valença do Minho.
Ponte de Lima
Ponte de Lima is Portugal’s oldest village, founded in 1125 by Teresa de Leão, the countess of Portugal and the mother of the first king of Portugal – Afonso I.
What is waiting for you in Ponte de Lima? Beautiful stone Ponte Romana bridge behind which lies a fascinating legend, a charming well-preserved old town, beautiful views, and fancy gardens displays. Not that big, yet not that small, and absolutely worth the visit! It’s an amazing small town in Northern Portugal which you can’t miss.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Ponte de Lima with a visit to Ponte da Barca.
Ponte da Barca
Ponte da Barca is a truly charming small town in Northern Portugal that sits on the banks of the Lima River and at the foot of Peneda-Geres National Park.
Beautiful landscapes, many green areas near the river perfect for relaxing or having a picnic, charming old town with iconic stone medieval bridge and lovely streets perfect to get lost in. Chill vibes, tasty food, and Vinho Verde wine at every step… All of this, and more, can be found there.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Ponte da Barca with a visit to Ponte de Lima.
Vila Nova de Cerveira
Vila Nova de Cerveira, or just Cerveira, is a small and pleasant Portuguese town is located on the banks of the River Minho, right across from Spain. Cerveira was named after the deer population that used to inhabit the area (cervos means deer).
Stunning viewpoints with magnificent panoramic views over the area, an iron deer statue that carefully observes the village from above, a huge cerLove swing, a small but charming old town perfect for a lazy stroll, a castle, and a huge weekly Saturday market – Vila Nova de Cerveira has it all.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Vila Nova de Cerveira with a visit to Caminha and/or Valença do Minho.
Valença do Minho
Valenca do Minho, or just Valenca, is located on the left bank of the River Minho, right across from Spain. This unique Portuguese fortress town’s history goes back to Roman times, and over the years it played an important military role in defending the Portuguese borders.
Valenca Fortress is without a doubt the most recognizable highlight of the town and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in North Portugal. Inside, among its narrow stone-paved streets, you’ll find many beautiful old buildings, a few churches, historical landmarks, and of course lots of restaurants and cafes perfect for a short break.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Valenca with a visit to Caminha and/or Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Lindoso
Lindoso is located in a very scenic spot in Peneda-Geres National Park. This small, remote, and slightly forgotten village for many centuries played an important military role in defending the Portuguese frontier. Now it’s a village where you can forget what century you live in. It’s definitely one of the coolest and most unique small towns in Northern Portugal.
There, you won’t find many places to see but will take you on an amazing journey back in time hundreds of years. The well-preserved 13th-century medieval castle from which great views extend, the picturesque cluster of more than 50 granite granaries that date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and the stone old town with the quaint houses are waiting for you to discover.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Lindoso with a visit to some other places in Peneda-Geres National Park.
Soajo
Soajo is located at the foot of Peneda-Geres National Park at an altitude of 1416m a.s.l. It’s a remote and traditional village where you won’t find many places to see. But the ones you’ll find will impress you for sure!
24 picturesque granaries that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. These are accompanied by wonderful views of the surroundings and fresh mountain air. Nearby, you’ll find a traditional stone old town with quaint houses and winding streets. There is also an unusual stone pillory with a carved anthropomorphic face… All of that creates a really charming picture.
Travel tip. You can easily connect a trip to Soajo with a visit to some other places in Peneda-Geres National Park.
Arcos de Valdevez
Arcos de Valdevez is a very quiet and sleepy Portuguese town located on the banks of the Vez River and at the foot of Peneda-Geres National Park. The town was founded in 1515, and despite the passage of time, it has retained lots of its charm and traditional architecture.
19th century four-arched stone bridge, Valdevez Tournament statue depicts two knights on (legless) horses, a small old town full of churches… It might not be the most interesting small town in Northern Portugal, but while in the area it’s worth taking a look and wandering around a bit.
Porto
Porto is one of the most popular travel destinations in Portugal, visited by thousands of tourists every month. It might not be the smallest town in Northern Portugal, but it’s definitely the one that can’t be skipped.
Port wine and wine lodges, churches covered in azulejos, a magical bookstore, a lovely old town named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, picturesque winding streets, delicious local cuisine, and pastéis de nata… All of that makes Porto an amazing travel destination.
Best small towns in Northern Portugal – Summing up & Our TOP3
Northern Portugal is a really beautiful and breathtaking region, isn’t it? We hope that our list will help you decide which spots you want to visit. What are our TOP3 small towns in Northern Portugal? Guimaraes, Viana do Castelo, and Ponte de Lima.
One more tip. Traveling by car is the best and fastest way of getting to all the mentioned places in Northern Portugal. So if you’re not traveling by car, we recommend you rent one via Rental Cars.
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