Bom dia! Pack your things, today we’re taking you on a trip to Arcos de Valdevez. It’s a small, quiet, and charming town in northern Portugal that sits in a very scenic place on the banks of the Vez River near Peneda-Geres National Park. It was founded in 1515, and despite the passage of time, it has retained its charm and traditional architecture. Without further ado, let us show you our favorite things to do in Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal.
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Arcos De Valdevez, Portugal
Arcos De Valdevez is located in northern Portugal in the Alto Minho region in the Viana do Castelo district. It sits on the banks of Vez River and at the foot of the country’s only National Park – Peneda-Geres.
Arcos de Valdevez might not be as popular or even beautiful as other small towns in northern Portugal, but it’s a very pleasant place located in peaceful and green surroundings. Arcos is a great destination for a peaceful day trip while exploring the area.
Things to do in Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal
Bridge of Arcos de Valdevez
One of the best things to do in Arcos de Valdevez is to admire the Bridge of Arcos. It’s a four-arch stone bridge built in the 19th century, between 1876 and 1880, to replace a previous medieval construction. It crosses the Vez River, connecting two parts of the town. While there, be sure to cross the bridge and take a good look at the great views over Arcos de Valdevez Old Town. On that side, you’ll also find the 18th-century Church of São Paio (pt. Igreja de São Paio), with beautiful outside stairs and azulejos on the front facade.
In our opinion, the most beautiful views of the bridge are from two nearby green areas: Jardim do Campo do Trasladário and Jardins da Alameda de Arcos de Valdevez.
Valdevez Tournament Monument
The Valdevez Tournament Monument (Portuguese: Monumento ao Recontro de Valdevez) commemorates a significant episode in Portugal’s history: the Battle of Valdevez. It took place in 1140 or 1141 between the Kingdom of León and the Kingdom of Portugal and was the definitive battle that allowed Portugal to become independent of Castille. We don’t want to bloat this post with too much history, so if you are a history fan, learn more here.
You can find the monument by the Vez River, close to the Bridge of Arcos. It was created by the sculptor José Rodrigues, and it depicts two knights on (legless) horses armed with long spears.
Interesting fact number one. The town has a rhyming motto: “Arcos de Valdevez, Onde Portugal se Fez”, meaning “Arcos de Valdevez, Where Portugal was Made”.
Interesting fact number two. In São Bento railway station in Porto you’ll also find a commemorative azulejo mural of the mentioned battle.
Arcos de Valdevez Old Town
Exploring the charming old town should be high on your list of things to do in Arcos de Valdevez. It’s quite small, and you can easily discover it all in an hour or two. While strolling among the streets, you’ll find points of interest like the Church of the Misericórdia e Cruzeiro, Arcos Pillory with a municipal square, Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa, Water Clock, Casa das Artes, or the Main Church of Arcos de Valdevez. Yes, you see right – there are a lot of churches (and that’s not even all of them)! Let’s take a closer look now.
Church of the Misericórdia
Church of the Misericórdia (pt. Igreja da Misericórdia de Arcos de Valdevez) is located just a few steps from the Bridge of Arcos. It was built in the end of the 16th century, and later completely rebuilt in the 18th century.
Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa
Continue along the same street and you’ll reach the square, Largo da Lapa, where you’ll find the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa (pt. Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Lapa). This very small, and unique-looking oval church was built in the 18th century.
In the same square, you’ll find a fountain that is actually a… water clock (pt. Relógio de Água), which works perfectly. Such a cool idea!
Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição
On the side, in an inconspicuous street behind the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa, you’ll find the oldest building in town – Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (pt. Capela de Nossa Senhora da Conceição. This tiny and simple funerary chapel has been there since about the 14th century.
Pillory of Arcos de Valdevez & Municipal Square
Just a few steps from the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, you’ll find a big Municipal Square. It features buildings like Town Hall, Palace of Justice, but most importantly, the iconic Pillory of Arcos de Valdevez (pt. Pelourinho de Arcos de Valdevez). This stone pillory was built here in the 16th century, moved closer to the riverbanks in 1700, and finally came back to its original spot in 1998. Exploring this area definitely shouldn’t be missing from your list of things to do in Arcos de Valdevez.
Arcos de Valdevez Parish Church
On top of Municipal Square, you’ll find the town’s main church, the Church of Arcos de Valdevez (pt. Igreja Matriz de Arcos de Valdevez). It was built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, on the remains of an older, probably medieval temple.
Church of the Holy Spirit & Baroque Interpretive Center
Behind the Arcos Parish Church, you’ll find a small Centennial Garden (pt. Jardim dos Centenário), stunning views over the town and the surroundings, and the House of Arts (pt. Casa das Artes) located in a beautiful 18th-century building. At the end of the road the Church of the Holy Spirit is located, a 17th-century building, currently hosting a Baroque Interpretive Center (pt. Centro Interpretativo do Barroco).
How to get to Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal?
Arcos de Valdevez is located about 7km from Ponte da Barca, 20km from Ponte de Lima, 55km from Braga, and 45km from Viana do Castelo. The most convenient way to get to Arcos de Valdevez is by car or by bus.
Where to park in Arcos de Valdevez?
In Arcos de Valdevez, you can leave your car for free in this parking lot – it’s located right next to the bridge and close to the old town.
Airports near Arcos de Valdevez
The closest airport to Arcos de Valdevez in Portugal is located in Porto (100km away). From the airport, you can get to Arcos de Valdevez by bus. To check the connections that interest you, visit the rome2rio.com website. For the fastest and most convenient trip, rent a car via the rentalcars.com website and pick it up at the airport.
To Arcos de Valdevez by public transport
You can quite easily get to Arcos de Valdevez by bus, especially from nearby towns. For example, a trip from Ponte da Barca will take only about 20 minutes, 2.5 hours from Porto, and 1 hour from Viana do Castelo. To learn more about bus connections that interest you, visit the rome2rio.com website.
Unfortunately, you can’t reach Arcos de Valdevez by train. But you can take a train from towns like Porto, Lisbon, or even Albufeira to Viana do Castelo, and then take a bus from it to Arcos. Here you can check out a map of Portugal train connections.
Things to do in Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal – Summing up
All right, that’s all about things to do in Arcos de Valdevez. Not that big, yet not that small, but quite charming and worth the visit while in the area. If you have some time to spare after visiting more popular places nearby like Ponte de Lima, Peneda-Geres National Park, Viana do Castelo, or Guimaraes don’t hesitate to visit. Beautiful landscapes, many green and peaceful areas, chilled vibe, sleepy old town… All of that awaits you in Arcos de Valdevez. Enjoy your trip!
Our opinion about Arcos de Valdevez
For us, a visit to Arcos de Valdevez was a half-day trip from nearby Ponte da Barca where we lived for a few weeks. We visited it in early May and we were really surprised by the number of visitors! Ok… There weren’t huge crowds of tourists but we came across quite a lot of them, and even two guided tours! In about 3 hours we explored all the places we had on our list, including spending some nice time on the banks of the Vez River.
We don’t think that Arcos de Valdevez is the most interesting or charming town in northern Portugal, but while in the area it’s worth taking a look and wandering around a bit. If you are a fan of Portugal’s history or want to see plenty of churches in a small area – you’ll probably like it even more.
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Arcos de Valdevez?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Arcos de Valdevez:
