The beautiful beaches of Foz do Minho, Moledo, Vila Praia de Âncora and Forte do Cão (Fortress) with its splendid whiteness and brightness, are the landmark of Caminha, a source of tourist attraction, where history and the built-in heritage complete this patchwork of imposing monuments spanning all historical ages. There are an array of leisure areas and vantage points to discover. The summer also brings a vibrant nightlife all-gear round in several places across the county, and a gastronomy intensely marked by the flavors of the sea, river and inland.
A Region with History
With an extensive natural and cultural heritage, the county of Caminha amazes the visitor by its medieval “look” at this county town center. Across the whole region, the visitor “breathes” the History of Portugal itself which is extended like a printed book through the town’s cobblestones, alleyways, romantic corners, and in the various spaces rich in artistic, religious, military or urbane details, by simply walking across its villages.
In the outskirts of the town, there is still remains of ancient civilizations, mostly ascribed to prehistoric and proto-historic periods, like rock engravings, burial mounds, dolmen and fortified hilltop stone forts (‘castros’), in an extensive number of monuments and ancient remains that have lasted until our times, which are kept alive through a large number of guide-books and itineraries, available for any specific age the visitor wish to “visit”, in a comprehensive mixture of past and present.
Caminha is Amusement
By its roots and entrepreneurial spirit, the ‘caminhense’ community displays an increasing dynamism, thus contributing for the large cultural offer the county boasts. Let be seduced by the diversity Caminha has to offer:
- through recreating history of the medieval times, which fill the streets of the town’s historical center with amusement, music, theatre, and plenty of fantasy. É um desafio encenar o espírito medieval, trajando a rigor ou interagindo com os andarilhos e artesãos, e provando as iguarias da região, nas tascas e bares que animam a Feira Medieval de Caminha;
- through promoting the traditions and ties the County is attached to since the beginning of times with the sea, through the Festival of the Sea and Sardine;
- through musical shows in which the motto is diversity to please the public, with highlights to the Festival of Vilar de Mouros, internationally acclaimed by all music lovers;
- through theatre sessions in which the amateur theatre displays the traditional talent of this people;
- through fascinating literary meetings highlighted by the Book Fair;
- through exhibitions of the art galleries, in particular the “Arte na Leira”, encompassed by the Serra d’Arga as backdrop, and by its unique surrounding, the rudeness of the crags in each stone and waterfall. This has become one of the most celebrated events in the whole Caminha municipality, where distinct works of painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, pottery, jewelry, glass, fashion and furniture can be seen and admired.
Nature’s Pristine Recesses
To discover the natural beauties of the county, the visitor should enjoy the weekend in contact with nature. The visitor should do what is considered by many to be a perfect combination between Men and the Environment. Choose from one of the various icons of this patchwork! Should you decide for the mountain, you will be faced with one of the most pristine environments, pure natura and typical rural life, seen from its fertile fields, natural pools, variegated fauna and flora. Participate in pedestrian tracks where this rare and wild beauty can be appreciated and have a close look to century-old traditions which survive and enchant. Mixing with the green of the landscape or taking a ride of bike or by foot, a picnic in the Mata Nacional do Camarido or in the Pinhal da Gelfa. Take a health challenge by choosing the riverbanks, either walking or riding a bicycle through the echo-tracks. Enjoy a well-deserved rest at sunny beaches or dive into the deep blue of the crystal water of its rivers.
Because Man in the perfect combination with the nature, let yourself be taken away by the amazing beauty that is waiting for you.
Active Freedom
In case you choose sea sports, like surf, windsurf, sailing, kitesurf or bodyboard, plunge into the waves of the beaches of Camarido, Moledo, Vila Praia de Âncora or Fote do Cão (Fortress), fine for the practice of different sports, including its excellent therapeutic qualities. For those who prefer more calm sensations, you can choose from different river options, like kayak, canoe, boat journeys and rowing, modality which has given credit to the Caminha region.
The BTT and the enduro (motorcycle sport) are also modalities quite practiced across the dazzling valleys and hills of this terrestrial paradise.
A Know-How Tradition
Art and festivity, symbols of a genuine and popular cultural expressed in great moments of fruition and social gathering, like the Popular Festivities and Saint’s Day Festivals, which take place in our municipality round three special events: the Festivities of Sta. Rita de Cássia (council ones), the Festivities of Sra da Bonança, and its strong workshop by the people linked to the sea activities, and the popular festivity of São João d’Arga, one of the most ancient and traditional of the Upper Minho, region, where the colorful of the local ethnography, costumes and fittings convey a lifestyle of this people.
Attend and follow the tradition of a know-how linked to the popular arts is to know and appreciate different types of handicraft of our municipality: from the fireworks to the copper wares, flax weaving, laces and embroideries (sweetheart’s scarf), regional costumes, basketwork, ironwork, sweet things, palmettos, pottery and painted tiles, and boats’ miniatures are a whole set of hand-made unique pieces that Caminha still manufactures and retains.
Flavors from the Sea and Inland
Tasting the great variety of delicacies from the county of Caminha is to have a taste of its culture, habits, and tradition of all these people scattered across this landscape patchwork and get involved with the full flavors from the sea and inland. From the hills of the Serra d’Arga, we can enjoy tasting the meat dishes, from the intensive home-grown produce turned to the small livestock and vegetables, which the kid from the Serra d’Arga is a fine example.
From its rivers and sea, the trout, salmon, shad, rock-bass, sardine, plaice and lamprey, these are some of species best used in the local fare, among which are the Fishermen’s Stew or Dry Plaices dishes.
Source: Caminha Town Hall
