With a total urban population of around 180.000 inhabitants is the third-largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon and Porto), including the city and suburban parishes.

Its agglomerated urban area extends from the Cavado River to the Easte River. Braga is also the Minho´s greater metropolitan area  which includes a population of around 800.000 (2007 statistics), considered one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union.

The Brejoeira Palace began to be built in the eighteenth century, by Luis Pereira Old Moscoso, and the works continued until 1834. In neo-classical style, is endowed with lavish halls, with paintings and fresh, taste is also reflected in the chapel. Over the years went through many owners, who were carrying out restoration work. In the palace grounds is produced, since 1977, the Alvarinho wine from the merger of several properties in the region, which also produces, grape marc spirit.

From the 13th April the Brejoeira Palace presents to the public the new attraction with two paths: “Romantic Walk” and ride through the vineyards that surround the Fifth Brejoeira “Charming Moments” and ride the front of the Palace and mini -bosque. The implementation of this project, is available 6th to Sunday, the opening hours visits (from 9.00 to 12.30 and from 14.00 to 18.00).

More information: http://www.palaciodabrejoeira.pt/

The male Benedictine Monastery, which includes the gilt, national baroque style, is classified as a Public Interest. Part of the monastery (monastic and fifth dependencies fence) belong to private persons, known for its production of white wine.

Being one of the most beautiful jewels of baroque architecture of the Braga Municipality, St. Andrew Monastery Rendufe provides, however, a journey through the various architectural styles, where we can find the energy and the Baroque movement, on the one hand, and sobriety the neoclassical on the other.

Visit Braga Municipality is to make a journey through the history, to the extent that there are many monuments that depict documented times that are directly related to the great moments in the history of Portugal.

The Monastery and Inn of Santa Maria de Bouro is a copy of this wealth. Classified as a cultural heritage building, situated in the parish of Santa Maria Bouro, was founded in the twelfth century. The monastery belonged to the Cistercian Order and is characterized by its religious architecture, Romanesque, mannerist, baroque, rococo, neoclassical and contemporary. To emphasize the sacristy lined with eighteenth-century tiles, which is depicted the life of St. Bernard, an artistic treasure legacy by our ancestors and unknown dosmais watchful eyes.

Part of the monastery (convent) was adapted for a “Pousada de Portugal”, considered today a luxurious reference.

The SPa with historical references dating back to Roman times, as evidenced by coins found in excavations near the thermal springs, is the reign of King John V that build the first buildings for bathing, made of granite tanks housed in dens in Stone – The Wells.
In 1888 this estancia is visited by Their Majesties D. Luiz I and Maria Pia, D. Carlos I, then real Prince and his wife Maria Amelia. Only in 1897 starts the construction of the first establishment Thermal Geres.

In ancient tradition, references to Hydrotherapy in this area date back to the Romans but only in Sec XVII was built the first establishment Thermal Geres. With the newly renovated building, with modern thermal equipment and techniques, it is especially recommended for liver treatments, gallbladder, obesity, diabetes and hypertension, the Gerês spa also provide specific programs for dietary rehabilitation, weight loss, physical and psychological relaxation, physical recovery and anti-stress.
It is a result of the publication, by Dr. Ricardo Jorge, of several books about the effectiveness of Geres Water in the field of curing liver disease, Gallbladder, Hypertension, Diabetes and Drop, Rheumatisms chronic and Obesity, the exceptional properties of these waters have been widely disseminated.

The effectiveness of Medicinal Geres Aguas combined with constant concern in the modernization of its infrastructure and the qualification of its technical balneotherapy and physiotherapy in the creation of the new Nutrition Center as well as the existence of long term follow up are one of the Geres Spa Resorts busiest in Portugal.

Today the Thermal Establishment, refurbished and re-equipped, and the new Thermal Spa, are equipped with the most modern thermal techniques and bem.estar, allowing to meet the expectations of Termalistas that attend, and also adapt to the growing demand in the area of ​​health tourism, Beauty & Wellness. Thus the establishment creates new provision, which highlights the dynamic pool, showers of Cuba, spraying and Sequential 3 essences and still a vast area of ​​Massage enclosures and thermal aesthetics and a modern gym.
Adjacent to the Thermal Establishment were also created several areas of services and trade. All this modernly built together today constitutes a large Tourist-thermal complex located in the center of Thermal Resort Geres.

Its preservation means keeping the most ancient traditions that mark identity of a people gives it a difference and genuineness, is a real component of the tourism offer. Eating and drinking well is meaning of hospitality and taste the Minho cuisine is all this and more.
A typical Minho meal can be very varied. Tasty vegetables, meats created at home or lamprey caught by local are used in countless dishes, flanked by dessert recipes convent of regional sweets and monitoring and the wonderful wine. In this green area and full of tradition can eat a delicious cod Minho, the famous sarrabulho popes accompanied by firecrackers, the Portuguese stew and a delicious rice, noodles, bread and dreams sponge cake.
Minho can eat well from typical taverns to restaurants Gourmet.

If you stay in Minho please ask for:

• Bacalhau à Minhota
• Caldo Verde à Minhota
• Cozido à Portuguesa
• Rojões à Minhota
• Papas de Sarrabulho à Moda de Braga
• Aletria
• Arroz doce
• Pão-de-ló
• Cavaca Minhota

In 1392, Franciscan friars of Galicia under the direction of Fray Diego Arias, built an monastery in the insula. Will date this period the first fortification in place, with the protection function of that river bar and religious, built by determination of John I of Portugal.

In 1471 took place the convent redevelopment, being built new cells and promoted improvements in its chapel.

Later, Manuel I of Portugal (1495-1521), when passing on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (1502), has determined the implementation of new works of renovation and expansion of this defense, completed in 1512. Similarly, in the context the Philippine Dynasty, Philip I of Portugal (1580-1598) promoted her new intervention, it increased the effectiveness of artillery, urgent need to tackle the British and French pirates attacks. None of these structures come to us.

The current structure dates back to the War of Restoration context (1640-1668), under the reign of John IV of Portugal (1640-1656). Was performed between 1649 and 1652, under the orders of then Minho Arms Governor, D. Diogo Nogueira Lima.

Throughout the eighteenth century the premises of the convent and the strong were repaired on several occasions, highlighting, in 1717 a donation John V King of Portugal for the building of the church, including the dome and in 1767 the construction of new cells, the chapter house and an altarpiece. Between 1793 and 1795 the brothers left the convent to undertake repair works. In the same period in 1765 fortification found itself manned by 10 men and seven bronze artillery pieces.

During the Peninsular War the insula was occupied by Spanish and French troops. Later, with the extinction of the religious orders (1834) the fort was abandoned by the religious community, getting stocked exclusively by the Portuguese Army.

The floristic diversity includes 823 vascular taxa that occur in 128 types of natural vegetation. The oak forests which are common throughout the park, are specifically concentrated in Ramiscal, Peneda, Gerês and Beredo river valleys. These forested are dominated by an alliance between the Pyrenean (Quercus pyrenaica) and English (Quercus robur) oaks, which themselves are differentiated among the lower altitudes and exposed flanks (the Rusceto-Quercetum roboris) and those oaks with Atlantic characteristics (Myretillo-Quercetum roboris). The first association are commonly found with English oak (Quercus rober), Cork oak (Quercus suber), Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus), Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica), while the second association unites the English and Pyrenean oaks with Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and European holly (Ilex aquifolium). In upper altitudes there are patches of English oak that enter into their own association (Holco-Quercetum pyrenacia), which is integrated into another group (Quericon robri-patraea). These oaks have been, over the course of human settlement, the object of intense use, resulting in a general degradation of the spaces into nothing more than shrubbery.

The bush and shrublands, which characterize the remainder of the spaces (74% of the park), are dominated by dwarf (Ulex minor) and European (Ulex europaeus) gorse andheather (Erica umbellata and Calluna vulgaris), with a mixtures of common juniper (Juniperus communis), southern heather (Erica australis) in the upper altitudes, while lower altitude bush includes cross-leaved heather (Erica tetralix), dwarf gorse (Ulex minor), Dorset heath (Erica ciliaris), common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), pale butterwort (Pinguicula lusitanica), marsh violet (Viola palustris) and purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea).

Riparian and marshlands along the river courses are also sites of rare species of Chain ferns (Woodwardia radicans), Willow (Salix repens), Downy Birch (Betula pubescens), Deciduous shrubs (Spiraea hypericifolia), Portuguese Enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lusitanica) and Angelica herbs (Angelica laevis).

There are 627 flora species identified by Serra and Carvalho (1989) as under pressure and considered endangered, which included two medicinal plants: Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) and Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). Based on the protection list of botanical species, and UICN categories: 18 are considered in risk of extinction, 17 are vulnerable and one is rare. They also identified two species as extinct within the park boundaries: a Geranium (Geranium lanuginosum) and Fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea). There are three endemic species. Those factors that have been identified that threaten these habitats include: natural and manmade fires, use of forest for fuel wood and agricultural use of habitats.

]]> https://www.minho.theperfecttourist.com/?feed=rss2&p=3247 0 https://www.minho.theperfecttourist.com/?p=3234 https://www.minho.theperfecttourist.com/?p=3234#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2015 10:47:23 +0000 http://minho.theperfecttourist.com/?p=3234 The Peneda-Gerês National Park also known simply as Gerês, is the only national park in Portugal (although many natural parks, protected landscapes, and reserves exist across the nation). It is located in the Norte region, in the northwest of Portugal, specifically in the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, and Vila Real.

The park was created on 8 May 1971 due to its national and international scientific interest, with the aim to protect the soil, water, flora, fauna, and landscape, while preserving its value to the existent human and natural resources. Education and tourism are also goals of the park.

Probably, because the Gerês mountains are an inhospitable place, the oldest signs of human presence date only from 6000 B.C. to 3000 B.C.;dolmens and other megalithic tombs remain interspersed within the region, including near Castro Laboreiro and Mourela. Human activities consisted of animal husbandry and incipient agriculture, and archaeological evidence points to the beginning of decrease in forest cover.

The creation of the National Park (completed under decree no. 187/71, 8 May 1971) envisioned a planning area of mountainous spaces, in order to conserve the environment, while permitting human and natural resource activities, which would include educational, touristic and scientific projects. At heart is the conservation of soils, water, flora and fauna, in addition to the preservation of landscapes within the vast mountainous region in the northwest of Portugal.

In 1997, Peneda-Gerês was included in the Natura 2000 network, and in 1999, designated a Special Protection Area for Wild Birds. Moreover it also encompasses an important area of natural forest, that integrates the European Network of Biogenetic Reserves, and is recognized as a National Park by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2007, it was accepted in the PAN Parks network that certifies the quality protected areas, according to rigorous criteria of nature conservation, cultural services and sustainability.