The Vila Real district is located in the mountainous area of northern Portugal. In its southern part there is the Duero river valley with its vineyards and terraced crops. It is a region of small towns with white buildings, deep river valleys and uninhabited forests covered with forests and mountain thickets.
The capital of the district is the city of Vila Real at the confluence of the Rios Corgo and Cabril rivers. Its most important monument is the Mateus Palace, a baroque residence surrounded by a beautiful park with ponds and fountains. There are also several historic churches and interesting tenement houses in the city.
A very interesting monument of the region is the Roman sanctuary of Panóias. Its ruins in the form of altars carved in granite rock, stairs and inscriptions come from the 1st and 2nd century AD
Vila Real is also an interesting place for those who want to spend time actively. The Alvão nature park with numerous walking trails is best suited for this. On the slopes of the hills you can see traditional farms with fields surrounded by stone walls and stone houses. Above are exposed exposed rock ridges and fragments of coniferous forests.
