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Vila do Conde (pronounced [ˈvilɐ ðu ˈkõdɨ] ⓘ, locally [ˈbilɐ ðu ˈkoŋdɨ]; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 79,533, [1] in an area of 149.03 km 2. [2] The urbanized area of Vila do Conde, which includes the parishes of Vila do Conde, Azurara and Árvore, represent ...
May 28, 2024 · The Town of Vila do Conde. 28 May 2024 by MWH. Sitting comfortably on the north bank of the River Ave at the point where it gushes out into the Atlantic, Vila do Conde is an old ship-building town of high nobility still blessed with much of its former aristocratic charm.
Explore Vila do Conde with our guide! Discover historic sites, beautiful beaches, local cuisine, and the town's rich maritime heritage. Plan your perfect visit now.
Vila do Conde: read a guide to the historic port of Vila do Conde just under an hour north of Porto by metro. The town is located at the mouth of the River Ave.
- Alfândega Régia – Museu de Construção Naval
- Nau Quinhentista
- Igreja Matriz
- Convento de Santa Clara
- Santa Clara Aqueduct
- Praia Azul
- Capela de Nossa Senhora Da Guia
- Forte de São João Baptista
- Museu Das Rendas de Bilros
- Praia Do Forno
In the 15th-century Royal Customs House on the quayside is a museum charting the shipbuilding trade that claimed the entire Ave Riverside through the Early Modern Age and up to the 20th century. With model boats, tools and tableaux the museum handles three different fields. First you’ll delve into the Portuguese Age of Discovery, when the likes of ...
Moored at the Cais da Alfandega on the River Ave is a replica of a 16th-century carrack, exactly the kind of ship that would have been built at Vila do Conde’s dockyards at the time. This vessel was launched in 2007 using ancestral carpentry and rope-making skills . One of the many interesting things about this vessel is that it epitomises a phase ...
This marvellous church went up in a short amount of time, from 1496 to 1518. At this time Portuguese churches and monasteries were embellished with rich sculpture in the Manueline style, fusing Late Gothic with Spanish Plateresque. This church is a shining example, as you’ll tell from the main portal, which is laden with intricate carving. These ar...
This commanding ensemble stands on a small rise above the Rio Ave and was once one of the richest convents in Portugal. The convent dates to the 14th century, and the Gothic church here is from that first phase. The main convent building is newer and was constructed in the 18th century, now housing Vila do Conde’s municipal services. Your attention...
Befitting its power the Convent of Santa Clara once drew a lot of water. Quite literally in fact, as in 1626 it initiated a giant project to improve its water supply. Channelling water down from the high ground in Terroso this structure stretched for four kilometres and needed almost 90 years to complete. One reason it took so long is that there wa...
Vila do Conde has several Atlantic beaches, but Praia Azul, about 500 metres from the old town is the cream of the crop. This Blue Flag beach has a generous swathe of golden sand traced by a promenade and bikeway that runs several kilometres up to Póvoa de Varzim in the north. And despite having all the amenities to qualify it for a Blue Flag, Prai...
One of a couple of engaging sights on the right side of the Ave River estuary is this tiny chapel. A religious building of some description has been in this very place since before the 12th century, and the design of the current building is from around 1636. And although the low, whitewashed walls and terracotta roof are pretty discreet, the inside...
A few steps from the chapel is this sturdy 17th-century fortress, embedded in a platform of rock right on the beach. This fortification was active for 200 years, not least due to its strategic location, defending the shipyards in the Ave River from attacks by pirates and privateers. In the 1980s, after the fort had been abandoned for decades, the d...
This museum opened in 1991 in the splendid Casa do Vinhal townhouse, dating to the 1700s. The attraction is devoted to safeguarding Vila do Conde’s traditions, mostly the craft for which the museum is named (bobbin lace). There are some very dainty examples of local lacework in cabinets, on their own or attached to period clothing. You can cast you...
Despite being next to the city, Vila do Conde’s main beach feels natural and out of the way. Between the ocean and the town the Marginal Atlântica, keeps the high-rise apartments at a distance. The only building on the beachfront is the Forte de São João Baptista, which brings some drama to the scene, sitting on its bed of granite. Praia da Forno i...
Sep 21, 2020 · Things to Do in Vila do Conde, Portugal: See Tripadvisor's 14,940 traveller reviews and photos of Vila do Conde tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in November. We have reviews of the best places to see in Vila do Conde. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
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Vila do Conde travel guide » The coastal town of Vila do Conde lies at the mouth of the River Ave around 30 km north of Porto. This is a town with two contrasting characters; there is the modern beach town with its apartment blocks and vilas that merges into...
