Ponte De Lima

Leaving Braga, venture deeper into the Minho countryside. Take N201 northwest from Braga toward Ponte de Lima. Just as you leave town, you pass near the Chapel of São Frutuoso dos Montelios, one of Portugal’s oldest Christian monuments. Although still the subject of controversy, it was apparently built in the 7th century, partially destroyed by the Moors, and rebuilt in the 11th century, thus incorporating a mixture of Byzantine (uncommon in Portugal) and Gothic influences. It seems to have originally had the form of a Greek cross, but parts of it were destroyed and are incorporated into the building of the adjacent Church of São Francisco, an 18th-century monastery church.Return to N201 (or you can take the A3) and continue north. You traverse intensely green, wooded hills with vineyards for the next 27 kilometers until you reach Ponte de Lima, which means “Bridge over the Lima River.” The Roman stone bridge has 15 large arches and 12 small ones. The town, one of our favorites in Portugal, is delightfully situated on the bank of the Lima amid lush, rolling hills and has a wonderful old-world ambiance. It has been settled since Roman times, as the bridge suggests, and traces of its medieval fortifications are interspersed among the more modern white houses near the end of the bridge. If you can arrange to be here on Monday, you will enjoy the famous market on the riverbank, which has taken place for several centuries. Numerous shops also display the varied handicrafts of the region, including blankets and baskets. The tourist office has a modest exhibit of regional handicrafts. Ponte de Lima was the center of much wealth and consequently the area is dotted with gorgeous big estates and mansions, many of which have opened their doors to guests.