Monção & Melgaço, Minho Region
Monção
Monção in the Minho region of northern Portugal is a pleasant castle town and spa. It lies on the River Minho which forms the border with Spain.
Monção is about 70 km northeast of Viana do Castelo and 16 km west of Valença on the N101 highway.
Heading north on the N101, the town is just over 40 km from Ponte da Barca and 34 km from Arco de Valdevez.
The small town of less than 3,000 people is known for its medieval castle, hot springs and vinho verde wine, in particular the Alvarinho variety.
History
The town received its charter or foral in 1261 from D. Afonso III.
The castle probably dates from the reign of D. Dinis (1279-1325).
It was during a siege of the castle by a Castilian army in 1369 that one Deu-la-Deu Martins, the mayor's wife gathered enough flour from the starving inhabitants to bake some bread to send to the Spanish with the offer of more if they need them. Thus tricked, the besieging army withdrew thinking the town was well-stocked with food.
She is now honored with a square named after her, Praça Deu-la-Deu and a tomb in the Igreja da Matriz.
The Spanish still besiege the town but they now come for the healing waters of the Termas de Monção. The Portuguese go in the opposite direction in search of cheaper petrol for their cars.
Attractions
Not so much remains of the Castelo de Monção except for the tall, thin keep (Torre de Menagem) and a stretch of wall along the river. The castle was strengthened in the 17th century though it fell to Spanish forces in 1659 during the Portuguese Restoration War.
The town's churches include the pretty Igreja Matriz de Monção where Deu-la-Deu is buried and the Igreja da Misericórdia in the square named after the heroine.
The Termas de Monção include a large public bathing area and spa treatments. Visitors can enjoy Jacuzzis, a Turkish bath and "Roman" bath. The spa dates from the late 19th century but the facilities are now housed in a modern 20th century building.
The Palácio da Brejoeira 5 km to the south of the center is a 19th century palace. The grounds contain an English-style garden with ponds, fountains and statues and 18 hectares of Alvarinho vines. The luxurious interior includes a library and much fine, period furniture.
A highlight of a visit is tasting the fine Alvarinho vinho verde wine which you can also purchase here.
There are a couple of museums to take in, the Museu do Alvarinho dedicated to the history and production of the local wine and the Casa Museu de Monção (CMM) on Rua Conselheiro João da Cunha.
The Casa Museu de Monção is housed in an 18th century building and administered by the University of Minho. The permanent collection includes an historic Oriental loom, furniture and paintings. In addition, the museum puts on several temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
The nearest bridge that links Salvaterra de Miño in Galicia in Spain and Monção in Portugal is the João Verde - Amador Saavedra Bridge to the west of Monção.
A few kilometers west of Monção is the small town of Lapela. The impressive 35-meter tall Torre de Lapela is all that remains of the medieval castle besides a few sections of wall.
Melgaço
Melgaço, 23 km west of Monção, is a similar border town on the River Minho with a medieval castle, a nearby spa and a good reputation for its vinho verde.
The Melgaço Museum of Cinema is housed in a former customs office and dedicated to the history of cinema in Portugal. On display are historic movie projectors, original film posters and photographs.
The area was settled during the Roman period and various Roman remains are still in evidence within a short distance of the town. These include a Roman bridge, the Ponte da Cavada Velha near the village of Castro Laboreiro within the Peneda-Gerês National Park.
Like Monção, Melgaço too has a historical heroine, one Inês Negra - though her story is more one of oral legend than definitive historical fact. When the castle of Melgaço was under siege by the Castilians in the late 14th century, the young Inês supposedly took part in a fierce hand-to-hand duel with a woman from the Spanish side. Inês was victorious, of course, and a statue commemorates the legend and a street is named in her honor.
Accommodation
Monção has several recommended places to stay.
The Hotel Convento dos Capuchos has large, comfortable rooms set in a former monastery.
The Hotel Bienestar Termas de Moncao is a modern hotel with river views, a spa and outdoor pool.
Other properties include Dom Afonso with a restaurant and bar.
Guesthouse Muralhas do Mino is close to the center and can arrange tours of the area.
See a listing of hotels in Monção
In Melgaço choose from the Monte Prado Hotel & Spa, the Hotel Rural Reguengo de Melgaço or the Hotel Boavista I.
See a listing of hotels in Melgaço
Access
There is no longer a train station in Monção, Just across the border in Spain Salvatierra Station (aka Salvaterra) has trains to Vigo and Madrid-Chamartín.
Viana do Castelo Station is the nearest major railway station. There are connections to Campanhã Station and São Bento Station in Porto and also north to Valença on the border and Vigo across the frontier in Spain.
There are buses from Monção to Valença (20 minutes), Melgaço (40 minutes), Viana do Castelo (1 hour, 20 minutes), Porto (2 hours, 30 minutes) and Braga (1 hours, 45 minutes). To Lisbon it is a long 6 hours, 30 minutes by bus.
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