Ponte de Lima
Ponte de Lima: A Bridge With A View
Ponte de Lima is a delightful riverside town 26 km upstream on the River Lima from Viana do Castelo.
The small settlement of just less than 3,000 inhabitants is the oldest vila (chartered town) in Portugal. It received its charter way back in 1125. For a small town there's lots to see and do.
Located on the south bank of the River Lima, which has its source in Spain and reaches the Atlantic at Viana do Castelo, the town is named after its superb Roman and Medieval bridge.
Historically, Ponte de Lima was on the Roman road from Braga to Santiago de Compostela.
The first bridge across the river was indeed Roman in origin and several arches of this bridge survive on the northern bank of the Lima.
The Roman connection is celebrated with ceramic statues of a Roman general and his troops on the opposite river banks. The story goes that when the Roman army arrived at the Lima the troops believed the river to be the mythical Lethe, the "River of Oblivion" in Hades, and were afraid to cross.
Drawing his sword the general Decimus Junius Brutus rode his horse through the slow-moving, misty water and his men duly followed.
The initial Ponte Romana was expanded in the 14th century and its graceful 13 granite arches are now the town's main attraction. The bridge is illuminated at night.
The bridge is for pedestrians only while a modern bridge downstream carries the N201 across the river.
The main part of the town including the town hall, schools and other civic buildings sit on the south side. On the northern bank are the Igreja de Santo António da Torre Velha and the impressive Parque Temático do Arnado.
The Torre de Cadeia Velha and the Torre de São Paolo are two historic, stone towers dating from the 14th and 16th centuries and are remains of the old city wall that once encircled the town.
The granite Torre de Cadeia Velha was a former prison and now houses the turismo. The nearby arcaded Mercado building is also of interest as is the elegant fountain the Chafariz do Largo de Camões.
Churches in Ponte de Lima include the mainly 19th-century Igreja de Santo António da Torre Velha. The impressive bell tower is flanked by four gargoyles.
On the south bank, the Igreja Matriz Ponte de Lima is a 15th-century church with a Romanesque doorway.
The 18th-century, Baroque Igreja de São Franscisco dos Terceiros and the Igreja de Santo Antonio dos Frades, a former Franciscan convent church are now wings of the eclectic Museu de Terceiros. The two churches exhibit ecclesiastical vestments, religious art, local archaeological finds and various folk items.
The fun Museu do Brinquedo Português close to the northern end of the Roman Bridge exhibits a wide collection of Portuguese toys.
The toys range in age from the 19th century to the 1980's and are arranged by decade. On display are dolls, model train sets, spinning tops, and a whole collection of antique wooden toys.
The museum building is the former Casa do Arnado mansion. The garden is open to visitors along with a toy workshop where kids can try their hand at making toys. Overall, the museum is a delight for both the young and young at heart. (facebook.com/museudobrinquedoportugues)
Also on the north bank, the Parque Temático do Arnado is dedicated to the history of gardens through the ages.
Visitors can enjoy a Roman garden based on the Casa dos Repuxos in Conímbriga, near Coimbra, a garden maze, a Renaissance garden and Baroque garden. There is also a greenhouse and small lake on the site. The greenhouse pays homage to botanical gardens and holds herbaceous plants, aquatic plants in the lake surrounding the greenhouse as well as indoor plants within the glasshouse.
The annual International Garden Festival takes place each May until October and hosts a competition of 12 gardens constructed around a theme. See festivaldejardins.cm-pontedelima.pt for further details.
Market & Festivals
Once a fortnight on Mondays, the town comes alive with a huge market, the Feira Quinzenal, which sells everything from local agricultural produce to the latest gadgets. This is the oldest market in Portugal and well worth a visit.
Other festivals include the lively Feira do Cavalo in June with horse races, parades of carriages, music and other events (feiradocavalo.pt).
The Vaca das Cordas is a "bull-running" festival held after Easter followed by the religious Festa do Corpo de Deus with a religious procession and flowers carpeting the streets of the town.
The bull is restrained by two ropes and given a bath of red wine at the Igreja Matriz before being paraded around Ponte de Lima
The festival has its roots in a legend that the Igreja Matriz was once a pagan temple dedicated to the worship of cows and bulls. The present festival began in 1646 and is not recommended for animal rightists, though the bull is unharmed.
The Feiras Novas takes place over a number of days in the third week of September. The streets are decorated and feature a huge market, agricultural fair with livestock contests, fado, folk dances, religious processions, music and fireworks. The festival is still going strong since the early 19th century. Accommodation is scarce at this time.
Ponte de Lima Tourist Office
Torre de Cadeia Velha
Tel: 258 942 335
www: cm-pontedelima.pt
Getting to Ponte de Lima
Buses
There are expresso long-distance and more local services to Braga (30 minutes), Valença (25 minutes), Ponte de Barca (20-30 minutes), Barcelos (55 minutes), Viana do Castelo (50 minutes), Porto (2 hours, 20 minutes) and Lisbon.
The bus station is now on Rua Conde Bertiandos.
Trains
Viana do Castelo Station and Braga Station are the two nearest major railway stations.
Portugal Hotel & Hostel Accommodation
Book Accommodation in Ponte de Lima
Recommended Hotel
Hotel Paço de Vitorino
Carreira do Paço nº 270 - Vitorino de Donas, 4990-800 Ponte de Lima
The hotel is within an 18th-century manor house with Baroque garden, just a 10-minute drive from the center. The hotel has rental bicycles to enjoy the nearby cycling track from Viana do Castelo to Ponte de Lima.
Other recommended hotels are the 3-star, riverside Hotel Império do Norte, the modern INLIMA Hotel & Spa and Carmo's Boutique Hotel a 5-star property a short drive east of town.
See a listing of hotels in Ponte de Lima.
Hotels in Portugal - Booking.com
Hostels in Portugal - Booking.com
Eating
There are a wide range of good restaurants in Ponte de Lima. Largo de Camões is a good place to start for bars and outdoor cafes for a coffee or glass of the local vinho verde.
Restaurante Diamante Azul (Tel: 258 742 754) on Rua da Cidade de Vandoeuvre serves excellent local Portuguese cuisine with fish, meat and vegetarian dishes.
Taverna Vaca Das Cordas on Rua Beato Francisco Pacheco is as the name suggests a place to dine for meat lovers.
O Brasão on Rua Formosa (Tel: 258 941 890) serves delicious regional food in a lovely setting.
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