Vila Nova de Cerveira

Vila Nova de Cerveira is a lovely village from the North of Portugal, in a traditional region previously called “Minho”, over the gorgeous River Minho that separates the village from the neighbour Spain.

Border village, Vila Nova de Cerveira has developed over the centuries contiguous to its defensive walls, that protected it from the Spanish attacks, situated in a region of astonishing natural beauty.

This territory has been occupied since pre-historical times, and several archaeological vestiges of human occupation through centuries can be found throughout the region.

Vila Nova de Cerveira is an historical village, mostly rural, but with some small industries that have been developed lately. The village is also quite famous for its prestige Art Biennial, since 1978, attracting many visitors and reputable national and international artists.

Vila Nova de Cerveira’s many Manor houses denote the economical importance over the year, enriching the beauty of the village, that has already an idyllic natural ambiance, in between luxuriant mountain ranges and various delightful water courses.

In the village’s Castle functions nowadays a luxury hotel (“Pousada de D. Dinis”), and the village’s Mother Church and Misericórdia Chapel are also worth to be known. Curious, up in the hill, is an iron sculpture of a Deer (“Cervo” in Portuguese), the typical animal of this territory that was indeed named after the mammal (“Cerveira” was the land of the “Cervo”).

The Gastronomy of the region is quite influenced by the richness of the River Minho, that also provides astonishing landscapes and pure moments of relaxation and leisure. The Restaurant offer is quite good, with traditional recipes with lampreys and mullets.