Melgaço, Municipality in northern Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Melgaço is a municipality in northern Viana do Castelo that extends across the Minho River valley, marking Portugal's northernmost point. The territory includes various settlements and villages scattered across rolling terrain.
The settlement grew around a defensive castle built in 1181 under the direction of Portugal's first king, D. Afonso Henriques. This fortress played an important role in securing the northern border during the kingdom's early consolidation.
The region maintains the Solar do Alvarinho, a center dedicated to local wine production, where visitors can see traditional winemaking practices. This place shows how the community keeps its connection to local agriculture and wine alive today.
Visitors can reach Melgaço from Porto by road, with regular bus connections available from Viana do Castelo throughout the day. The best time to explore is during warmer months, when the roads and rural paths are most accessible.
Castro Laboreiro, a mountain village at about 1000 meters elevation within the municipality, preserves traditional pastoral ways of life to this day. This remote village shows how rural communities have kept their old lifestyles alive across generations.
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