Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro is a historic province of Portugal, with
limits and attributions that have varied throughout history, but which,
roughly speaking, corresponded to the current districts of Vila Real and
Bragança and part of the districts of Viseu and Guard. Its capital was the
city of Vila Real.
It was also one of the administrative regions of
the regionalization proposal rejected in a referendum in 1998.
It is
one of the historic provinces in Portugal with the highest number of
emigrants and one of those that suffer most from depopulation. Its
centuries-old isolation, however, allowed the survival of cultural
traditions that mark the Portuguese identity.
Bragança
Bragança is the capital of the Trás-os-Montes region in
northeastern Portugal, known for its stunning medieval castle and the
iconic Domus Municipalis, a rare 12th-century Romanesque civic building.
Surrounded by dramatic mountainous landscapes and part of the
UNESCO-listed Douro Valley influence, the city offers a rich historical
center with narrow cobblestone streets, ancient churches, and a strong
cultural identity tied to its proximity to the Spanish border. Visitors
love its natural parks, excellent local cuisine featuring hearty meats
and chestnuts, and the peaceful, authentic atmosphere that feels far
removed from busier tourist hubs.
Carrazeda de Ansiães
Carrazeda de Ansiães is a tranquil municipality in the Bragança
district, famous for its rolling hills, vineyards, and traditional
agriculture. The area is dotted with small villages, ancient chapels,
and archaeological sites that reveal layers of Roman and medieval
history. Known for high-quality olive oil, chestnuts, and robust Douro
wines, it offers visitors quiet hiking trails, scenic viewpoints, and a
genuine glimpse into rural Portuguese life with warm hospitality and
time-honored festivals.
Chaves
Chaves, one of Portugal’s
oldest cities, sits along the Tâmega River near the Spanish border and
is renowned for its natural hot springs and Roman heritage. The
impressive 16th-century bridge built over the ancient Roman structure
still stands as a symbol of the city, while the castle and medieval
walls tell stories of its strategic past. Today it attracts visitors
with its thermal spas, delicious smoked meats (including the famous
chouriça), and laid-back atmosphere that perfectly blends history with
modern wellness tourism.
Lamego
Lamego is a charming historic
town in the Viseu district, celebrated for its Baroque Sanctuary of
Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, reached by a spectacular staircase of nearly
700 steps. Nestled in the heart of the Douro wine region, it boasts
beautiful 18th-century architecture, a majestic cathedral, and
surrounding vineyards that produce some of Portugal’s finest wines. The
city’s deep religious traditions, lively festivals, and scenic position
between mountains and the Douro River make it a favorite cultural stop.
Macedo de Cavaleiros
Macedo de Cavaleiros is a peaceful
municipality in northern Portugal known for its vast forests, lakes, and
outdoor recreational opportunities. The area features several
archaeological sites, traditional villages, and the beautiful Azibo
Reservoir, popular for swimming and picnics in summer. With a strong
agricultural heritage focused on chestnuts, almonds, and livestock, it
offers an authentic rural experience with excellent hiking,
birdwatching, and a relaxed pace of life.
Miranda do Douro
Miranda do Douro, perched dramatically on the edge of the Douro River
canyon along the Spanish border, is famous for its unique Mirandese
language and rich folk traditions. The imposing 16th-century cathedral
overlooks the dramatic landscape, while the historic old town features
stone houses and museums dedicated to local culture and the region’s
pastoral heritage. It is a gateway to the International Douro Natural
Park, ideal for nature lovers and those seeking authentic borderland
experiences.
Mondim de Basto
Mondim de Basto is a picturesque
municipality in the Alto Douro region, dominated by the majestic Monte
de Farinha and surrounded by terraced vineyards. It is well known for
its excellent Vinho Verde and Douro wines, traditional gastronomy, and
hiking routes that reward walkers with breathtaking panoramic views. The
town’s quiet charm, historic churches, and proximity to the Tâmega River
make it a perfect base for exploring the authentic rural heart of
northern Portugal.
Valpaços
Valpaços is a welcoming inland
municipality in the Vila Real district, celebrated for its chestnut
groves, vineyards, and traditional farming lifestyle. The area produces
high-quality wines and olive oil, and its gentle hills are dotted with
small villages and ancient religious sites. Visitors enjoy peaceful
countryside walks, local festivals, and hearty regional cuisine,
experiencing a genuine slice of unspoiled Trás-os-Montes culture.
Vila Real
Vila Real is a vibrant city in northern Portugal,
serving as the capital of its district and gateway to the Alvão and
Marão mountain ranges. It boasts impressive baroque architecture,
including the striking Mateus Palace (featured on the old 1000 escudo
note), and a historic center filled with elegant manor houses. Known for
its lively university atmosphere, excellent local wines, and easy access
to dramatic natural parks, Vila Real perfectly balances urban energy
with proximity to stunning wilderness.
Vila Nova de Foz Côa
Vila Nova de Foz Côa is best known for its extraordinary Paleolithic
rock art, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring thousands of ancient
engravings along the Côa River valley. The modern town sits at the
confluence of the Douro and Côa rivers, offering dramatic landscapes,
excellent hiking, and a dedicated museum that tells the story of this
prehistoric treasure. It is a must-visit destination for history and
archaeology enthusiasts while also providing access to the renowned
Douro wine estates.
Azibo Reservoir Protected Landscape
Alvão Natural Park
International Douro Natural Park
Montesinho Natural Park
São Pedro
do Sul - Baths aimed at recovery and well-being, located in the center
of the Lafões region and included in the Dão-Lafões region. It is in the
parish of Várzea between São Pedro Do Sul and 3 km from Vouzela, where
you can admire the bridge of the old railway line, today the Pedestrian
Bridge, and taste the delicious pastries of Vouzela. There is also a
viewpoint at the top of this town and county seat on the hill of Senhora
do Castelo. The name of this village originates from the junction of the
name of the river Vouga with that of the river Zela and their
confluence.
Rodrigo Castle
Trás-os-Montes was one of the six major administrative
divisions into which the territory of Portugal was divided, since the
15th century. The division was known as the Comarca until the 16th
century, after which it became known as the province. Traditionally, the
territory of Trás-os-Montes is limited to the north by Galicia, to the
east by the Region of León, to the west by the Tâmega River and to the
south by the Douro River. These limits varied slightly over time.
Until the 17th century, the Province of Trás-os-Montes was a
correction, administered by a corregidor — a magistrate with judicial
and administrative functions. At the same time, in the event of war, the
province also constituted the area of action of a fronteiro-mor, a
military commander who was assigned the operational command of the
provincial troops in campaign.
From the 17th century onwards, the
province began to be divided into several corrections (also called
comarcas), each with its own corregidor. The province then became just a
statistical unit and a military region commanded by a governor of arms.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Trás-os-Montes included the
regions of Bragança, Miranda, Torre de Moncorvo and Vila Real. Inside
its territory was the couto de Ervededo that depended on the comarca of
Braga (province of Entre-Douro-e-Minho).
The province of
Trás-os-Montes remained in the administrative division of 1832. At that
time it had a mayor — a magistrate who represented the central
government — and a provincial general council — an autarchic body,
elected locally. The province was divided into the districts of
Bragança, Chaves, Torre de Moncorvo and Vila Real. The districts that
were not provincial headquarters each had a sub-prefect, who represented
the mayor.
By the administrative reform of 1835, Portugal was
divided into districts. The division into provinces was maintained, but
these became mere groupings of districts for statistical purposes and
regional reference, without their own bodies. The Province of
Trás-os-Montes now includes the districts of Bragança and Vila Real.
The province, now known as Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro and
encompassing some municipalities on the left bank of the Douro, was
reinstated by the administrative reform of 1936, in accordance with the
1933 Constitution (Estado Novo). The new provinces were created based on
a geographical study that identified 13 "natural regions" in the
territory of mainland Portugal. The natural region of Trás-os-Montes and
the natural region of Alto Douro were grouped in the province of
Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.
However, the provinces never had
any practical attribution and disappeared from the administrative scene
(although not from the daily vocabulary of the Portuguese) with the
constitutional revision of 1959, not being recovered by the 1976
Constitution.
The proposed regionalization subject to a
Referendum in 1998 was rejected. The creation of the region of
Trás-os-Montes was foreseen, in everything the same as the province of
1936, with the exception of including one more municipality (Mêda).
The province of 1936 limited to the North and East with Spain
(provinces of Ourense, in Galicia, and Zamora and Salamanca in Castile
and León), to the South with Beira Alta, and to the West with Minho and
Douro Litoral.
It was then made up of 31 municipalities,
comprising the entire District of Bragança and the District of Vila
Real, also encompassing 4 municipalities in the District of Viseu and
one municipality in the District of Guarda.
District of Bragança
(all 12 municipalities): Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de
Ansiães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do
Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso,
Vinhais.
District of Vila Real (all 14 municipalities): Alijó,
Boticas, Chaves, Mesão Frio, Mondim de Basto, Montalegre, Murça, Peso da
Régua, Ribeira de Pena, Sabrosa, Santa Marta de Penaguião, Valpaços,
Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Real Village.
District of Viseu (4 out of 24
municipalities): Armamar, Lamego, São João da Pesqueira, Tabuaço.
Guarda District (1 of 14 municipalities): Vila Nova de Foz Côa.
Currently, the territory of the former province is divided into the
statistical sub-regions of Alto Trás-os-Montes (totality), Douro (most
of it, except for the municipalities of Moimenta da Beira, Penedono,
Sernancelhe and Tarouca) and still part do Tâmega (municipalities of
Mondim de Basto and Ribeira de Pena).
The Douro is the most important river in this territory and the
backbone of its relief and geographical and human layout. The following
important rivers deliver their waters to it: the river Sabor, the river
Tua and the river Corgo, whose courses served to channel the region's
rail transport. Another important river is the Tâmega, which limits the
region to the west. One of its tributaries is the Rabagão river, which
also serves to delimit the region and on which the Alto Rabagão and
Venda Nova dams are built. On the Azibo river, a tributary of the Sabor,
is the Azibo reservoir, a protected natural area of tourist interest.
The river Sabor gives rise to the Baixo Sabor reservoir, one of the
largest in the region. Nearby are those located in the Douro
Internacional: Castro, Miranda, Picote, Bemposta, Aldeiadávila and
Saucelle. Half of them are owned by Portugal and the other half by
Spain.
Undoubtedly, the most important hydroelectric
infrastructure in the region is the Alto Douro Vinhateiro navigation
channel, which makes it possible for tourist cruises to travel from
Porto to the Spanish border in Barca de Alva. It is possible thanks to
the locks of the Pocinho, Valeira, Régua, Carrapatelo and Crestuma-Lever
dams.
The region has always been divided into two climatic zones, known as Terra Fria transmontana and Terra Quente transmontana. Terra Fria is the area with very cold and long winters, with hot and dry summers, while Terra Quente has shorter winters, although also very cold, with very hot and dry summers that leave their influence felt even in spring and winter. autumn, which are shorter than normal.
Trás-os-Montes stands out mainly for its contrasting landscapes. To the north is the Montesinho Natural Park, to the east, the Douro Internacional Natural Park, which borders Spain, to the northwest the Peneda-Gerês National Park, to the west, the Marão and Alvão mountains and to the south, the region of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro, declared World Heritage by Unesco on December 14, 2001. The northeast of the region was declared a biosphere reserve by Unesco under the name of Meseta Ibérica.
It is one of the main territories in the country in terms of the
production of chestnuts, olive oil, wine, almonds, honey and sausages.
According to the 2009 Agricultural Census, the Agricultural Region
of Trás-os-Montes, which encompasses all municipalities in the
Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Region, except Mondim de Basto and Ribeira
de Pena, and includes another 4 municipalities that are outside
Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Moimenta da Beira, Penedono, Sernancelhe
and Tarouca), the areas used for the production of the main agricultural
products are the following:
Olival (75266 hectares, 22% of the
national total, behind Alentejo, with 49%)
Vineyard (60970 hectares,
34% of the national total)
Nuts (46920 hectares, 41% of the national
total)
Chestnut trees (29044 hectares, 86% of the national total)
Almond trees (16506 hectares, 67% of the national total)
Walnut trees
(1005 hectares, 41% of the national total
Fresh fruits (7746
hectares, 19% of the national total, behind Ribatejo and Oeste, with
41%)
Apple trees (4645 hectares, 38% of the national total)
Cerejeiras (1948, 36% of the national total, behind Beira Interior, with
41%)
The region thus stands out for having the largest area of
vineyards, chestnut trees, almond trees, walnut trees and apple trees in
the whole country, and for being the second region with the largest area
of olive groves and cherry trees.
Feijoada à transmontana
Feijoada à transmontana is a very popular
version of this typical Portuguese dish. It is made with red beans, pork
or beef, chorizo, tomatoes, carrots and chard, usually accompanied by
dry rice. It is a heart dish, one of the so-called winter dishes, which
gave the Trás-os-Montes peasants the energy they needed to successfully
face the wild and undulating Trás-os-Montes landscape. It has a
multitude of different flavors and textures. The upper classes did it
more with veal, the lower classes with pork. They were the two most
common meats in the staple diet at the time. Eating veal and chicken
every day was a privilege of the upper classes.
Codfish à
transmontana
Cod is a well-known food in Portuguese cuisine. The
version from Trás-os-Montes has ham, potatoes, garlic, tomato, onion,
boiled egg and a touch of port wine.
Cuscos
Cusco was
introduced into Trás-os-Montes gastronomy several centuries ago through
Muslim or Jewish influence, just like couscous, a very popular food
among Muslims and Jews. They are produced as a dough made from wheat
flour, which used to replace rice or pasta. Carola, as steam-cooked
cusco is called, is eaten for breakfast or lunch, alone or with sugar
and honey. Today, they have become a gourmet product used by many chefs.
Dried, they are cooked in a similar way to rice and combined with local
products such as sausages, mushrooms, vegetables or meat. Sweets are
also prepared, with milk and cinnamon, forming a dish similar to rice
pudding.