Costa Verde consists of the area north of Porto to Viana do Castelo including the towns of Braga and Guimaraes. This is the area which is believed to be the birthplace of the country of Portugal. Costa Verde still contains many medieval buildings and castles which have become popular tourist attractions. The name Costa Verde means green coast and the geographic scenery of the land make it worth visiting.

 

 

History

The towns of Braga, Guimaraes, Barcelos and Ponte de Lima have all been in existence since the Roman times. The founder and first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques was born in Guimaraes in the 12th century. The castle in which he lived still stands and is a popular attraction. Costa Verde is also the area from which early Portuguese explorers set sail on their quest to find the new world.

 

Art & Museums

The Museum of the Romantic is located in Porto which is the capital of the region of Costa Verde. The museum was the home of King Carlo Alberto of Sardinia and has exhibits which depict the former king's life. If you are interested in how life was for those other than the king you will want to visit The Museu de Etnografia e História. The exhibits in this museum depict everyday life in Costa Verde from the earliest times to the present.

 

Nightlife

The majority of the population of Costo Verde is fairly young so the area has its share of bars, nightclubs and discos. There are even bars which specialize in cider which is known as the "traditional drink of the region." Costa Verde has many restaurants which are sure to please every palate. If gambling is your passion you will want to try your luck at one of the areas casinos.

 

How to get there

Visitors to Costa Verde may fly into the Francisco Sa Carneiro airport, which is near Porto. Once at the airport it is possible to take a bus or rent a car to drive to Costa Verde.