Chaves

One of the most attractive towns in Trás-os-Montes, riverside CHAVES stands just 12km from the Spanish border and its name, which means “keys”, reflects a strategic history of occupation and ownership. It’s also a spa town of some repute, founded originally by the Romans in 78 AD, who built an impressive bridge here across the Rio Tâmega. After the Romans came a long line of squabbling forces, from Visigoths and Moors to the Spanish and French, which explains the surviving fortresses, towers and walls that ring the medieval old town. The history is obvious from the monuments, but the welcome surprise is the evident charm of Chaves, from its handsome squares and balconied old-town houses to its intricate flower beds and riverside gardens. The spa is an obvious money-spinner, and many do come to take the waters, but it’s not the be all and end all you might imagine. You could spend a happy couple of days here and never notice the spa, perhaps being more inclined to sample Chaves’ other significant attractions – it’s a major market centre for the fertile Tâmega plain and famed in Portugal for its smoked hams, meat cakes, sausages and strong red wine.

The compact old quarter of Chaves rises above the river, with the spa located just below the old walls to the west.The wide curve of the Rio Tâmega is crossed by the sturdy first-century Roman bridge, the Ponte Trajano (after the emperor Trajan), which is closed to traffic so you can easily stroll across and examine the Roman milestones erected in the middle. Both sides of the river have landscaped promenades, and a couple of newer footbridges allow you to walk a riverside circuit – and see, in the process, quite how small Chaves really is, with open countryside and mountains in full view beyond.The Madalena district, just across the Roman bridge, is almost like a separate village with its crumbling houses and handsome public gardens.