Reached by a drawbridge and bordered by a park with floral designs, hedges and grand old oaks, the 17th-century Forte de São Francisco is the centrepiece of Chaves’ old town. The fort, with its thick walls, was completed in 1658 around a 16th-century Franciscan convent. These days it’s a top-end hotel, though nobody minds if you snoop around inside the walls.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Mosteiro de Santa Maria das Júnias
25.2 MILES
Built on the site of a 9th-century pre-Romanesque hermitage, this lovely 12th-century Benedictine monastery in a remote river valley fell under the sway…
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14.09 MILES
Looming on a hilltop outside Verín, the main structures of the doughty Monterrei Castle, including the mighty keep and the counts' palace, date from the…
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0.29 MILES
The lovely Torre de Menagem (castle keep) stands alone on a grassy embankment behind Chaves' main square, the only major remnant of a 14th-century castle…
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29.24 MILES
Moimenta has a lovely core of granite houses roofed in terracotta, plus a small baroque church – a rare dose of luxury in this austere corner of Portugal…
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0.36 MILES
Chaves’ handsome, 140m-long Roman-era bridge makes a lovely place for a car-free stroll. The span was completed in AD 104 by order of Emperor Trajan …
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0.27 MILES
Small but interesting, this regional archaeological-ethnographic museum has lots of Roman artefacts, plus a collection of pre-Roman jewellery, bronze…
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26.78 MILES
Standing alone on a rocky mountaintop, this whitewashed chapel surrounded by rugged peaks is an important pilgrimage site for the residents of Pitões das…
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17.59 MILES
Just downhill from Montalegre's castle, this museum hosts exhibits that showcase regional history, rural traditions and folklore. There are also exhibits…
Nearby attractions
0.27 MILES
Built on the site of an earlier Visigothic church, Chaves' Igreja Matriz sports a medieval bell tower and a Renaissance-style main portal.
0.27 MILES
Small but interesting, this regional archaeological-ethnographic museum has lots of Roman artefacts, plus a collection of pre-Roman jewellery, bronze…
0.29 MILES
The Torre de Menagem now houses a motley collection of military gear in the Museu Militar. There are lovely views from the rooftop terrace, reached by a …
0.29 MILES
The lovely Torre de Menagem (castle keep) stands alone on a grassy embankment behind Chaves' main square, the only major remnant of a 14th-century castle…
0.36 MILES
Chaves’ handsome, 140m-long Roman-era bridge makes a lovely place for a car-free stroll. The span was completed in AD 104 by order of Emperor Trajan …
13.3 MILES
An old winery with modern installations a few kilometres west of Verín, Crego e Monaguillo produces a notably good red (Crego e Monaguillo Tinto) from the…
14.09 MILES
Looming on a hilltop outside Verín, the main structures of the doughty Monterrei Castle, including the mighty keep and the counts' palace, date from the…
14.13 MILES
On the approach road to the Castillo de Monterrei, Terra do Gargalo is a modern winery producing good reds and whites. It's run by noted Galician fashion…