Palácio da Brejoeira

The Minho


On the N101, 5km south of Monção, this grand early 19th-century neoclassical palace has been open to the public since 2010. Visits are by guided tour only. Most interesting is the 45-minute palace tour, which runs every 30 minutes, taking in the opulent interiors, such as the Empire-furniture-filled king's room and the dining room where Franco and Salazar had a meeting in 1950, as well as the family's historic wine cellar, private chapel and gardens with 20 species of camellia.

Alternatively, opt for the hour-long tour of the grounds (offered at 11am and 4pm daily), which includes a forest, a plane-tree avenue, a romantic lake and a glimpse of the palace's vineyards – in total, the estate has 18 hectares planted with Alvarinho.