Chaves is a provincial town in northern Portugal on the Tâmega River, 10 km from Portugal’s northern border with Spain. Chaves is located in the Vila Real district, in a historic region called Tras-os-Montes. Braga and Porto are two hours away by car. Chaves makes a good stopover from any of these tourist centers in Portugal.
Chaves has a population of approximately 45,000 people. The Tras-os-Montes region (see our Portugal regions map) is one of the poorest in Portugal, and outside the relatively affluent city of Chaves, you will see many villages connected with very poor roads, where subsistence farming It’s practiced. Although illiteracy is high, we found many people in rural villages who could speak a variety of languages and were kind to us when we inquired about road conditions and directions.
Chaves: a spa town
The spas in Chaves are different than in, for example, Baden-Baden. In addition to being warmer (73ºC – 163ºF), the waters here are drunk for their healing properties. To obtain a spa treatment, you can arrange a prior medical visit with your hotel, who will recommend a specific treatment for you. Popular treatments include stomach, liver, intestinal, and kidney ailments. In summer, the Pensões and smaller hotels are full of older people who receive treatment in the spas.
Where to stay
There are many accommodation options in Chaves. Four-star luxury is inexpensive compared to other countries in Europe. We found the Albergaria Jaime, just under the walls of the old fort, an excellent accommodation option: air conditioning, balconies with views of the fort (even in the bathrooms) and an excellent breakfast for 70 euros.
Eat
Presumed is the famous country ham from the area around Chaves. You can eat it with the local rye bread. Smoked sausages are also popular. Folar de Chaves or Folar de Tras dos Montes is a type of bread similar to brioche that is often served as a salty bread filled with ham and / or chorizo.
Things to do in Chaves
In addition to the spa scene mentioned above, these are some of the things you can visit in Chaves:
- The Roman Bridge – Built around AD 100, the bridge has continued to carry heavy car and truck traffic (only recently have large trucks been banned from the bridge). Although it has been modified and restored over the years, two of the columns built by Emperor Trajan still stand.
- The medieval quarter : near the bridge, the medieval quarter is an evocative place and the architecture is protected by law.
- The Regional Museum – Museu da Região Flaviense – is worth a visit if you develop an interest in the region and its history. In the most important building in Chaves you will find a few things, from Roman (and some prehistoric) artifacts to modern local art.
- Chaves Castle : The castle, now reduced to a tall tower that houses a military museum by people looking for housing materials, is worth a walk through the surrounding gardens.
- The Fort : In the hills outside Chaves, a 17th century fort is in a reasonable state of preservation. Built to defend the territory in the war of independence from Spain, in fact, you can stay inside the fort by reserving a room in the most expensive hotel in Chaves, Forte de São Francisco, which is very reasonably priced for a design hotel. .
