Villages of northern Portugal

Villages of northern PortugalValença do Minho, on the border, is extraordinarily picturesque, and its Wednesday market held outside the old walls is a rich hunting ground for Portuguese textiles and pottery. If you are prepared to drive a little further there are many interesting places within reasonable reach: towns such as Braga, with the famous shrine of Bom Jesus and its intricate Baroque stairway nearby, Barcelos with its market, historic Guimaráes with its castle and palace.