Valença, also known as Valença do Minho, is a town and municipality in Portugal's Minho region. The town itself has 6,500 inhabitants (2023).
Valença lies on the Portuguese Way of St. James (Camino Portuguese). Counted together with neighbouring Tui the towns are the second most often picked starting point to do a Camino de Santiago. Over 45,000 pilgrims started in either Valença or Tui in 2024. The pilgrims choose the towns because the distance to Santiago allows them to cover the necessary kilometres to get the certificate of accomplishment.
Understand
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Valença (vuh-LIHN-suh, /vɐ.ˈɫẽ.sɐ/) municipality has 13,634 residents (2021), with 5,153 living in the city proper. Valença lies on the River Minho across from Tui, Spain.
Visitor information
[edit]- 1 Visit Valença (Loja de Turismo), Portas do Sol, ☏ +351 251 823 329, [email protected].
Get in
[edit]The most convenient should be the airport of Porto. The airport of Vigo rather serves domestic destinations and international one-stop connections by Iberia.
- 1 Centro Coordenador de Transportes (Valença Bus Station), Avenida Sá Carneiro. Valença is accessible via various long distance and regional coach companies: Empresa de Transportes Courense, AVIC, Autna, Rede Expressos, and FlixBus.
- 2 Estação Ferroviária de Valença (Valença Railway Station). PDF timetable. Trains serve Valença from Viana do Castelo, Porto, Coimbra, Figueira da Foz, and Vigo (Spain). Connections from Braga are available at Nine.
As trains from Vigo are not that frequent, you can also take a bus from Vigo to the neighbouring town Tui. According to the bus schedules the bus also stops at the pedestrian bridge (Ponte Internacional) to Valença. There is no public transport between Tui and Valença. You need to walk over the bridge.
Valença is served by the A3 motorway (Autoestrada de Entre-Douro-e-Minho) from Porto and Braga. Crossing the River Minho, it connects with Spain's A-55 expressway from Vigo.
Get around
[edit]
See
[edit]- 1 Fortaleza de Valença (Praça-forte de Valença). This 5 km (3.1 mi), 17th-century military fortification lies along the River Minho.
- 2 Museu do Bombeiro (Firefighters' Museum), ☏ +351 251 809 000. M–F 09:00–12:30 & 13:30–17:00 (also Sa, fortnightly). Displaying about 4,000 pieces of firefighting equipment from around the world, this museum tells the history of the "soldiers of peace", as firefighters are known in Portugal.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]In the town centre are multiple ATMs.
Near town centre are the large supermarkets Intermarché and Continente Bom Dia. There is also the mid-sized supermarket Lidl.
Eat
[edit]Budget
[edit]- Pizzaria Joes.
- Sandes & Baguetes (Pastelaria Esteves).
- Restaurante As Tabernas do Caniço.
- Sandes.come. offering kebab, Francesinha, Hamburger, Baguetes , Saladas, Pratos Combinados, Sopas
Mid-range
[edit]- 1 Fatum, Casamata 2, Portas da Coroada, ☏ +351 964 169 723, [email protected]. F–W 10:00–16:00 & 19:00–00:00, closed Th. Enjoy some fado music as you savour regional cuisine and a glass of wine. The music is live on Saturday evenings. €20-25.
- 2 Fronteira Gastrobar, Avenida de Espanha 1, ☏ +351 967 598 489, [email protected]. Tu–Th Su 09:00–00:00, F Sa 09:00–02:00, closed M. Tapas bar with extensive selection of wines and gins. Tapas from €5, mains from €13.
- 3 Solar do Bacalhau, Rua Mouzinho de Albuquerque 99, ☏ +351 251 822 161, [email protected]. M 08:00–16:00, Tu–F 08:00–23:00, Sa Su, 08:00–00:00. Specializing in cod fish, they also serve other seafood and meats. €20-30.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Pilgrims can sleep in the Albergue de peregrinos São Teotónio.
- 1 Pousada Valença (Pousada de São Teotónio), Baluarte do Socorro (within Valença Fortress), ☏ +351 251 800 260, [email protected]. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. Four-star, 18-room pousada with business centre, restaurant, room service, free Wi-Fi, and free parking. €81-140.
- 2 Hotel Valença do Minho, Avenida Miguel Dantas, ☏ +351 251 824 211. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Three-star, 36-room hotel with swimming pool, bar, free Wi-Fi, and free parking. €36-64.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Portugal
- Spain