Caminha, Portugal

Caminha is a Portuguese village located in the Alto Minho sub-region, belonging to the North region and the district of Viana do Castelo.

It is the seat of the Municipality of Caminha, which has an urban area of 6.74 km2, in a total of 136.52 km2, subdivided into 14 parishes, and 15,797 inhabitants in 2021, with a population density of 116 inhabitants per km2.

The municipality is limited to the northeast by the municipality of Vila Nova de Cerveira, to the southeast by Ponte de Lima, to the south by Viana do Castelo, to the north by the Spanish region of Galicia and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

The highest point in the municipality is on the plateau of Serra de Arga, at approximately 800 meters above sea level, close to the highest point of this mountain range, Alto do Espinheiro (825m).

The mouth of the river Minho is located in Caminha, making this river an integral part of the town's landscape. To cross it towards neighboring Galicia, there is a river terminal for boats, which transport not only passengers, but also cars.

 

 Sights

Igreja Matriz de Caminha or Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Assunção
Caminha Castle
Caminha's 17th-century walls
Clock tower
Fountain at Terreiro de Caminha
Church of Misericordia of Caminha
Main Hall of the Old Town Hall of Caminha
Casa dos Pitas (Walks)
The "Eight Houses" on Rua Direita, a group of Manueline and Renaissance houses (Caminha)
Municipal Museum
19th century tile panels at the Caminha Railway Station
Church of Santa Clara (Caminha)
Archaeological site of Coto da Pena (Vilarelho)
Chapel and Cruise of São Bento (Seixas)
Vila Idalina (Seixas)
House of Ventura Terra (Seixas)
Tower House (Lanhelas)
Rune engravings from Lage das Fogaças (Lanhelas)
Cruise from Venade
Valindo and Loreto farms (Venade)
Rock engravings of Chã da Vermelha (Azevedo)
Roman Bridge of Vilar de Mouros
Ínsua Fort (Moledo do Minho)
Fort of Lagarteira (Vila Praia de Ancora)
Dog Fort (Anchor)
Romanesque bridge of Abadim (Âncora)
City of Anchor
Romanesque chapel of the former Monastery of São Pedro de Varais (Vile)
Romanesque chapel of the former Monastery of Saint John of Arga (Arga de Baixo)

Natural sights
Minho River Estuary
Serra de Arga
Santo António Viewpoint (Walk)
Fraga Viewpoint (Vilarelho)
Viewpoint of Monte de Santo Antão (Moledo, Venade and Vilarelho)
Praia da Foz do Minho or Praia do Camarido
Dunes and Pinhal do Camarido
Moledo do Minho beach
Ínsua Islet (Moledo do Minho)
Viewpoint of Monte Gorito (Seixas)
Morraceira Island (Lanhelas)
River beach of Vilar de Mouros
Juncais do Rio Coura
Veiga de Venade
Miradouro da Senhora das Neves (Dem)
Pedra Alçada Viewpoint (Dem)
Caldeirões Waterfalls (Castanheira, Arga de Baixo)
Praia de Ancora (Vila Praia de Ancora)
Viewpoint of Monte do Calvário (Vila Praia de Ancora)
Gelfa Beach (Anchor)
Dunes and Pinhal da Gelfa (Anchor)
Pincho Waterfall (Ancora River)

 

History

Duchy of Caminha
By letter of January 2, 1619, Philip II of Portugal (Philip III of Spain) attributed to Miguel Luís de Meneses (1565–1637), the title of 1st Duke of Caminha, without successors, the titles passed to his brother Luís de Noronha e Meneses (1614–1641), 2nd Duke of Caminha, beheaded in the reign of King João IV, without succession, the Title of Duke of Caminha was declared perpetual on December 24, 1641 by (Felipe IV of Spain) in favor of Maria Brites de Meneses, 3rd Duchess of Caminha, widow and niece of Miguel Luís de Meneses.

 

Libraries

City Library of Caminha

 

Personalities

Sidónio Pais, fourth president of the Portuguese Republic
José António Guerreiro, vintist deputy in the General and Extraordinary Courts of the Portuguese Nation in 1821/1822
Jorge Ramos Pereira, Rear Admiral of the Portuguese Navy and Anti-Fascist Resistance
Luís Inocêncio Ramos Pereira, Doctor and Republican Politician