Valença, also known as Valença do Minho, is a city and municipality in Portugal's Minho region.

Understand

Corbels in Igreja de São Fins de Friestas.

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

• 1 Visit Valença (Loja de Turismo), Portas do Sol, ☏ +351 251 823 329, turismo@visitvalenca.com. (updated Aug 2021)

Get in

• 1 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. (updated Aug 2021)
• 2 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. (updated Aug 2021)

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.

See

• 1 Fortaleza de Valença (Praça-forte de Valença). This 5 km (3.1 mi), 17th-century military fortification lies along the River Minho. (updated Aug 2021)
• 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. (updated Aug 2021)

Eat

• 1 Fatum, Casamata 2, Portas da Coroada, ☏ +351 964 169 723, fatum.casadefados@gmail.com. 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. €10-25. (updated Aug 2021)
• 2 Fronteira Gastrobar, Avenida de Espanha 1, ☏ +351 967 598 489, fronteira.tvg@hotmail.com. Tu–Th Su 09:00–00:00, F Sa 09:00–02:00, closed M. Tapas bar with extensive selection of wines and gins. €7-18. (updated Aug 2021)
• 3 Solar do Bacalhau, Rua Mouzinho de Albuquerque 99, ☏ +351 251 822 161, solardobacalhau@gmail.com. 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. €12-25. (updated Aug 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Pousada Valença (Pousada de São Teotónio), Baluarte do Socorro (within Valença Fortress), ☏ +351 251 800 260, guest@pousadas.pt. 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. (updated Aug 2021)
• 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. (updated Aug 2021)

Go next

Portugal

• Arcos de Valdevez —
• Ponte de Lima —
• Viana do Castelo —

Spain

• Tui —
• Vigo—