Ponte de Lima – Portugal’s most atmospheric town
When we are contemplating where to spend our holiday next year, Portugal, with its sun-drenched beaches, friendly locals, and inexpensive yet delicious cuisine, is often a contender.
Although when we put Portugal in the race for our summer holiday, one tends to always think of the Algarve. Whilst beautiful, charming, climatically-enviable and great value for money the Algarve is, Vintage Travel felt compelled to tell you about the town of Ponte de Lima, Portugal’s most atmospheric town.
Situated on the south bank of the Lima River facing a splendid Roman Bridge lies the pretty little market town of Ponte de Lima. Being founded on the site of a Celtic settlement and later nurtured by the Romans, this laid-back market town is simply oozing with history and culture.
According to legend, the Romans believed that the Lima was the ‘Lethe’, a mythical River of Oblivion whereby anyone who crossed it would forget everything and have to stay in the village forever. Although this ancient myth bears a degree of truth today, as, when present in Ponte de Lima, your woes and troubles of life back home are easy to forget and time in this pleasantly phlegmatic town, seems to stand still.
Sipping a chilled Portuguese wine accompanied by olives in the ‘Largo de Camoes’, the town’s main square, watching the laid-back life here take place in the many cafes and bars that surround the square’s 18th century fountain, has to typify the very essence of a ‘relaxing break’.
If you can manage to drag yourself away from this mesmerising square a trip across the river to the 15th century Saint Anthony Convent, which stands adjacent to the Sao Francisco Church that was erected in the 18th century, is definitely worth your exertions.
On second thoughts, you could just stay put and order another a drink. Either way Ponte de Lima, 90 km to the north of Porto should definitely be a realistic contender for your 2012 holiday, because after all, holidays are all about relaxing!
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