Lamego

About

Settled since pre-Roman times, this hilltop town named itself ‘the town with a permanent festival’. While they might not party every day, there’s a lot to celebrate. The historic town centre is crisscrossed with narrow lanes and tree-lined boulevards, with spotlit medieval landmarks at every turn. Condensing the town’s rich history into a single building, the Lamego Museum, housed in an 18th century bishop’s palace has an astounding collection of ancient art and artefacts, including a fully reconstructed chapel dripping with gold. The iconic Santuario Nossa Senhora dos Remedios is accessed via hundreds of zigzagging stairs decorated with painted tiles, climbing out of a tailored garden. After the hike, be sure to enjoy some raposeira, the town’s famously fragrant sparkling wine.