Exploring Portugal: Viana do Castelo

In June 2011, with my contract almost at an end, I treated myself to one final trip. With Saturday classes finished, for my last weekend, I visited two towns I'd long wanted to see, the first of which was Viana do Castelo.

I had attempted to visit Viana do Castelo some seven months earlier. My efforts were thwarted by the hideous weather, and I got no further than the shopping centre above the bus station. This time I am happy to say, I was far more successful. I caught the 08:10 train from Braga (who knew that existed?!) to Nine, and then changed for Viana do Castelo, arriving at 09:30.

My first dilemma was how to get out of the train station! Seriously. Somehow I had missed the big footbridge! Some fifteen minutes later, I figured it out and my sightseeing could truly begin... but first I had to locate the funicular to Santa Luzia do Monte. This time it was not my failing, but Rough Guide's. They had marked the start point for the funicular in completely the wrong place on the map! I eventually located the funicular, only to find it was closed. According to Rough Guide it opened at 08:00 daily. According to itself, it opened at 10:00... Rough Guide fail! To cut a long story short, I managed to get to the top, where I passed a happy half hour or so taking photos and ascending the building to get the best views.

La Basílica de Santa Luzía



The rose window

View across the River Lima

View of the Atlantic

Back on the ground it was time to explore the town. The only drawback was the temperature – 30°C (86°F)and rising. It was NOT good sightseeing weather! My first port of call (pun intended) was the Gil Eannes, a former Portuguese hospital ship now permanently moored in the fishing harbour.

Commissioned by Grémio dos Armadores de Navios da Pesca do Bacalhau (the Portuguese guild of codfish fishing ship owners), the Gil Eannes was built in 1955 at the naval shipyards in Viana do Castelo. The ship served as a hospital ship in the Newfoundland and Greenland seas. In 1973, following its last trip, the Gil Eannes was abandoned in the port of Lisbon pending demolition.

Almost 25 years later, TV presenter José Hermano Saraiva, the sponsor of the ship's last trip, launched a campaign to save the Gil Eannes, and it worked. The following year, the ship was restored, part of it was transformed into a 60-bed youth hostel while the rest was turned into a museum.


Crossing the bridge to get to the Gil Eannes



Boarding the ship



View from the cabin

The entrance to the museum

Having seen the ship, I made my way back into town, but it was just too hot too sightsee. So, I located a nice park, and sat in the shade watching the world go by. When hunger forced to me leave, I made my way slowly up the hill to the air-conditioned haven that was Viana Shopping. After a quick lunch, it was back to the park for an hour of shadiness, before catching the 14:12 train to Valença do Minho, the last place I would visit in Portugal.