Architecture Route

Perhaps nothing reflects the harmonious (and seasonal) relationship between people and the land as well as the branda and inverneira system.

Unique to some mountainous areas of Alto Minho - such as the region of Castro Laboreiro in Melgaço - this settlement model consists of dual residential clusters: summer villages located at higher altitudes (brandas), and winter villages situated at lower, more sheltered elevations (inverneiras).

In Northern Portugal, every corner holds traces of bygone eras. Accept the invitation to explore places that breathe the ancestral soul of the Minho region.

As you leave the rural villages and head towards the towns and cities of the North, the architectural landscape gradually transforms. What tradition built in rough stone, modernity extends through bold forms of concrete, glass and steel.

The North of Portugal is both the birthplace and stage for some of the greatest names in world architecture. Two of them, Álvaro Siza Vieira and Eduardo Souto de Moura – both laureates of the Pritzker Prize – have created true masterpieces in this region. In addition to these, other renowned architects have also contributed to making Porto and the North a true open-air museum of contemporary architecture, where avant-garde design often combines with heritage rehabilitation.

The Casa da Arquitectura – Portuguese Centre for Architecture is an institution entirely dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the architectural arts. Its headquarters is itself a perfect example of the fusion between industrial heritage and contemporary design.

It occupies part of the block of the former Real Vinícola, a group of wine warehouses from the late 19th century, which were carefully restored by the Municipality of Matosinhos and adapted by architect Guilherme Machado Vaz.

Piscina das Marés (1966) is a striking expression of Siza Vieira’s genius in harmony with nature. Carved into the beach of Leça da Palmeira, these public saltwater pools incorporate the site’s natural rock formations into the architecture, seamlessly blending construction and landscape. Walking along the wooden boardwalk that leads to the pools becomes a visual discovery: on one side, the dunes and the ocean; on the other, the minimalist geometry of the concrete tanks and bathhouses.

Designated a National Monument in 2011, Piscina das Marés has been described as a sensorial labyrinth — a space where water, stone, and sky create a one-of-a-kind setting for contemplation.

Imagine a building emerging from among wave-washed rocks, sometimes hidden, sometimes revealed: this is the Casa de Chá da Boa Nova, an early project by Siza Vieira, now classified as a National Monument.

Inaugurated in 1963 as a tea house and recently converted into a restaurant, this work engages in a deep dialogue with the Atlantic landscape. Broad horizontal lines, schist and wood walls, and large windows open wide to the endless sea.

The rehabilitation and expansion of the former “Indústria Alimentar Trofense” buildings into the new Trofa Town Hall was the result of a restricted architectural competition won by the NOARQ team in 2016. This project served the youngest municipality in Portugal — the only one that previously lacked an institutional building. The new Town Hall emerged through the careful restoration and transformation of the site’s industrial heritage.

Inaugurated in 2001 in Sinçães Park, this cultural venue is now one of Portugal’s leading performance spaces, with a mission to foster and present artistic creation at both regional and national levels.

The building, with its contemporary design, blends harmoniously into the surrounding gardens, integrating auditoriums, galleries, and foyers into a functional and welcoming complex.

The Viana do Castelo Municipal Library stands as one of the most iconic contemporary public buildings in northern Portugal. Designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira, it was inaugurated in 2008 on the banks of the Lima River, in Viana’s riverside area, as part of the city’s 750th-anniversary celebrations.

In addition to fulfilling its role as a centre for knowledge and culture—housing a collection of around 100,000 books and various cultural services—it has become an architectural landmark in Viana do Castelo, demonstrating how contemporary architecture can strengthen a city's identity.

In the heart of Viana, near the Lima River, Praça da Liberdade is a modern public space that has already become a landmark. Designed in the 1990s by architect Fernando Távora—considered the “father” of the Porto School of Architecture—the square is flanked by two sober, contemporary administrative buildings. The cultural centre, designed by architect Souto Moura, stands out for its transparency.

Organised around patios and covered galleries, these buildings house public services and shops, including the Tourist Office, designed by Bernardo Távora, son of Fernando Távora. The urban integration is remarkable: the square has become a new focal point, connecting the historic centre with the riverfront. At its centre stands the Statue of Liberty by José Rodrigues, symbolising the freedom won after the dictatorship.

In Bagaúste, near Régua, stands an innovative floating pier designed by architect António Belém Lima. Completed in 2013, the Bagaúste Pier doesn’t touch the ground—“it hovers over the wide waters of the Douro River,” as poetically described by critic Nuno Crespo.

Incorporating a canoe warehouse and a café, the modern aluminium-clad structures reflect the sunset over the river, making a bold yet harmonious statement within the classified landscape. Besides supporting water sports and river cruises, the pier also serves as an alternative viewpoint: walking on water, between the bustle of boats and the calm of the river, offers a new perspective on the Douro.

Northern Portugal teaches us that architecture inhabits both landscape and city, shaping the culture and everyday life of its people. Plan your trip with time, balance, and curiosity. Bring your camera—but most of all, bring an open heart to be amazed by every detail, whether it’s a carved motif on a Romanesque capital or the way a contemporary building frames the setting sun.