The Montalegre Castle is the germ population of the same name in Terras de Barroso district of Vila Real, was built by King Dom Afonso III during the reorganization of the boundaries of his kingdom, in the second half of the thirteenth century.

The purpose of the construction was the consolidation of the northern border of Tras os Montes giving it a territorial and legal cash which should be under the power of the king.

The royal domain was short-lived, as before finishing the thirteenth century, Pedro Anesreceived from the king Dom Dinis Navarre Montalegre letter, in order to populate these lands, which were completely deserted.

Currently the Castelo de Montalegre still retains its main features Gothic fortress, with its oval plan, canvas walls between a square tower and two rectangular, as elements of active defense.

The donjon is also associated to the fence, participating in its protection, not isolated, situated in the center of the courtyard as usual in the Romanesque period.

Of the two doors in the castle are oriented only retains nascent door, the front door was protected by the keep no longer exists.

The keep is the most prominent piece of the set, with its back to the remaining parts of the castle construction. This tower was built during the reign of Afonso IV O Bravo and completed in 1331. 

This is due to the keep and have a greater height section, the remaining towers, assuming the most robust part of the whole.

It is divided into four floors and an organization whose systems Drainage, vaulted ripped by thick walls and narrow access corridors spaces balconies reveal a complex functional concern.

During the reign of Juan II of Castile, in a campaign Montalegre reconstruction and refurbishment of the structure was carried out with the aim of strengthening the main entrance protecting by a circular bastion towers in which only the foundation remains.

Already in the seventeenth century due to wars of restoration, the castle underwent further alterations to the construction of several bastions and revellines with the natural features of the time, not suffering over the architectural variations to this day.

Photos: facebook.com/TravellingPortugal

Santo Estevao is few kilometers northeast of Chaves , district of Vila-Real

The Castle of Santo Estevao, was ordered built in 1160, during the reign of Afonso Henriques ,  being completed by Don Sancho I  , with more residential in character than military.

In this castle Sun Dinis waited for his girlfriend Isabel , daughter of Pedro III of Aragon , which went down in history as A Rainha Santa .

During the Restoration War , after 1640, the castle was taken by the Spanish forces, taking advantage of had a little garnish.

From the original fortification just the keep remains classified as  a National Monument .

Guimaraes represents the birth of the portuguese nation.

In fact it is known as the “Cradle of the Nation” because it was here where D. Afonso Henriques was born and raised and where he planned the wars for the independence of the Portugal province during the 12th century, becoming the first Portuguese king.

The origins of the Guimaraes castle can be traced back to 968, when the Countess of Galicia, D. Mumadona Dias, ordered the construction of a fortification to defend the populations and the existing monastery against the raids of the Vikings from the coast and the Arabs from the south.

During the 11th century, Guimaraes had its defensive structure extensively enhanced when Count Henrique assumed the government of the province from King D. Alfonso VI of Leon. The existing tower and wall were augmented with additional towers,

In 1129, D. Afonso Henriques proclaimed the independence of Portugal and several battles ensued, including that against his mother’s army who was against independence contrary to her initial belief. 

Despite Portugal’s independence being recognized in 1143, battles were fought with Spain until the 14th century due to the pretensions of Spain to dominate the Portuguese kingdom.

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Castro Laboreiro, in the parish with the same name and in the baraugh of Melgaço, lies in Peneda-Geres National Park, which makes it a touristic attraction right away but, besides that, it has a unique kind of ancient village buildings and it 's the original place af the warld famaus canine breed, the Castro Laboreiro dogo.

Furthermore, the village has a rich millenary histarical, archaeological and architectural heritage, namely megalithic monuments. 

The Castle of Castro Laboreiro - acknowledged as a national monument - medieval bridges and churches, community ovens, milis, agricultura and grazing activities, and the unique brandas, inverneiras and fixed places, which are testimonies of the transhumance that happens here as well.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/turismoenportugal/5806215580/" title="Castillo Castro Leboreiro2 por TurismoenPortugal, en Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/5806215580_11d8ee867a_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Castillo Castro Leboreiro2"></a>

Ucanha is a village near Lamego famous for the fortified bridge built in XII siecle.

Lamego is a city in the Viseu district, in the Douro's demarcated Port wine area. 

We can visit the ruins of a 12th century castle and the amazing  baroque Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.