Vila Real () is the capital and largest city of the

Vila Real District The District of Vila Real ( pt, Distrito de Vila Real ) is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of , the district is located east of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical ...

, in the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

region,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. It is also the seat of the

Douro The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of ...

intermunicipal community and of the

Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Trás-os-Montes () is a geographical, historical and cultural region of Portugal. Portuguese language, Portuguese for "behind the mountains", Trás-os-Montes is located northeast of the country in an highland, upland area, landlocked by the Douro ...

historical province. The Vila Real

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

covers an area of and is home to an estimated population of 49,574 (2021), of which about 30,000 live in the urban area (2021). The city is located in a plateau 450 m (1,510 ft) high, over the

promontory A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the so ...

formed by the gorges of the Corgo and Cabril rivers, where the oldest part of town (Vila Velha) is located, framed by the escarpments of the Corgo gorge. The Alvão and Marão mountains overlook the town on the northwest and southwest side, respectively, rising up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft). With over seven hundred years of existence, the city was once known as the "royal court of

Trás-os-Montes Trás-os-Montes () is a geographical, historical and cultural region of Portugal. Portuguese for "behind the mountains", Trás-os-Montes is located northeast of the country in an upland area, landlocked by the Douro and Tâmega rivers to south a ...

" due to the high number of manors bearing coats of arms and family crests, attesting the presence of noble figures that established in the city by influence of the

Marquis of Vila Real Marquis of Vila Real (in Portuguese ''Marquês de Vila Real'') was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from 1 March 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to ''Dom'' Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II o ...

, the most powerful aristocratic house in Portugal, during the 16th and 17th centuries, after the Dukes of Braganza and the Dukes of Aveiro. Many of these family crests are still visible today in the manors spread throughout the old city and in the Carreira Garden. Vila Real was ranked seventh in the list of Portugal's most livable cities in the survey of living conditions published by the Portuguese newspaper

Expresso Expresso may refer to: * Espresso, a coffee beverage * eXpresso, a hosted workspace for Microsoft Office communities * Expresso (Donkey Kong), a character in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series * ''Expresso'' (newspaper), based in Lisbon, Portug ...

in 2007.

History

The region shows traces of inhabitation during the

paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

era, while the settlement of Panóias and the Panóias Sanctuary had a Roman presence. However, with the

barbaric A barbarian (or savage) is someone who is perceived to be either uncivilized or primitive. The designation is usually applied as a generalization based on a popular stereotype; barbarians can be members of any nation judged by some to be less c ...

and

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

invasions there was a gradual depopulation. At the end of the 11th century, in 1096,

Henry, Count of Portugal Henry (Portuguese: ''Henrique'', French: ''Henri''; c. 10661112), Count of Portugal, was the first member of the Capetian House of Burgundy to rule Portugal and the father of the country's first king, Afonso Henriques. Biographical sketch Fam ...

wrote a

foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The word ''foral'' ({{IPA-pt, fuˈɾaɫ, eu, plural: ''forais'') is a noun derived from the Portuguese word ''foro'', ultimately from Latin ''forum'', equivalent to Spanish ''fuero'', Galician ''foro'', Ca ...

, a royal document whose purpose was to establish and regulate a town, establishing ''Constantim de Panóias'' as a way to repopulate the region. In 1272, as a new incentive to repopulation, King

Afonso III of Portugal Afonso III (; rare English alternatives: ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse''), or ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese), ''Alfonso'' or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin), the Boulonnais ( Port. ''o Bolonhês''), King of Portugal ( ...

wrote another unsuccessful

to establish ''Vila Real de Panóias''. Only in 1289, the third

written by King

Denis of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, and ...

was successful in establishing ''Vila Real de Panóias'', whose name, meaning ''Royal Town'', is a testimony to its origin by royal decree. Vila Real's privileged location at the crossroad between the

Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...

- Bragança and

Viseu Viseu () is a city and municipality in the Centro Region of Portugal and the capital of the district of the same name, with a population of 100,000 inhabitants, and center of the Viseu Dão Lafões intermunipical community, with 267,633 inhabita ...

- Chaves roads allowed for a sustained growth over the centuries. Starting from the 17th century, the

House of Vila Real A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

attracted the nobility to an extent that during that time the city housed more members of the royal family than any other settlement in

except the capital in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

, and family

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...

remain above old houses and manors, some of which are still occupied by those families. Vineyards were introduced to the municipality in 1764, growing red, white and

rosé wine A rosé () is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method. ...

s for export. Despite its royal presence, Vila Real remained with the status of town until the increase in population in the 19th century, which led to it gaining the status of capital of the

and the historic province of

. The

Roman Catholic Diocese of Vila Real The Portuguese Catholic diocese of Vila Real ( la, Dioecesis Villaregalensis) has existed since 1922. In that year it was formed from territories in the diocese of Bragança-Miranda, archdiocese of Braga, and diocese of Lamego. It is a suffragan ...

was created in 1922 from the

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

s of Bragança-Miranda,

Braga Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...

and

Lamego Lamego (; cel-x-proto, Lamecum) is a city and municipality in the Viseu District, in the Norte Region, Portugal, Norte Region of the Douro Subregion, Douro in northern Portugal. Located on the shores of the Balsemão River, the municipality has a ...

and Vila Real finally gained city status under the

Portuguese Republic Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the ...

in 1925. It was the fourth Portuguese city to have public supply of

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...

, but it was the first to produce

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power, from 1894 to 1926 in the Hydroelectric Power Plant of Biel, located near the

Corgo River The Corgo River () is a Rivers of Portugal, river in northern Portugal which flows through the settlement of Covelo and the city of Vila Real. It flows southwards into the Douro River, merging near Granja. The Corgo River Viaduct carries the A4 (Po ...

, named after

Karl Emil Biel Karl Emil Biel, better known as Emílio Biel (18 September 1838 - 14 September 1915), was a German businessman, publisher and photographer, considered one of the pioneers of photography and phototyping in Portugal. Biography Biel was born in An ...

. The city experienced a great development with the establishment of the

University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro The University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD; Portuguese: ''Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro'') is a public university located in the north-eastern city of Vila Real, Portugal. It became a public university in 1986, althoug ...

in 1986, succeeding the Polytechnic Institute of Vila Real created in 1973, contributing to an increase and revitalization of the population. In 2017 there were 6 651 students enrolled in

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...

. In the last couple of years, several cultural facilities were built, such as the Vila Real Theater, the Vila Velha Museum, the Sound and Image Museum, the Regional Conservatory of Music and the transfer of the Dr. Júlio Teixeira Public Library and Municipal Archive to new buildings, bringing some dynamism and progress to the city. Various areas of the city have also been rehabilitated, such as the Centro Histórico, the Vila Velha and traditional typical neighbourhoods like Bairro dos Ferreiros and Bairro S. Vicente de Paulo. The area surrounding the

has also been rehabilitated, becoming the Corgo Park, the Forest Park and the Codessais Recreational Complex, including cultural components as the Vila Real Science Center and the Urban Ecology Agency. Nowadays the city experiences a phase of growing industrial and commercial development, aimed at health, education and tourism, presenting itself as an attractive place for foreign investment, being internationally known by the

Circuito Internacional de Vila Real The Circuito Internacional de Vila Real is a temporary street circuit in Vila Real, Portugal Vila Real () is the capital and largest city of the Vila Real District, in the North region. It is also the seat of the Douro intermunicipal communi ...

, the street circuit used for the

FIA WTCR Race of Portugal The FIA WTCR Race of Portugal (known as the FIA WTCC Race of Portugal from 2007 to 2017) is a motor racing event held in Portugal as part of the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) series, and formerly the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). First run ...

, one of the events of the

World Touring Car Cup The FIA World Touring Car Cup (abbreviated to WTCR, referring to the use of TCR regulations) was an international touring car championship promoted by Eurosport Events and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It ...

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Vila Real - a sword embedded in a wreath of ''zambujeiro'' (wild olive tree) and the slogan ''Aleu'' - is derived from the decorative motif of the tomb of

Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real Pedro de Menezes Portocarrero, (1370 – Ceuta, September 22, 1437) was a 15th-century Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Pedro de Menezes (sometimes modernized as 'de Meneses') was the 2nd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 1st. Count of Vila ...

, found in the Igreja da Graça in Santarém. 'Aleu' or 'aleo' is an old Portuguese term for a 'gaming stick' (as used in

hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

shuffleboard Shuffleboard (more precisely deck shuffleboard, and also known as floor shuffleboard) is a game in which players use cues to push weighted discs, sending them gliding down a narrow court, with the purpose of having them come to rest within a ma ...

). It refers to a famous episode concerning Pedro de Menezes from shortly after the

Conquest of Ceuta The conquest of Ceuta by the Portuguese on 21 August 1415 marks an important step in the beginning of the Portuguese Empire in Africa. History In 711, shortly after the Arab conquest of North Africa, the city of Ceuta was used as a stagin ...

on September 2, 1415 (commemorated on

Ceuta Day Ceuta Day ( es, Día de Ceuta), celebrated in Ceuta on 2 September, is a holiday marking the date when Pedro de Meneses, 1st Count of Vila Real), became the first Governor of Ceuta by King John I of Portugal, following the Conquest of Ceuta. Leg ...

). Pedro de Menezes was engaged in an outdoor game in the king's presence when a messenger arrived reporting an imminent Moroccan attack on Portuguese-held

Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ar, سَبْتَة, Sabtah) is a Spanish autonomous city on the north coast of Africa. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of several Spanish territorie ...

. Menezes is said to have raised his gaming stick (''aleo'') and told the king that "with that stick alone" he could defend Ceuta from all the power of Morocco. Similar design can be seen on the coat of arms of

Alcoutim Alcoutim () is a town and a municipality in southeastern Portugal near the Portugal–Spain border. The population in 2011 was 2,917, in an area of 575.36 km². It is the least densely populated municipality in Portugal. The municipality is ...

, where Pedro's descendants were made Count's of Alcoutim.

Population

''(Observation: Number of resident inhabitants, that is, that had their official residency in Vila Real at the time of the census.)'' ''(Observation: From 1900 to 1950 the data refers to the ''de facto'' population, that was present in Vila Real at the time of the census.)''

Climate

Vila Real has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

: ''Csb/Csa'') with warm to hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Located in a promontory formed by the gorges of the Corgo and Cabril rivers, Vila Real sits at altitude. The Alvão and Marão mountains overlook the town on the northwest and southwest side, respectively, rising up to . Due to the geographical location, its climate is a mix between Mediterranean and oceanic, with some continental influences. Winters are long, with negative temperatures and frequent frosts. Snowfall usually occurs once or twice each year.

Civil parishes

Vila Real's municipality consists of 20 ''freguesias'' or civil parishes, which are not all coexistent with the ecclesiastical parishes or ''paróquias''. The civil parish Vila Real (Nossa Senhora da Conceição, São Pedro e São Dinis) is officially the city of Vila Real. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 20 civil parishes (''

freguesias ''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...

''): * Abaças * Adoufe e Vilarinho de Samardã * Andrães * Arroios * Borbela e Lamas de Olo * Campeã * Constantim e Vale de Nogueiras * Folhadela * Guiães * Lordelo * Mateus * Mondrões * Mouçós e Lamares * Nogueira e Ermida * Parada de Cunhos * Pena, Quintã e Vila Cova * São Tomé do Castelo e Justes * Fojo dos Lobos de Fafiao- Cabril- Montalegre. * Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho born Place - Lapela- Cabril -Montalegre. * Miradouro DE Fafiao. Fafiao- Cabril -Montalegre. * Torgueda * Vila Marim * Vila Real (Nossa Senhora da Conceição, São Pedro e São Dinis)

Infrastructure

Museums and cultural facilities

* Archaeology and Numismatic Museum * Vila Velha Museum * Professor Fernando Real Geology Museum at the

* Ethnographic Museum * Sound and Image Museum *

Alvão Natural Park Alvão Natural Park ( pt, Parque Natural do Alvão) is a protected area founded in 1983, and located in the municipalities of Mondim de Basto and Vila Real, in the Tâmega and Douro Subregions of northern Portugal. Although the smallest of Portuga ...

Information and Interpretation Center *

Panoias Sanctuary The Panóias Sanctuary, also called "''Fragas de Panóias''", is located in Vale de Nogueiras, in the municipality of Vila Real, Portugal, a few kilometres from the city Its construction dates back to the end of the 2nd century - early 3rd cent ...

Interpretation Center * Vila Real Science Center * Urban Ecology Agency * Dr. Júlio Teixeira Public Library * Vila Real Theater * Casa de Mateus Foundation * Municipal Archive * Vila-Realense Literary Guild

Sports

* Codessais Recreational Complex * Monte da Forca Sports Complex * UTAD Sports Complex * Abambres Sports Complex * Engenheiro Francisco Campos Sports Complex * Calvário Football Pitch * Cruzeiro Stadium (Constantim) * D. Francisco de Sousa Albuquerque Football Pitch (Mateus) * Flores Tennis Court * UTAD Tennis Courts * Vila Real Tennis Club * Corgo Park Multi Sport * Forest Park Multi Sport * Vila Real Sports Center * Araucária Sports Center * Diogo Cão Sports Center * UTAD Sports Center * Vila Real AMF Kartdrome * Monte da Forca Kartdrome * Municipal Covered Swimming Pools * Codessais Swimming Pools * NaturWaterPark - Douro Amusement Park * Vila Real Rocodrome - Climbing Walls * Walking and Running Center * Vila Real Automobile Club * Sport Club Vila Real is the city's football club, founded in 1920. It has played in the Portuguese third and fourth tiers, currently competing in the fourth, the

Terceira Divisao Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...

Health

* Nuno Grande

community health center A healthcare center, health center, or community health center is one of a network of clinics staffed by a group of general practitioners and nurses providing healthcare services to people in a certain area. Typical services covered are family pra ...

(USF) * Corgo community health center (USF) * Fénix community health center (USF) * Nova de Mateus community health center (USF) * Mateus Personalized Health Care Unit (UCSP) * Mateus UCSP - Abaças Unit * Mateus UCSP - Torgueda Unit * Mateus UCSP - Campeã Unit * Mateus UCSP - Sanguinhedo Unit * Integrated Continued Care Unit - Vila Real Santa Casa da Misericórdia * St. Peter Hospital, part of the Hospital Center of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (CHTMAD) * Hospital da Luz - Vila Real (Private) * Trofa Saúde - Hospital Vila Real (Private)

Nature

* UTAD Botanical Garden * Forest Park * Corgo Park *

* Alvão/Marão Site of Community Importance (

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...

Network) * Vila Real Campsite *

Mateus Palace The Mateus Palace ( pt, Palácio de Mateus, Solar de Mateus or Casa de Mateus) is a palace located in the civil parish of Mateus, municipality of Vila Real, Portugal. The three primary buildings are the manor, the winery and the chapel. The winery ...

Gardens * Carreira Garden * Alto Douro Wine Region, a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

*Fojo Dos Lobos de Fafiao. * MIradouro de Fafiao- Cabril * Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho born PLace. Lapela - Cabril, Montalegre

Education

*Agostinho Roseta Technical School *Nervir Technical School *Camilo Castelo Branco Secondary School *São Pedro Secondary School *Morgado de Mateus Secondary School *Diogo Cão Lower Secondary School *Monsenhor Jerónimo do Amaral Lower Secondary School *João Paulo II Private School *São José Private School *S. Vicente de Paulo Primary School *Corgo Primary School *Árvores Primary School *Flores Primary School *Araucária Primary School *Douro Primary School *Mouçós Primary School *Lordelo Primary School *Agarez Primary School *Arrabães Primary School *Mondrões Primary School *Parada de Cunhos Primary School *Prado Primary School *Campeã Primary School *Vila Marim Primary School *Vilarinho da Samardã Primary School

Others

* Nosso Shopping Center * Constantim Industrial Park * Regia Douro Park - Science and Technology Park

Main sights

200px, Cathedral of Vila Real 200px, 16th-century pillory of Vila Real * Capela da Misericórdia * Capela de São Brás e o túmulo de Teixeira de Macedo * Capela do Espírito Santo ou Capela do Bom Jesus do Hospital *

Diogo Cão Diogo Cão (; -1486), anglicised as Diogo Cam and also known as Diego Cam, was a Portuguese explorer and one of the most notable navigators of the Age of Discovery. He made two voyages sailing along the west coast of Africa in the 1480s, explorin ...

's house * Carvalho Araújo's house * Brocas' house * Marqueses's house de Vila Real *

Cathedral of Vila Real 200px The Cathedral of Vila Real ( pt, Sé de Vila Real), also known as the Church of St. Dominic ( pt, Igreja de São Domingos) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Vila Real, Portugal. It is the seat of the Diocese of Vila Real. Dominican friars ...

* St. Peter's church * Bom Jesus do Calvário church * Clérigos's church or "Capela Nova" * Pelourinho de Vila Real

Outside the city centre

* Alvão Natural Park *

* Quintela's tower * Mamoas de Justes * Mão do Homem, in Adoufe * Necrópole de S. Miguel da Pena * Santuário de Panóias, in Vale de Nogueiras * Fafiao- Cabril, Montalegre MIRADOURO de Fafiao * Fojo de LObos de Fafiao. Fafiao- Cabril, MOntalegre

Transportation

Highways

A24 A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. It is based in New York City. A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. Pr ...

- Connects Chaves (frontier with

Galiza Galicia (; gl, Galicia or ; es, Galicia}; pt, Galiza) is an autonomous community of Spain and historic nationality under Spanish law. Located in the northwest Iberian Peninsula, it includes the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, and ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

), to the North, and

, to the South. ** A7 - Indirect connection to Minho (

Guimarães Guimarães () is a city and municipality located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga. Its historic town centre has been listed as a UNESCWorld Heritage Sitesince 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved and a ...

, etc.), from

Vila Pouca de Aguiar Vila Pouca de Aguiar () is a municipality in the district of Vila Real in northern Portugal. Its population in 2011 was 13,187,A4 - Main Road that connects

, to the West, and Bragança, Northeast and the frontier with

Castilla y Leon Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to: Places Spain *Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha *Kingdom of ...

. * Please help Fafiao desde a national 103 . After 103-4 WE need HELp

Airfield

Vila Real airfield (VRL) - Located 4 km from city centre, near the Industrial Zone, in the Folhadela parish. Has a paved runway with 950×30 m. A scheduled airline service operated by Aero VIP serves some domestic destinations.

Railway

The

Corgo line The Corgo line ''(Linha do Corgo)'' was a railway line in northern Portugal. It closed in 2009. It ran north from Régua (a junction station on the main Douro railway line running along the Douro Valley) to Vila Real and Chaves. The lin ...

was a

metre gauge Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, la ...

railway that connected the city to Regua, 25 km south, in the

valley. It closed for renovation in 2009, but due to spending cuts by the Portuguese Government the closure has become permanent. It followed the Corgo river valley and offered splendid views to the characteristic vineyards clinging on to almost vertical. Until 1990 the Corgo line also continued north to Chaves.

Urban bus

The city bus system in Vila Real is run by Corgobus; there are 5 lines and about 1.35 million people in 2008 were transported.

Main distances

* Chaves - 68 km *

- 90 km *

- 97 km *

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or simply Porto Airport (formerly ''Pedras Rubras Airport'') is an international airport near Porto (Oporto), Portugal. It is located northwest of the Clérigos Tower in the centre of Porto, in the municipalitie ...

(OPO) - 100 km *

- 100 km * Bragança - 120 km *

Lisboa Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...

- 411 km *

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

- 520 km * Faro - 613 km * Fafiao first Village of Vila REal ....

Twin towns — sister cities

Vila Real is twinned with: *

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

, Germany *

Ourense Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St ...

, Spain *

Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal oc, Grassa in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional it, Grassa) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence- ...

, France * Mende, France * Espinho, Portugal

Famous citizens

(ca.1452-ca.1486) an explorer and a notable navigator of the

Age of Discovery The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafarin ...

. *

Luís Vaz Pereira Pinto Guedes Luís Vaz Pereira Pinto Guedes, 2nd Viscount of Montalegre, was a Portuguese soldier, who served on the absolutist side in Portugal's Liberal Wars. He was born in Vila Real, on August 10, 1770, and became a member of the Royal Household ("''moço ...

(1770-1841) a brigadier on the absolutist side in Portugal's

Liberal Wars The Liberal Wars (), also known as the Portuguese Civil War (), the War of the Two Brothers () or Miguelite War (), was a war between liberal constitutionalists and conservative absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 18 ...

& 2nd Viscount of Montalegre. * António Lopes Mendes (1835–1894) an explorer and agronomist in Brazil and India & an illustrator and cartographer. * Gen.

José Augusto Alves Roçadas José Augusto Alves Roçadas (Vila Real, Portugal, Vila Real, 6 April 1865 – Lisbon, 28 April 1926) was an officer of the Portuguese Army and a colonial administrator. In 1907 troops under his command in Portuguese Angola put down a revolt by t ...

(1865–1926) colonial governor in Angola and Macau * Carvalho Araújo (1881–1918) a Portuguese Navy officer, colonial administrator and politician. *

Luísa Dacosta Luísa Dacosta (16 February 1927, in Vila Real as Maria Luísa Pinto Saraiva dos Santos – 15 February 2015, in Matosinhos) was a Portuguese writer. In 2010 she was awarded the Vergílio Ferreira Prize by the University of Evora. Career From ...

(1927-2015) a prize-winning Portuguese writer. *

Francisco Seixas da Costa Francisco Seixas da Costa, GCC, CMG, (Vila Real, 1948) is a retired Portuguese diplomat. He was also member of Portuguese governments. He is now consultant in the private sector and media commentator on international affairs. Main official fun ...

(born 1948) a retired Portuguese diplomat.

Sport

* Paulo Alves (born 1969) footballer with 401 club caps and 13 for

Simão Sabrosa Simão Pedro da Fonseca Sabrosa (born 31 October 1979), known mononymously as Simão (), is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played mainly as a left winger, with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes. Having pla ...

(born 1979) footballer with 500 club caps and 85 for

Vítor Murta Vítor Manuel Fernandes Murta (born 21 July 1979) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Football career Born in Vila Real, Murta began his career in the third tier with hometown club S.C. Vila Real and S.C. F ...

(born 1979) a Portuguese former football goalkeeper with 339 club caps. *

Norberto Mourão Norberto Mourão (born 29 October 1980) is a Portuguese paracanoeist. He represented Portugal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Career In May 2019, Mourão competed at the 2019 Paracanoe European Championships in the men's VL2 and won a bronze me ...

(born 1980) a paracanoeist, bronze medallist at the

2020 Summer Paralympics The , branded as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, was an international multi-sport parasports event held from 24 August to 5 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. They were the 16th Summer Paralympic Games as organized by the International Paralym ...

. * Jaime Linares (born 1982) an Angolan footballer with over 300 club caps and 3 for

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

* Jorge Rodrigues (born 1982) a retired footballer with over 350 club caps. * André Pires (born 1989) a Portuguese motorcycle racer. *

Ana Sofia Nóbrega Ana Sofia Nóbrega (born 20 December 1990) is a Portuguese-Angolan Swimming (sport), swimmer. She competed in the Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre freestyle, women's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2016 Summer Olympics ...

(born 1990) Portuguese-born Angolan swimmer, completed at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

* Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho. (san Diego- California) From Lapela - Cabril- Vila Real.

Gallery

File:Torre de Quintela.JPG, Quintela Tower File:Cascata Agarez.jpg, Agarez Waterfall File:Street VR PT.jpg, Typical Houses File:Corgo VR PT.jpg, Corgo River and Metallic Bridge in Vila Real File:Santuario de Panoias Vila Real Portugal 01.jpg, Panóias Sanctuary File:Casa Diogo Cao.JPG, Diogo Cão House File:BMVR.jpg, Public Library File:TeatroVR-PT.jpg, Theatre File:DolceVitaDouro-VR-PT.jpg, Shopping Centre File:Centro Com. Dolce Vita Douro - Vila Real (Portugal).jpg, Shopping Centre (interior)

References

External links

Municipality official websiteUniversity of Trás-os-Montes e Alto DouroVila Real TheatreInfantry Regiment no. 13Photos from Vila RealAeroVIP site (Flights Bragança - Vila Real - Lisboa)
{{Authority control Cities in Portugal Municipalities of Vila Real District