Lamego, Portugal

Lamego is a town and municipality in northern Portugal’s Viseu District, Douro Norte Region. It is situated on the banks of the Balsemão River. It dates back before the Roman colonisation of the Iberian Peninsula is recognised for its mediaeval town centre and has a long history as the capital of the former Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province. According to legend, the first Portuguese Cortes were held in Lamego in 1143. The Lamego Roman Catholic Diocese is located in the city centre.

Lamego which is about 12 kilometres from the banks of the Douro River, saw a period of tremendous wealth in the eighteenth century when it produced the so-called “excellent wine” that gave rise to the world-famous Port wine. It is a very old town, having been elevated to the rank of the bishopric by the Visigoths in the seventh century under the name Lamecum.

Later, it would suffer the same fate as so many other towns and villages that became Portuguese: it was captured by the Moors, reconquered by the Christians, and then returned to Muslim hands until it was finally reconquered in 1057 by Ferdinand I, the Great, king of Castile and León and the great grandfather of D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal. The castle on the hill overlooking the city, the Cathedral, and the little church of Santa Maria de Almacave are all remnants of these mediaeval eras.

The Church’s great influence throughout many years, which was subsequently restricted by the dissolution of Religious Orders in 1834, has left Lamego with a large number of churches that reflect the classical influences common at the time of their construction in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. When you see one of them, make sure to go inside and enjoy the stories told on the azulejos covering the walls, the religious paintings, and the gorgeous carved and gilded wood decorations added during the baroque period. The Church of the Convent of Santa Cruz, which offers a lovely view of the city, and the sumptuous and monumental baroque shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in the form of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, who responds to the appeals of distressed worshippers by granting them a remedy for their afflictions from her lofty position some 600 metres above the town, are particularly impressive. Every year, the city pays much-deserved honour to Our Lady by dedicating a festival to her – the magnificent Romaria de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

A stunning eighteenth-century palace, built in an attractive and sober baroque style, stands at the opposite end of the city, but in direct line with the staircase leading to the shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, and was originally the residence of the bishops of Lamego. The coat of arms of Bishop D. Manuel Vasconcelos Pereira, who was in charge of restoring and expanding the previous episcopal residence, is carved above the entrance door. This area was remodelled in 1940 to hold the Lamego Museum’s extremely rich collection, which is a must-see for all visitors.

Because Lamego is so near to the banks of the Douro River, there are numerous hikes and trips that offer breathtaking panoramic views of the immense valleys planted with the vines that make the famed Port wine.