Ponte de Lima

Ponte de Lima is a town and municipality in the Viana do Castelo district, located on the Lima river in the Minho region. It holds the distinction of being one of the oldest chartered towns in Portugal, with its foundation document dating to 1125. The Roman bridge, whose central arches date to the first or second century AD, spans the Lima at the town’s heart and remains in use.

The town centre combines medieval, Baroque, and neoclassical fabric, with a long riverside promenade lined with plane trees and flanked by manor houses and civic buildings. Ponte de Lima hosts one of the oldest markets in the country, held fortnightly since the medieval period.

For pilgrims on the Camino Português, Ponte de Lima is one of the route’s landmark stops, offering full services, significant history, and the iconic bridge crossing that gives the town its name.