Vila do Conde, 'the count's town', is one of the oldest settlements in Portugal. It played an important role in the Portuguese Age of Discoveries as a shipbuilding town. It is also renowned for bobbin lace making.
What to see in Vila do Conde
Capela de Nossa Senhora do Socorro
A unique-looking little chapel resembling an oriental temple, completed in 1603. Inside you will find a Rococo altar and an almost 360-degree azulejo panel depicting various biblical scenes.
Nau Quinhentista
The replica of a Portuguese carrack from the early 1600s. The original one would have been used on the trans-Atlantic trade routes.
Mosteiro de Santa Clara
The original Gothic monastery was founded in the 14th century; however, the impressive building seen today is a neo-Classical one that was only finished in 1940. The viewpoint provides a great panorama of Vila do Conde.
Aqueduto de Santa Clara
The Santa Clara aqueduct, second in Portugal only to Lisbon's Águas Livres in length, was built between 1626 and 1714 as a means to deliver water to the convent of Santa Clara.
