History & City
Vila Real is situated in the North-East Interior of Portugal and stands at an average altitude of 460 metres above sea level, on the right bank of the River Corgo, tributary of the River Douro. It is located 85 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean (West), 18 kilometres from the Douro (South) and 65 kilometres from the nearest international border – with the Spanish region of Galicia (North). The city is the capital of a province called Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (translates to Behind the Mountains and Upper Douro Valley), and lies between two rivers, the Cabril and the Corgo, whose deep gorges and steep cliffs give the area both beauty and grandeur. It nestles between the mountains of the Marão and Alvão ranges, on whose peaks snow can often be seen in the cold season. During the winter, the temperate continental climate can push temperatures below zero to a minimum of (-5ºC), while in summer the weather can be extremely hot (+37ºC). The city has a population of around 50 000 and is essentially a centre for commercial, agricultural and service activities. The origins of Vila Real are lost in time, but we know that the area was already inhabited in the Palaeolithic period, and there is evidence of both Celt-Iberian and Roman settlements (pagan sanctuary of Panóias). During the Barbarian and Arab invasions the region was abandoned. In the 12th century peoples gradually began to settle, but it was only in 1289 that King D. Dinis presented the city with its charter.