Valença - Rubiães

The first stage begins in the city of Valença, next to the International Bridge over the River Minho, at the start of Avenida de Espanha and ends in the town of Rubiães, near the Romanesque Church of S. Pedro. The landscape is marked by woodlands and valleys with abundant vegetation, dotted by a few urban centres and rural villages. This is the green and fertile area of Alto Minho, which extends south of the River Minho, surrounded by its tributaries.

Along this route, which crosses through the area of the municipalities of Valença and Paredes de Coura, there is a consistent presence of multi-secular cultural heritage that includes chapels, churches and monasteries. Within the villages or throughout the landscape, these constructions, moulded in granite, are a testament to ancient history and the existence of past communities, where the sacred and the profane are intimately intertwined. Traditions are brought to life during festivities, but the authentic cuisine prepared expertly and artfully is always on display.