Things to do in Viana do Castelo

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Viana do Castelo

Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Things to Do in Viana do Castelo

Check out must-see sights and activities:
Santuário de Santa Luzia, Praia do Cabedelo, Extreme Sports, Beaches. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
Powered by AI
BETA
Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Book these experiences for a close-up look at Viana do Castelo.

Top Attractions in Viana do Castelo

These rankings are informed by Tripadvisor data—we consider traveller reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.

Neo-Byzantine church with modest interior and striking stained glass windows. Enjoy panoramic views, a cultural shrine, and nearby ancient ruins for a serene visit.
This attraction description was created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for this description. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information. If you believe something in this AI-generated description is inaccurate, please share your feedback.
Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Learn more about this content
Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.

What travellers are saying

  • Tony McMahon
    London, UK392 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do not expect stunning interiors - I've been here several times and that is not the reason to visit. The experience is going to the top of the mountain - either by funicular or walking (which is a steeper climb than you expect) and then wandering around outside looking at the church and the view. The shrine to Saint Lucy is very camp and surrounded by wax eyes - she is the patron saint of opticians.
    Written 5 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AnnaTheTraveling4Fam
    Marietta, GA170 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We had a most amazing afternoon!! We parked right outside the suburb leading to the beach & took Birds in (we also rode them for the fun of our along the coast for a while before returning to the mouth of tree river). The beach right along the mouth of the river was gorgeous & quiet- very few other Bram- goers😁👍🏻 My husband and I sat in a lovely shaded spot under an outcropping while the boss played in the sand & surf (way to cold to swim and way too many rocks to swim safely where we were anyway). The boys climbed carefully on the huge boulders and had fun jumping down. There were restaurants further up the beach but we had packed a picnic and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Highly recommend.
    Written 18 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • moufoudou
    Quebec City, Canada123 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great visit for family with kids. Easy to follow. 17 euros for 4 persons. Not the first beat we visit but the first hospital boat. There is guided tour but we visit on our own.
    Written 22 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Tina Z
    1,001 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It's another one of those places in Portugal that you say wow, wow, wow because it is beautiful. The outside part of the building is a bit unusual for a church, but when you enter you can see the traditional Portuguese decoration, azulejo and talha dourada.
    Written 16 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Rbarbosa27
    Madrid, Spain178 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a quiet area, even with a high concentration of apartment buildings. It's a great place to just disconnect from the city life - just a quite wild beach on one side, and the woods on the other, a few bars and coffee places, a supermarket and a couple of restaurants. As a plus, Viana do Castelo is nearby and a beautiful city to visit.
    Written 4 March 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Tina Z
    1,001 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful way to see the local culture in traditional clothing. When you visit this museum, you can also use the ticket to visit the Museu de Artes Decorativas. The museum is actually bigger than it seems at first, there are several levels, in the basement there is a section dedicated to the traditional gold jewelry, which is incredibly beautiful, and the top floor usually hosts some temporal exhibition. When I visited, the theme was fashion throughout last 100 years. The traditional clothing you can see is gorgeous, very colorful and pretty detailed. There is text by the exhibits in both Portuguese and English. I don't remember really the price, I think it was about 2 euros which is totally acceptable since with the same ticket you can visit another museum.
    Written 16 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Tony McMahon
    London, UK392 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I've been visiting Viana do Castelo since I was a child in the 1970s and this square always brings a lump to my throat. It has really charming and unspoilt medieval buildings and a bandstand where orchestras play during the annual summer festival to Our Lady of Agony. It's really incredibly charming. The only downside is that the cafes are a bit naff to be honest. They always have been. It really would benefit from a great cafe but there isn't one. However, it's often surprisingly lively at night. And just a beautiful place.
    Written 5 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Tina Z
    1,001 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Citania is located near the church on the top of Santa Luzia church. If you are into ancient ruins and history, then definitely visit, but I wouldn't recommend it if you are not interested in that kind of stuff because for most of the people they are just old stones.
    Written 16 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • shoemaker_10
    Newcastle upon Tyne, UK612 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    huge range of ceramics some of which date back 300 years.
    very early copyright law covering the V logo used for ceramics made in the town. lift and signs in English.
    Written 25 October 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Brumgucci
    Birmingham, UK13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stayed nearby and visited a couple of times. Beautiful beach. Parking plentiful, lots of space on the beach. Lifeguards present. Sea was great for surfing or body boarding.

    If you’re nearby you have to visit. 10/10
    Written 2 September 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Robbert L
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands2,633 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lisbon has many beautiful views as a result of its geographical position on the Tejo, its hills, the sea. This is one of them. Beautiful views. Worth the walk.
    Written 27 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Charles_and_Susan
    Nottingham, UK7,628 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    It's an old bridge built to take the railway that never came. It's now an interesting pedestrian bridge across the river.
    Written 25 April 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The above attraction descriptions were created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for any of the above attraction descriptions. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information.
Reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
All Viana do Castelo HotelsViana do Castelo Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Viana do Castelo
All things to do in Viana do Castelo
Day Trips in Viana do CasteloSpas & Wellness in Viana do Castelo
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars