Vinhais is a lovely village located in the extreme north of Portugal, in the Trás-os-Montes region (that literally means “behind the hills”), in an plain area in the left bank of the Trutas streamlet, surrounded by hillocks and with the beautiful Coroa Mountain enclosing it.
This is a region with several archaeological vestiges, attesting a very ancient human occupancy, with rupestrian engravings and castros (hill forts) ruins.
Here inhabited Romans, Suebis, Visigoths and Moors.
Already in the 17th century, Vinhais suffered a lot with the Portuguese Restoration War, due to its geographic location.
Vinhais is proud of its historic, architectonic, social and natural heritage, presenting highlights such as the Castle, the São Francisco Convent, the São Facundo Church, in a Romanesque style, the Manueline Pillory re-built in the 20th century, or the typical northern building that housed the town hall.
Vinhais still maintains some of its traditional Trás-os-Montes houses, built in schist, housing on the lower floor the cattle and the agricultural utensils, and on the first floor the residential area, where the kitchen still is the main centre of the domestic activity.
Throughout the region can also be found some Manor Houses, showing off the agricultural importance over the centuries.
Quite famous are the “fumeiros” (a special type of sausages) and the wine production, quite appreciated all over the Country.
