Αξιοθέατα και μέρη για επίσκεψη Chaviães - Top 13

This impressive complex, now reduced mainly to its church, has medieval roots and was originally a Benedictine or Cistercian monastery (its exact origin is debated among historians). Built mainly in Romanesque style in the 12th century, it has undergone significant modifications and additions over the centuries, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, which have given it Mannerist and Baroque elements. Despite the transformations, it still retains many of its original Romanesque features, such as the four-archivolt portal on the façade and the structure of the choir divided into quadrangular chapels. Classified as a National Monument, the Mosteiro de Fiães is an important example of Portuguese religious architecture and a testimony to its rich monastic history.

In the 12th century it was the main border defense of Alto Minho, forming the northernmost guard post in Portugal on the section where the Minho River begins its border function and monitoring the crossing into Galicia (WIKIPEDIA). Today just a ruin. There is a small museum in the preserved keep.

Visiting hours: M-D: 10:00-17:00. L: closed

The Alto de San Fins is almost 700m above sea level. In its upper part we can find the Hermitage of San Fins. From the top you can enjoy magnificent views of the Miño river valley

Demanding climb of about 7 Km. The views at the top are spectacular.

The existence of so many Theral Springs led to the construction of large thermal centers in Galicia that reached great splendor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many other springs did not achieve Mondariz or Cortegada fame but were used for decades due to their medicinal properties. Today we can see the remains of the hotel, fountains, and even the church from 1938. Although previous buildings already existed, the Grande Hotel do Pezo was built in 1901 and expanded in 1931 and began to be abandoned in the last decades of the 20th century.

There are good stops along the route for a coffee and Melgaço has a really cool old town featuring a tower, open to the public. The castle is the most prominent structure in town and is at the center of the old town. Open to the public the tower offer great views of town and the surrounding area. Its worth spending some time here as the old town, while small is quite picturesque. Another bonus is the restaurants in the area. Adega Sabino has a Cabrito de Monte that is fabulous! Wikipedia: The construction of the castle dates back to 1170 by order of the first King of Portugal Afonso Henriques (1112–1185). He granted a Foral charter to the town at the same time, encouraging the development of the town. Afonso III (1248–1279) granted to the village in 1258 a second Foral Charter, promising privileges to the town. In 1361 the traffic between Portugal and Galicia was required to pass through Melgaço demonstrating its importance at the time.

In the 11th century during the siege of Castro Laboreiro castle, D. Afonso Henriques ordered the foundation of a convent to show appreciation of the help they offered him during his military campaign. There are several carvings in the stone wort a look. The various arches demonstrate architecture of the different periods and are still in quite good shape. The convent has long been closed and the buildings are showing the lack in upkeep but are still really interesting. As with most places in the region, its pretty open to explore the grounds and find its other secrets. The origins of the church are Romanesque, but it was subjected to significant alterations in the Baroque period. Other names of the church: Church of São Salvador de Paderne Convento de Paderne