Chaves

Northern Portuguese border town on the Tâmega, known for Roman baths, smoked meats, and a Trajan bridge

Chaves sits in the far north of Portugal, in the Trás-os-Montes region just 12 kilometres from the Spanish border. The town straddles the Tâmega river, crossed by a Roman bridge — the Ponte de Trajano — that has stood here since the 2nd century. The Romans came for the thermal springs, and people still do: the hot springs in the centre of town are among the hottest in Europe.

The old town is pleasant and compact, with a medieval castle keep (now housing a military museum), the Igreja Matriz, and a cluster of narrow streets lined with traditional granite houses. Chaves is known across Portugal for its smoked meats — presunto de Chaves (cured ham) and the pastéis de Chaves, flaky pastry parcels filled with seasoned veal that you will find in every bakery.

The surrounding landscape is green, hilly, and largely overlooked by tourists. The Montesinho Natural Park to the east and the Peneda-Gerês National Park to the west are both within reach. Chaves makes a quiet, unpretentious base for exploring this corner of Portugal.

Guide

Eating Out

Chaves is known for its presunto (smoked cured ham) and the pastéis de Chaves — flaky pastry parcels filled with seasoned veal. Both appear on almost every menu in town, and both travel poorly, so eat them here. The local Trás-os-Montes cuisine is hearty, meat-heavy, and built around cured meats, stews, and bread soups. Prices are reasonable by Portuguese standards — this is not a tourist town.

Guide

Getting There

Chaves is in the far north of Portugal, about 80 kilometres north of Vila Real and 130 kilometres from Porto. There is no train service to Chaves — the line that once ran here was closed in 2009. Bus is the main public transport option, with several daily connections to Porto (around two and a half hours), Braga, and Vila Real operated by Rede Expressos and regional operators.

By car, Chaves is easily reached from Porto via the A24 motorway. The drive takes about an hour and a half. The town makes a convenient stop on a road trip between northern Portugal and Galicia in Spain, with the border just 12 kilometres away.

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Things to Do

Chaves packs a surprising number of historical layers into a compact old town. The Roman bridge and the castle keep are the headline attractions, but the thermal baths, the fortifications, and the churches each add depth. Walk from the bridge up through the narrow streets to the castle, then circle back along the river for the best of the place in an afternoon.