In Portugal, there are quite a lot of interesting places to visit in addition to the already well-known tourist destinations of Lisbon and Porto. Many of these pearls are scattered across the North of Portugal with their centuries-old traditions of gastronomy and architectural monuments. I would like to tell you about one of these places. So it's called Vila do Conde.
This resort town in the North of Portugal has very ancient roots and the first mention of it dates back to 953 ad before the Foundation of the Portuguese state. It was a love story that started the further development of this settlement. King Don Sancho fell in love with Maria Pais and gave her this territory as a gift. In the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the village acquired the features of a medieval city. In 1318, the great-granddaughter of the first owner of Dona Teresa and her husband Afonso Sanchez, the illegitimate son of the Portuguese king, founded the Royal monastery of Saint Clare.
The 15th and 16th centuries were undoubtedly the heyday of this city. This is due to the strategic location of the city, a convenient seaport and developed shipbuilding. It was at the local shipyards that ships were built for the expeditions of Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama. Evidence of those glorious years are the old customs building where the Museum is now open and a very interesting replica of a sea ship from the time of the Great Geographical Discoveries.
