The town of Moncao lies on the border of Portugal and Spain, on the banks of the river Minho. Steeped in history, this relatively undiscovered place was the site of many ancient feuds between Portugal and the Kingdom of Castille. The best places to stay in Moncao can be either in the centre of town or the surrounding countryside and make the perfect bases for exploring this unique area.

Nowadays this part of Portugal is most famous for its Alvarinho wine and hydropathic spas. The town enjoys a beautiful aspect with its terraces and stunning views. The ruins of the 13th century castle and walls remain and the centre is very evocative of the past with its old buildings and atmospheric side streets. There are two main squares which now host many buzzy cafes and restaurants  - great for a spot of people watching - yet still leave you with a sense of stepping back in time.

WHAT NOT TO MISS

• The grand, neo-classical, Brejoirea Palace is located just outside Moncao. Declared a National monument in 1919 and designed by Carlos Amarante, it is an amazing building, constructed in 1834 and surrounded by 30 hectares of beautiful gardens. The interiors are also spectacular.
• Casa Museu de Moncao is an eighteenth century house bequeathed to the University of Minho, which was owned by a educated wealthy family and is filled with their stunning collection of interesting objets, including an 18th century Ottoman tapestry, and a large collection of Porto wines.
• Castelo de Moncao was built by King Dinis in 1306 - but unfortunately the only remains are two doors and a coat of arms!
• Igreja Matriz, the ‘mother church’ is Romanesque and the burial place of local legend Deu la Deu!

The best places to stay in Moncao enable you to enjoy the wine, the ambience and the historic atmoshere - now entirely without conflict!

THE BEST PLACES TO STAY IN MONCAO

For the wine!

• Solar de Serrade is an historic manor house set amongst vineyards. The rooms are traditional in style with stone floors, tapestries and four poster beds. The gardens and terraces are beautiful and this is a truly romantic spot from which to explore the local wine region and other sights.

For a self catering apartment or villa

• If you think you'd prefer a self catering option, then check out the wide range of properties on our partner site, Booking.com

Travel information

• The nearest airport is Vigo Airport over the border in Spain, around 30km to the north of Moncao. Alternatiely you could fly into Porto, about 131km to the south of the city.
• Moncao has a kind climate with maximum temperatures being in July and August when the average highs peak around 25 degrees celcius.
• If you plan to rent a car to explore further afield, we recommend you visit our partner Rentalcars.

Still not sure?

• Browse our list of the best places to stay in Moncao,
• expand your search to include all our recommendations in Northern Portugal or Porto,
• or contact a friendly guru for more advice.