What to do and visit in Castelo de Paiva
last update: 09/02/2025
Castelo de paiva is a town with a strong connection with Nature where one can wander through mountains and rivers and where old villages keep their secrets and crafts. Due to its location and natural wealth, different people have settled here, since the Paleolithic period, as shown by the numerous Megalithic or Roman monuments that are still standing. The landscape camouflages a strong heritage of structural memories from mineral extraction and displays, with splendor, endless rows of vines. The gastronomy and the wine mark the festive calendar and invite you to visit, especially in the summer, when the various river beaches and high mountain ranges vibrate with activity.
What to do and visit in Castelo de Paiva:
(ordered by the proximity to Cimo da Vinha)
Where to stay during your visit?
This trip could be a unique opportunity to stay the night with us, at Cimo da Vinha – Nature Spot, in one of our Suites, Canastro or Glamping Tents.
The prestigious German nature tourism portal Camperguru chose Cimo da Vinha as one of the Top European Glampings to visit in 2025.
Hills and Chapels
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: A 2 km | B 10 km | C 14 km
All year (Spring is better for colorful pictures)
From the various mountain ranges with memorable views, you will be able to easily reach the following peaks: A) Hill of Saint Adrião: right next to Cimo da Vinha this mountaintop gives you a breathtaking view over the Paiva Valley, even extending to Oporto. At the top there is an old chapel, used annually for a procession of remote origins. B) Hill of Saint Gens: of the three, the only one that does not have a chapel but for its endless view, it deserves a visit, also to check the famous swing that faces the Douro. C) Hill of Saint Domingos: on the top of St. Domingos hill there is a breathtaking panoramic view, including the curves of the Douro. From the secular procession – which took the figure of the saint to Nossa Senhora das Amoras, in times of drought – there are already reports from 1758, in Congregation Memories. In São Domingos you can also contemplate the beautiful gardens and the amphitheater on the hillside.
Historical Monuments
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: A 4 km | B 9 km | C 9 km | D 10 km | E 12 km | F 15 km | G 19 km
All year
From the various places of historical interest built and discovered in Castelo de Paiva, we highlight the following, which you will be able to easily visit: A) Parish Church of Real: built in 1737 it has beautiful paintings and a unique Baroque splendor. In the churchyard you can see six sculptures of the apostles, in stone, as well as the medieval mark on a stone with the measure of what would have to be offered to the priest by the devotees, for the slaughter of the pig. B) Ancient Grave of Boavista: Considered as one of the most unique from Medieval times, in Portugal, because it displays a typology different from that of the other funerary monuments, since it is the only one that does not have an arch. It contains several inscriptions engraved such as crosses and swords. C) Serrada Portal: With a Mannerist style, this span portal from the old Manor of Bulhões de Santa Cruz das Serradas em Paiva, from the 16th century, it has a square shield. D) Pit of the Moorish: Two rectangular graves carved in a granite block, dating from the period between the 9th and 11th centuries. E) Catapeixe Viewpoint: Stone balcony on the side of the N224 road from where you can contemplate the Douro and Paiva rivers, as well as the island of Castelo. F) Raiva Pillory: Monument from the 16th century that marks the independence of the honor of Raiva in relation to the municipality of Castelo de Paiva, a situation in which it remained until the first decades of the 19th century. G) Monument to the Miner: Next to the disabled mining complex in Germunde, this bronze statue depicts the miners with all their work clothes.
Paiva River
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: Várzea 8 km
All year (summer is inviting to take a dip in its temperate waters)
Already distinguished as one of the clearest rivers in Europe, the Paiva river meanders through cliffs and hills oscillating between brave paths that challenge rafting and canoing enthusiasts and forgotten forest beaches, with sand and shade, where immersion in nature is total and the waters are warm. Visit the village of Várzea and go through two ethereal trails:1) downstream you will go through the forest and abandoned houses reaching the wild beach of Retorta. 2) If you go upstream, you will start climbing the cliffs and discover the ancient Mill Bridge of Melo, the old connection of millers and travelers, between Castelo de Paiva and Cinfães.
The Wine fair
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 9 km
Date: first weekend of July
The Wine Fair is the annual festivity that brings the most number of visitors to the town of Castelo e Paiva. On the first weekend of July, the historic town center turns into an electric torrent of people who for four days, glass in hand, taste the Wines of the best local producers to the sound of street folk groups and concerts. The best delicacies and crafts are also represented in several shop throughout the precinct.
Click here to read our detailed article about the Fair.
Interactive Tourist Store and House of Payva
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 9 km
All year
In the historic center of Castelo de Paiva, in the old jail building (from the 18th century), there’s now an Interactive Tourism Store and the House of Payva where you can consult and see countless works and objects from the county’s history, as well as sample the best regional products. On the top floor there is also the CICL (Local Culture Interpretation Center), an eclectic space with a varied cultural program. Cross the square to visit the renovated Pinheiro Estate, a green park right in the heart of the village where the prestigious Music Academy of Castelo de Paiva is installed, in an elegant and charming old building.
Green Trails
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: A 9 km | B 14 km
All year (milder weather in Spring and Autumn)
It is a project to get to know the interior of Castelo de Paiva and its natural beauties in a profound way, by cycling along unusual trails that lead to genuine villages and places. “Green Trails BTT allow you to get to know this region in a different way: strolling through the narrow street villages, where beautiful and profusely ornamented churches stand and pass by houses with neat coats of arms and beautiful balconies, almost always flowered”. There are two trails: A) Trail of the Vines: with 12 km of length, it privileges the vineyards and the forest areas, contemplating the valley of the Sardoura river, in an idyllic contact with nature, enhancing the proximity with the rural world. B) Miner Trail: 31 km long, this route cuts through the Pejão mining region along the old paths that the miners used to walk to work, also passing through some of the itineraries of the old railway locomotives, which brought the coal from the mines to the Douro River.
19th Century Fair
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 10 km
Date: October
Organized by ADEP (Association for the Study and Defense of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of Castelo de Paiva), this annual fair (usually on the second Sunday in October) takes place at the end of the harvest season in the beautiful Linden Trees Park. This “old fashion” fair aims to recreate a past time through the crafts that were part of the rural experience two centuries ago. Folklore, gastronomy, crafts and traditional games are the basis of the activities and you can already taste the “young” wine from the recent harvests and purchase the products of the Spring / Summer cultures.
Island of Loves and Castelo beach
Distânce to Cimo da Vinha: 12 km
All year (Summer is more inviting to dives)
Located at the mouth of Paiva river and shrouded in legends of tunnels and nobles, the Island of Loves is one of the nature ex libris of the region. A small desert island in the middle of Douro where the isolation made the native vegetation remain almost intact with imposing and old pines, oaks, olive trees, ash, alders, reeds and tamarisks. Visit it by kayak and boat or contemplate it from the Castelo beach and dock where you can also relax on the beach or on the terrace.
Gondarém and Midões schist villages
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: A 13 km | B 14 km
All year
Two of the most beautiful and oldest villages on the Douro riverside, in Castelo de Paiva. A) Gondarém has a more rustic display, in the middle of the woods, where old schist houses and fields that accompany the forest, parade along the river bank. Right by its side, B) Midões has a breathtaking view with immense “hanged vineyard” and a bucolic dock in the Douro with several old houses and properties, that go up the village.
Boure Dock and Sardoura River
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 14 km
All year
Next to the Entre-os-Rios bridge in Sardoura, this recently revitalized pier has an almost infinite view of the Douro and Tâmega rivers. Right next to it you can also visit the gold-plated bronze Angel. A 12 meters high statue which was created in honor of the victims of the fall of the Hintze Ribeiro bridge. Also to the side, get to know the mouth of the Sardoura river, where the local board with the support of volunteers created an access to the small beach of Gramão Park. Finally, enjoy and cross to the other side of the Douro and visit the historic area of Entre-os-Rios, already in Penafiel, and delight yourself with the famous local restaurants.
Choupal Beach and Arda River
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 17 km
All year (Summer is more inviting to dives)
At the mouth of the Arda river, in the shade of imposing poplar trees, the vast beach invites you to sunbathe and take a dip in the Douro. A fresh and inviting leisure area, in harmony with nature, it is also known for having traditional restaurants serving delicacies all day long with a view of the Arda river and of the old 1893 locomotive bridge from the Pejão coal mines. Recently, with the construction of the trail Living the Douro, the location was equipped with a new bar / terrace just above the river. For a stunning photo of the Douro, explore the surroundings and make a shot from the top of the hill of S. Domingos or the church of Raiva.
The ancient Burial of Carnival at Pedorido
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: 17 km
Date: February
From old popular roots and immune to imported Carnival festivities, Pedorido continues to do the Entrudo parade with the “defunct” – with the participants grotesquely masked with improvised props, especially from rural life – with the coffin burning, which on fire descends the secular bridge of the mines’ locomotives and disappears through the current of the Arda River, while the masked ones howl and cry. At the end, there is a reading of the will where the local events of that year are satirically criticized, following the revelry. A genuinely archaic and magical experience.
Gastronomy and "Verde" Wines
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: several locations
All year
In an area of excellence in the Demarcated Region of Verde Wines, you don’t need to wait for the popular Wine Fair to taste the famous local Verde Wines, since the main producers are represented in the restaurants and shops of Castelo de Paiva (also at Cimo da Vinha, you can taste some). The gastronomy is varied and rich but we highlight the young goat and lamb – roasted-, with oven rice, the farmer’s boiling dish with the excellent local olive oil, the smokehouse sausages and the famous seasonal dishes such as steaks with onion typical of the Saint Eufémia romary (stating on September, the 14th) or the lamprey and the shad, now with an annual festival on the second weekend of March in the Boure Dock, on the Douro riverside. Other river fishes such as the boga, trout, mullet or eel are being reintroduced into the regional menu, namely through the gastronomic festival Arda D’Ouro, in the first weekend of September. To finalize, the pão-de-ló is a mandatory cake, just like the rabanadas with our regional honey and the traditional sopa-seca.
Rock Climbing and Highline
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: A 18 km | B 14 km
All Year
Due to the work of local volunteers and enthusiasts, in Castelo de Paiva there are several routes of Classic and Sport climbing. Each of Castelo de Paiva’s climbing sectors has very specific characteristics, whether due to sun exposure, type of rock and difficulty of the routes. The style and difficulty of climbing is quite diverse and for this there are sectors more suitable for those who are starting out in this modality, or more technical and demanding sectors, for those who already have more experience. A) Pedorido Climbing Area: Located in the Union of Parishes of Raiva, Pedorido and Paraíso, more specifically in the town of Pedorido (next to the old Germunde mining complex), this climbing area is made up of two main sectors, Penedo Lastrão and Casa da Malta (about 300 meters apart). B) Ratão Climbing Area: Located in the Union of Parishes of Sobrado and Bairros, next to the Paiva River, the Ratão area is one of the favorite places for those who want to climb in the summer. This place meets all the conditions for those who want to practice a more demanding style of climbing, with a medium to high degree of difficulty (routes between 4C and 7a+) and at the same time enjoy the river and the natural beauty of the place where it is located. The Ratão climbing area is also the stage for the Annual Climbing and Highline Meeting “RATONAR”, a 3-day event that brings together people from the four corners of the world, who travel to Castelo de Paiva to enjoy the routes, the Paiva River and of the highline and waterline lines that are assembled on site. It is also important to note that this is an area facing the Northeast and that sun exposure is only felt at the base until 11:00, allowing climbing in the shade for practically the entire day.
It is important to emphasize that the practice of this modality must be carried out by people with knowledge and experience or accompanied by someone who knows how to properly use safety equipment and assess the risks that this modality may represent (climbing is a safe sport as long as all the rules safety measures are taken into account).
Route of Traditional Crafts
Distance to Cimo da Vinha: several locations
All year (under appointment)
A project developed by the City Council and ADRIMAG, to document the work produced by still active artisans, in our town, who perpetuate the traditional crafts. Through an App – and under appointment – it is possible to follow the work and visit the workshops of masters of copper, basketry, weaving, grinding as well as various artisans (artisanal fishing nets, shoemaker, blacksmith and barbers, among others).
🔆 One-day itinerary in Castelo de Paiva: What to visit in 24 hours
Wake up early with a visit to the Paiva River, in the Várzea area, a perfect place for those who enjoy the tranquility of the forest. Then, climb to the top of Monte de Santo Adrião, where you can enjoy panoramic views over several districts. After immersing yourself in nature, head to the historic center of Castelo de Paiva, where you can stroll through its streets, explore the historic architecture and enjoy lunch in one of the town’s typical restaurants.
In the afternoon, continue your adventure with a visit to the Douro River, starting at Praia do Castelo and Ilha dos Amores, in a perfect place to enjoy the timeless charm of the Douro. Always along the river, visit the Schist Villages of Gondarém and Midões, magical places that reflect the history and rural culture of the region. Be sure to climb to the top of Monte de São Domingos, from where you can admire a spectacular view over the Douro River and its surroundings. To end the day on a high note, head to Pedorido and have dinner in one of the typical restaurants near Praia do Choupal, where you can enjoy a meal by the river, with a charming view of the mouth of the River Arda.
🚌 How to get to Castelo de Paiva: Transport and access
For those coming from Porto, Castelo de Paiva is around 40 minutes away by car, taking the A1 and then the A32, following the signs for the town. The trip is direct and comfortable, making it a good option for those who want to explore the region. For those coming from Lisbon, the journey is a little longer, around 3 and a half hours. The best option is to take the A1 to Coimbra, then take the A25 and continue on the A32, following the signs for Castelo de Paiva. Those who don’t have a car can choose to take a train to Porto and then a bus or taxi.
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cover photo © Agroportal.pt
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cimo da Vinha is a Nature Tourism resort in Castelo de Paiva, between the Paiva and Douro rivers. Its team is made up entirely of local workers with a deep knowledge of the regional geography and its traditions. This understanding of the territory is at the service not only of our guests but also of this Blog.