Ponte de Lima, the oldest town in Portugal, was established and developed by the Romans in 1125. It lies in the heart of the Minho region, which is now renowned for its green wine (Vinho Verde), famous for its uniqueness particular to the region, as well as green broth (Cardo Verde), a popular soup in Portuguese cuisine.
The Lima river runs next to the town, and the long medieval bridge, called Ponte in Portuguese, passes over it, joining two banks of Lima. The two thousand year old bridge, extended in the Middle Ages, is a unique structure from the time of the Roman Emperor Augustus. It marks the spot where the Romans crossed the river. Once built, it was used as a main road from Braga to the Iberian Peninsula and would later become an integral part of the Portuguese Way to Santiago. Today it is part of the Camino de Santiago route, that runs through Ponte de Lima.
We enjoyed the walk across the river, where, at the end, we found a beautiful park, called Parque do Arnado. The park has been designed to feature four themed gardens: Roman, Labyrinth, Renaissance, Baroque and a greenhouse.
We spent a couple of hours here, but as it slowly started to rain, we made our way back to the centre. We wandered a bit more around this charming, little town, with our umbrellas, stopping at one of the many local restaurants, before driving back home.
For more information on what to do, where to stay, eat and how to get to Ponte de Lima - visit the municipal website.
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