LAMEGO , PORTUGAL

Nestled among the terraced slopes of the Douro valley port wine-growing region, and overlooked by an ornate shrine, the town of  Lamego is elegant and infused with Baroque style. Atop one of its two hills stands the 13th century keep and a castle 100 years its senior. The  Porta dos Figos  gateway arch leads into the narrow streets of the inner town. Also found here is a somewhat unusual piece of history in the vaulted stone cistern dating back to times of Arab rule and bearing trade marks of master masons of the era. 

The 18th century Episcopal palace now houses the town's museum, containing amongst other treasures important work by the Portuguese master Vasco Fernandes "Grão Vasco". The principal church, the Sé , was built in the 12th century by the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques; indeed it was in this town that his ascension to the throne was announced and he assembled the original courts of the newly independent nation here in the Almacave church. Several refurbishments and alterations over the years mean that little of the original Sé is left, but the intricate stonework of the exterior and the cloister make it worthy of a visit