19 - 20 September
Before arriving at Viana do Castelo, a day sailing from Baiona with a border crossing and a kind of an emotional national flag hoisting, feeling good wind coming. It’s a wonderful feeling when we are blessed by dolphins swimming alongside Victoria for a long time. The city's small marina but nicely located had a perfect slot for Victoria and Rio Lima quiet streams, made all the process quite easy and smooth.
Viana do Castelo is one of two Minho capital districts, therefore has some city-like rumble but not enough (not even close) to stress you. Downtown has lots of noble historical houses showing the importance of the city in monarchy ages.
Dinner out in town was settled, but September is the shop's month of election to close after the hectic August when the region's sons return home from a year of hard work and homesickness abroad. Thus meaning the choices weren’t that many, and local habitants don’t go out much, leaving the city just for us, giving a too quiet scenario. The few people we saw wandering the streets like us, were the university students properly dressed with the traditional university students costume (black trousers/skirt, vest and cape and white shirt).
Casa Primavera was the place to go, an old fisherman tavern converted into a nowadays restaurant where the love for traditional dishes and products is present but the service style has lots of the old days. We tried all that makes the town cuisine renown: seafood, fresh fish, delicious vegetables. Olive and garlic are mandatory and we can say it was a meal to cry for.
On our walk back to Victoria, we found proof that the captain had been here before.