Viana do Castelo

Our last 3km into Viana do Castelo was over the Lima River. The city's origins date back to before the Christian era, as it can be seen in the hill fort near the Basilica of Santa Luzia.

It is said that when the Roman legions arrived in the first century C.E. at the falls of the Lima River, they were so taken aback with the landscape that they thought they were at the gates of paradise, with the River Lethe, the famed river of forgetfulness at their feet. The men refused to take another step. The then Councilor who accompanied them charged ahead and crossed it alone. He was then only able to convince the others it was safe by calling out the name of each and every man, to prove that the river hadn't caused him to forget everything.Read more