Valle del Duero

Following our tasting at La Setera Quesos y Vinos we headed to Miranda do Douro located in the district of Bragança, northeastern Portugal. It is unique in that it has a language of its own, Mirandese, which enjoys official status in Portugal. This was due to it’s very remote location. The town is situated on the border with Spain, with the Douro (or Duero in Spanish) River separating the two countries.

There is evidence that inhabitants have been living in Miranda since the Bronze Age. Around AD 716, the Moors defeated local Visigoth tribes and occupied some of the lands, calling the area Mir-Hândul. By the late 11th century, León possessed the region as a stepping-stone to Portugal.

The settlement of the village of Miranda developed through the initiative of King Denis, in an area that lay between the lateral slopes of the Douro and Fresno rivers. It was in Miranda that the Treaty of Alcanices was signed between Denis and Ferdinand IV of Castile, therefore setting the border between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile.

In 1762, during the Seven Years’ War, the army of Charles III of Spain invaded the Trás-os-Montes. During the course of the invasion, the gunpowder magazine (with 500 barrels of powder) was hit by a cannon, destroying the four towers of the castles and many of the barrios in the vicinity. About a third of the city’s population was killed (400 people) resulting in the ruin of the religious, demographic and urbanised portion of Miranda. About 2 years later friar Alexis Miranda Henriques, the 23rd bishop, abandoned Miranda, moving to Bragança, which had become a rival episcopal seat in the northeast part of Portugal.

We had some time here to explore the city and also find some shady umbrellas and have a drink or two. We also had one of the best pastel de nata I have ever had as it was fresh out of the oven from a local bakery.

While there, we visited the Cathedral, a nice vantage point to see the surrounding area, see some of the remaining city wall and the ruins of the castle.Read more