Vila do Conde

One of Portugal's most picturesque seaside towns, Vila do Conde is also a major center for Portuguese naval engineering. The vessels that sailed off towards Asia, Africa, or South America were put together from here. The community has replicated Vila do Conde's maritime past in the Nau Quinhentista as a monument to this thriving business. The odd thing about this boat is that it was built in 2007 using the materials, methods, and technologies used by shipowners in the sixteenth century.

Igreja Matriz and the Convent of Santa Clara are two further attractions in Vila o Conde. In the immediate vicinity of the beach, in addition to the Capela de Nossa Senhora da Guia, there is the odd fort of So Joo Baptista, constructed on a rock platform directly on the shore.

Vila do Conde, which is different and a bit more industrial than the southern towns because it was once a nautical and shipbuilding town, is located on the northernmost point of Portugal's west coast at the mouth of the River Ave.

Santa Clara Convent, a fortress-like structure with towering walls that dominates the town and its beach, is surrounded by a variety of contemporary homes and eateries as well as numerous old houses, particularly around Praça Vasco da Gama. A 400-year-old fortress rises out of the sand, and grassy dunes open up onto windy beaches along the coast, creating a stunningly austere landscape.

• Location: Norte