Lamego

A prosperous town set amid a fertile landscape carpeted with vineyards and orchards, Lamego is also rich in baroque churches and mansions. It straddles the River Balsemão, a small tributary of the Douro, and is close to the great river itself. The town is flanked by two hills, one topped by a castle, the other by the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, a major pilgrimage site. A monumental staircase leads straight up from the town’s central avenue to the church steps. The surrounding region has more quintas to visit or stay—plus one of Europe’s top spa hotels.