Cheap Car Hire Barcelos

The Story Behind the Cockrel...

Have you ever had a closer look at the Portuguese flag? It sports a cockerel, the national symbol that has sprung from a legend. Supposedly a simple pilgrim was once unjustly sentenced to death. Desperate to convince the judge, who at the time was devouring a grilled cockerel, of his innocence, he predicted the bird would not stand for the injustice and cry out at the crime committed at the judge’s hands. As the pilgrim was taken to the scaffold to be executed, the bird cried out, and the judge, in awe of the events, set the man free.

The site of this miracle was Barcelos, a charming town with medieval character that makes it easy to imagine the pilgrim pleading for his life. Naturally the cockerel is a popular symbol in town, and countless crafts, sold on the local market, take its shape.

Learn About the Towns Interesting History

Simply walking through town will take you past a number of historical sites. The Igreja Matriz church has been here since the Middle Ages and is still an important house of worship, just as is Igreaja do Senhor da Cruz, delicately decorated and popular for weddings. Igreaja do Senhor da Cruz was founded in honor of yet another legend: there is a story about Jesus Christ himself talking to a craftsman in Barcelos, an event significant enough to be remembered in a yearly festival in May.

Should you wish to learn about the town’s history and the defining legends, plan in some time for the Museu Arqueólogico. Relics from Roman and even Celtic times are on display and the town’s history is lovingly recreated.  The museum can be easily reached in your hired car.

Explore the Fascinating Culture

You can easily spend a few days exploring Barcelos, but should you wish to get out of town for a day, there are plenty of sights within a short ride in your rental car. A cheap car hire is a wise choice, as the countryside is great and you will want to stop left and right and have a closer look at old churches on the way or take a quick stroll through one of the many fishing villages along the Costa Verde. Viana de Castelo is just one example, a charming village that came to fame and fortune in the gold trade with Brazil. Fantastic Baroque and Renaissance churches and buildings are symbols of the wealth gained during this time. The Museu Municipal adds more factual information about the general history of the town to the impressions you gained on your walk. If you are lucky you will witness the Festival de Nossa Senhora de Agonia, a yearly celebration of the patron saint of all fishermen. The festivities are a perfect representation of traditional folk life, and foreign visitors are welcome to join the dancing, singing, and drinking.

Enjoy the Nature

Further inland the scenery changes from marine to mountainous.The hiking and cycling trails of Parque Nacional de Peneda-Geres take you along lakes and streams to old fortifications and into the mountains. Wolves and golden eagles have, among others, discovered the park as their safe haven. Though a natural protectorate, Peneda-Geres is easily accessible and quick to get to on the N204 in your car hire. On your way out of Barcelos, turn east at Ponta da Lima- an old Roman bridge. There are numerous little villages in the vicinity, where you are bound to find a traditional country pub serving local delicacies.

Southbound from Barcelos you get to Braga, once the spiritual epicenter of Portugal, as well as Guimareas, which is considered the cradle of the Portuguese nation. A good spot for slightly more vibrant nightlife is Porto, the administrative center of northern Portugal, and a young, buzzing city which is popular among tourists.