Chaves · Portugal

In the far north of Portugal, where the River Tâmega slips beneath a sixteen-arch Roman bridge, the spa town of Chaves rises from the hottest natural spring on the Iberian Peninsula — water that emerges at 73 °C, just as it did when the Romans called this place Aquae Flaviae.

Getting there

The most convenient gateway is Porto International Airport (OPO), roughly 140 km to the south-west and about an hour and a half by car. Lisbon (LIS) lies some 430 km away, while smaller regional airports at Bragança in Portugal and Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and Madrid across the Spanish border offer further options. Because Chaves sits among the hills of the Alto Tâmega, the simplest way to arrive and to explore is by car — we are happy to arrange a rental or an individual transfer on request.

Best time to visit

Chaves enjoys a mild, sheltered climate thanks to its position in a green river valley. Late spring through early autumn — roughly May to September — brings warm, settled days ideal for walking the old town, taking the waters and venturing out on day trips. The thermal baths, of course, are a year-round pleasure: the springs run hot whatever the season, and a quiet visit in winter has its own restorative charm.

What to see

Begin at the Roman bridge, completed around 100 AD under the Emperor Trajan and still carrying traffic today, then visit the Roman baths excavated in 2009 and the relics gathered in the town’s thematic museums. Beyond its Roman heritage, Chaves is crowned by a medieval castle keep, two seventeenth-century forts and a wealth of churches, all woven through handsome parks. The Nadir Afonso Contemporary Art Museum adds a modern note, and the region rewards exploration — bird-watching in the Albufeira do Azibo Ecopark, the city of Porto about 150 km away, and across the border the Spanish towns of Verin and the pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela.