The noblest tradition nests in the natural beauty of Portugal's most ancient region.

In the north-western part of the country, with average temperatures of 9"C/49" F in winter and 20"C/68'F in summer, lies this land of dense vegetation and profound historic wealth.

It was here that Portugal's first king, Dom Afonso Henriques, was born in the beginning of the 12th century, having then extended the kingdom to the south, in what was considered as one of the most heroic feats of the Christian Reconquest.

The inheritance of a distant past is seen everywhere.

Stay at one of the excellent manor-houses and mansions with coats of arms, and enjoy the aristocratic tradition of hospitality.

Along with this unreproachable art one may, enjoy an abundant gastronomy, light, acidulous wines (vinhos verdes) and rich wines, and a variety of handicrafts that mingles the shine of the filigree with the colour of the local embroideries.

The country’s longest motorway (A1 from Lisbon to Oporto) goes up to Braga (A3), in the heart of Costa Verde. If you follow the coastline on the road from Vila do Conde to Valenca, you will not miss the beautiful beaches, seaside resorts and enchanting villages such as Caminha and Vila Nova de Cerveira.

Inland and worthwhile visiting is the Peneda-Geres National Park.

Throughout the region the rivers, waterfalls, vineyards and fertile plots combine with the ancestral monuments in urban centres.

Oporto, the capital of the country's northern regions, with its international airport, offers the delights of a riverside city as it is magnificently situated on the mouth of the Douro river, from where boats leave to sail up the beautiful river.

Seaside Viana do Castelo, ecclesiastic Braga, and medieval Guimaraes are but a few other examples of a happy alliance between popular heritage and cosmopolitan elegance.