Vila Real

Vila Real stands on a plateau in northern Portugal, at the confluence of the Corgo and Cabril rivers. An earlier royal attempt to establish a town in the area in 1272 did not succeed; the present settlement took shape after King Denis granted a charter in 1289.

Its position at the crossing of roads between Porto and Bragança and between Viseu and Chaves helped the town grow. Noble houses associated with the Marquises of Vila Real left their mark on the town, where coats of arms recall the families who settled there.