Parque Orbitur Caminha

Local town Caminha is on the southern side of the Minho estuary, the river that marks the border between Portugal and Spain, and about two kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean. It's a beaut area, made up of the wide mouth of the estuary, pine forests, sandbars, the spectacular sight of the Santa Tecla mountain, and a fine beach set across from a 17th-century fortress. Caminha's rightly popular with holidaymakers from Portugal and Spain; the area also has Moledo (three kilometres) and Vila Praia de Ancora, a pretty place for swimming, fishing, surfing and windsurfing. If you're a strong swimmer, you can set off from the waters of Caminha too, to reach Spain across the estuary's mouth (and if you don't fancy that, car ferries run to Spain from town). Kayaking, sailing and paddleboarding trips all start from Caminha if you're in a watery frame of mind. Another option is the watermills and river setting (and rock festival, remember) of Vilar de Mouros eight kilometres away, or seeing the coastal strongholds of Forte da Lagarteira (8 kilometres) and Forte do Cão (12 kilometres).