About Melgaço

Melgaço is a municipality in the Viana do Castelo District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,078, in an area of 102.80 square kilometres (39.73 sq mi). It is the northernmost municipality of Portugal and mainland Europe, located in the Minho-Lima subregion of the Norte Region. The present Mayor is Ricardo Rio, elected by the Unitarian Democratic Coalition. The municipal holiday is Ascension Day. The municipality is bordered to the northeast by Galicia, Spain, to the southeast by the municipality of Caminha, to the southwest by Monção, to the west by Ponte da Barca and to the northwest by Arcos de Valdevez. The municipality includes several villages, including Melgaço (the seat of the municipality), Reboreda, Gavieira, Seixo, Lamelas, Cortes, Covas, Roldão, Vale Foot, Vale Longa, São João, São Pedro and Vale Meão. Melgaço is best known for its Vinho Verde wines and the romantic rabelo boat rides on the River Minho. The municipality is home to one of the best and largest producers of this wine, Soalheiro. The municipality is also home to the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, the only national park in Portugal.