Congress of Sport Sciences, Exercise and Heath

Accommodation

The city offers a wide range of accommodations, you can obtain detaills information on the appropriate link CM Vila Real

A little history...

• Vila Real

Vila Real`s geographic jurisdiction covers 30 parishes, and despite the urban character of its head town, it keeps intact many rural features. The territory is characterized by two kinds of landscape: the mountainous area, with the Marão and Alvão mountains, separarted by the Campeã valley; and the South part, wich proximity to Douro, combs the hills with the typical vineyards. There are many water courses refreshing the territorory, but the Corgo river deserves to be distinguished; it crosses Vila Real in a small and narrow valley, providing a unique perspectivewich is almost like a live painting! This region, in wich Vila Real is raised at 450m, shoes many signs of having been inhabited since the Paleolithic time. The first organizations chart was conceded in 1096 by D. Henrique, however, it was with the organization chartof 1289, passed by D. Dinis, that was founded "Vila Real de Panóias", the location that later would give origin to the present Vila Real. Its importance in the 17th and 18th centuries, was so huge, that it was seen as the royal centre of Trás-os-Montes province. This fact can easily attested today: several old coats of arms, in many houses, witness that auspicious period of Vila Real history. Later, the city was given the title of province capital, and in the first half of 20th century there wer two acts that reinforced the city status: the elevation of Vila Real to "City degree", in 1925, and the diocese institution in 1922~. Nowadays, Vila Real lives a period of an increasing development in many areas: industry, trade, education, urbanism and tourism, being more and more, as an attractive place for external investment. Be our guest in the discover of a wonderful land, place of poets and beautiful landscapes, friendly people that open their door to show you the flavours and aromas of a region wich is ready to conquer you!

Fonte: http://www.cm-vilareal.pt/tourism-and-animation/vila-real-a-historical-place.html