Wine Village of Barcos

Barcos, located in the Douro region, is one of the region's six wine-growing villages, which was once the county seat between 1263 and 1855. With an area of 9.81 square kilometers and around 600 inhabitants, Barcos is located 4 kilometers from the county seat and is bordered to the east by the River Távora, to the south by the parishes of Tabuaço and Pinheiros and to the west by Santa Leocádia. Its toponym, Barcos, refers to the Germanic term "Barc", in the plural, alluding to territorial boundary markers. It stands out in the landscape due to its urban setting, which at first glance shows that the primitive nucleus was organized around the Mother Church, built in honour of Nossa Senhora Da the Assumption and classified as a National Monument. The various medieval buildings, the imposing modern-day dwellings and modest vernacular houses that cross each other make up a highly interesting urban fabric, where some buildings of a more erudite character and function stand out, such as the former seat of the Collegiate Church, which dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Human occupation goes back quite a long way, as evidenced by the archaeological remains and multiple legends surrounding the Sabroso hill, where there are traces of a fort dating back to the late Bronze Age. In Mata da Forca there are traces of the Roman presence, namely in the still visible ruins of a wine press carved out of the rock. According to local tradition, the name of this site is due to the location of an ancient gallows. PLACES OF INTEREST: - Mother Church of Barcos (Nossa Senhora Da the Assumption) - Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora Da Sabroso (Property of Public Interest) - Mata da Forca (Property of Municipal Interest) - Chapel of Santa Bárbara - Collegiate House - House of the Expelled - Old Town Hall and Jail - Old Town Hall and Court - Castro do Sabroso - Roman/Medieval road between Barcos and Sabroso - Largar da Forca FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS - Festival in Honor of Nossa Senhora Da Sabroso - August 15th. - May Pilgrimage - Last weekend in May.