A visit to Chaves, its historic centre, with new images of the Roman Bridge, the City Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Church of Santa Maria Maior and its Keep. We visit the Fort of St Francis and its church in the former Franciscan Convent. We flew over the Fort of S. Neutel and took a trip to the Vidago Golf Course and Monforte Castle, both on the outskirts of Chaves. We walked along the banks of the River Tâmega and its park, with a modern pedestrian bridge. Chaves is a city full of history, monuments and legends.

At the time of the Roman invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the Romans settled in the valley of the River Tâmega, where the city stands today, and built fortifications on the outskirts, taking advantage of some of the existing castros. Flavius Vespasian named it Aqua Flaviae in 78 AD, when his army arrived there, attracted by the auriferous deposits in the Padrela mountain range. It was a barracks for legions and served as a favoured resting place for warriors.

Walls were erected to defend the settlement and Trajan’s bridge was built to cross the river. They encouraged the use of hot mineral-medicinal waters, setting up thermal spas, and exploited minerals, especially auriferous veins, and other natural resources. It is believed that the bridge of Trajan was built with the help of the legionaries of the Seventh Legion (Legio VII Gemina Felix).