Vila Real

Vila Real is a city in the North region, seat of a municipality covering 378.8 km², with around 49,600 inhabitants (2021 census) and 20 parishes. It borders Ribeira de Pena and Vila Pouca de Aguiar to the north, Sabrosa to the east, Peso da Régua to the south, Santa Marta de Penaguião to the southwest, Amarante to the west and Mondim de Basto to the northwest. The old town lies at the confluence of the rivers Corgo and Cabril. Constantim de Panóias received a royal charter from D. Henrique in 1096, and in 1272 D. Afonso III granted a royal charter to a 'Vila Real de Panoias' that never came to be; the town was in fact founded by the royal charter of D. Dinis, on 4 January 1289. The diocese of Vila Real was created in 1922 and the town was raised to city status in 1925. The municipal holiday falls on 13 June, the feast day of Santo António, and the patron saint is Nossa Senhora da Conceição.