We had a change of plans today, so Kyle and Leo decided to stay in Barcelos and Sofia and I headed to Viana do Castelo to check out the city center.

We all went together last week and saw one of the best playgrounds we have seen in a long time. It’s huge and right by the water. The kids had a blast and each kept running off to try something new. We could take them to that playground for years and it would never get old.

I love that there are walking and biking trails around the city, especially next to the water. The city is pretty flat and easy to walk around.

We also checked out the mall, which is attached to the train station. The mall is fine- it’s nothing special but has all of the stores we need. It also has a cute little train playground for the kids.

We also went to Santiario do Sagrado Caracao de Jesus Monte de Santa Luzia and took the elevator up there. The views were amazing and worth the trip.

Today Sofia and I wanted to see the city square and Praca do Republica. It’s really pretty and the pedestrian only area is a good size.

I loved Ponte de Lima and I’m excited to see it again, but I think Viana do Castelo makes more sense for us and will be more likely. It’s bigger and has more housing. When I looked in Ponte de Lima there was literally 1 apartment listed in our budget. Viana do Castelo doesn’t have a huge inventory, but it does have more than Ponte de Lima. It will be tough to find a place but I really hope we can.

Viana do Castelo has lots of water views, great waterfront paths, an amazing playground (and probably many more playgrounds), a mall, a train station, and a super charming downtown. We noticed how warm it was yesterday in Ponte de Lima, but in Viana do Castelo there is a nice breeze. I also love the proximity to Braga and Porto.

I have been on two day trips to Viana do Castelo now and I feel like I have seen the major sites but still don’t have a great feel for the city. I know there was more to downtown than what we saw. I really like the city and I’m excited to get to explore more of it.