The town fortress is a piece of gothic and baroque military architecture. The first walls were built in the 13th century. It is formed by two polygons separated by a ditch, and four doors. The main entrance is Porta do Sol (Door of the Sun). This door was damaged during the Napoleonic invasions.
In 1879, Portugal and Spain agreed to build a bi-functional ‒ road and train ‒ bridge. It was inspired in Eiffel works, and it is still in use.
Valença is also well known in Northern Portugal and Galicia for its commerce and its trading spirit. The historic city centre is full of shops that sell clothes, jewellery, household items for example, towels, linen, dishware, silverware, among other things.
Besides the traditional shops, Valença also has a fair market every Wednesday and a monthly fair market (on the first Sunday of each month).
Museums
There are four museums in Valença: Train Museum; Fire Brigade Museum; Municipal Museum Center; Collection of weights and measures
Monuments
Gastronomy
Green cabbage soup, Caldo Verde ; Lamprey of the Minho River ; roasted goat kid, Cabrito à moda de Sanfins
Valencianos ; Borrachinhos de Valença
Festivities
Valença celebrates its Municipal public holiday on the 18th of February. It is the birth date of the first Portuguese saint, S.Teotónio. He was born near Valença and he is the patron saint of the city. The annual festivities of Valença are celebrated in August but on the 15th of August, we have a pilgrimage in honour of Nossa Senhora of Faro.