Fountains

Viseu is a granite town on a plateau in the interior of northern-central Portugal, and its public squares and gardens are the best places to meet its fountains. Water features in a town like this do more than decorate: for centuries a fountain was where people fetched water, watered animals and heard the news. The ones that survive in Viseu are mostly set in squares, along streets in the historic centre and in the parks, and many of them reflect the plain, solid granite style of the region.

Viseu's historic centre is compact and easy to walk. The Sé, the cathedral, stands on the highest point of the old town and is flanked by the Grão Vasco Museum, which holds the work of the 16th-century painter Vasco Fernandes, known as Grão Vasco, who worked in the town. The streets leading down from the cathedral square pass the Porta do Soar, one of the surviving medieval gates, and the lanes behind it are lined with shops and cafes. The fountains are woven into this setting and are best discovered by strolling, with no fixed route. Look for stone basins, carved spouts and the occasional piece of heraldry on the older ones, along with newer decorative fountains in the modern squares.

A few minutes from the centre, Fontelo Park is a large public garden and a pleasant place to spend an hour. It has shaded walks, ponds and water features, and a 16th-century palace of the bishops at its edge. Viseu also has a long tradition of fairs, the best known being the Feira de São Mateus held in late summer, which draws people from all over the region.

Practical matters are simple. The fountains are in public spaces and can be seen at any time, free of charge. Shops in the centre generally open in the morning, close for a long lunch break in the early afternoon and reopen until the evening, so a late-morning or late-afternoon walk fits the rhythm of the town. In hot weather, drinking from a public fountain is only advisable where the water is marked as potable, so carry a bottle.

Viseu is also the gateway to the Dão wine region, whose red wines are among the most respected in Portugal, and a meal in the old town is an excellent way to end a walk. The area suits slow walkers, photographers and anyone interested in the everyday side of Portuguese town life rather than headline monuments.