Praça Conselheiro Silva Torres

Praça Conselheiro Silva Torres is the main square of Caminha, a small walled town at the mouth of the Minho river in the far north-west of Portugal, facing Spain across the water. The square is named after a local politician of the 19th century, and it is the place around which the old town is arranged. It is not large, but it is attractive, paved with traditional stone and edged with historic buildings, and in good weather its café terraces fill with residents and visitors.

The buildings around the square show a range of periods. At one side stands the clock tower, the Torre do Relógio, a remnant of the medieval town defences that has become the symbol of Caminha, and a short walk away the parish church combines Gothic and Renaissance elements and is known for a carved wooden ceiling in a Moorish-influenced style. The town hall, with its stone arcade, also looks over the square, and houses with painted facades and wrought-iron balconies complete the setting. A Renaissance fountain, decorated with carved stone, stands in the middle and is one of the town's most admired monuments. The fountain was an important public source of water, and the square was once the scene of markets and civic ceremonies.

Caminha has long been a frontier town. Its walls were strengthened in the 14th century, when Portugal and Castile were often at war, and the Minho estuary was an important route for trade and for armies. A fort on a small island at the river mouth, the Ínsua, guarded the entrance in the 17th century. Today a ferry crosses the river to the Spanish town of A Guarda in a few minutes, and the border is a gentle one, with people moving easily between the two sides.

The square makes a good starting point for exploring. A walk takes you to the riverfront, where there is a promenade and views over the estuary, and to the old lanes and the cultural spaces of the town. A cycle route follows the coast to the south and the river upstream. In the surrounding area the beaches, pine woods, and hills of the Minho coast are within reach.

The square is open at all hours and free. It suits visitors who like to sit with a coffee and watch the life of a small town, as well as walkers and cyclists passing through. Allow an hour or two in the town centre, and try the local seafood and rice dishes.