"Tourists need not apply..." Montalegre by Chris_T

Here's an amazing place. 3 hours drive from Bilbao airport (we could have done Porto or Valadolid but the flights were a lot more) and you end up, 1000m up, in the mountains of northern Portugal.

Portugal is an amazingly laid back country and everyone seems to just accept that, whatever you hapen do be doing (short of abusing the town statue or mounting cows in a field) is probrably OK.

Virtually everything seems to be state funded even to the point that the local swimming baths were free (though you had to buy a shower cap - which they don't sell at the swimming baths...!). We were there for a paragliding competition but there was also alocal festival going on and all the bands, fireworks, parties etc were all free to everyone...

We stayed on an unofficial campsite just outside the town and (gues what) - it was free...

Can't fault it - if you go there, go up to the castle and look around then stop for a few in the Castelo bar at the base of the castle - these guys have the hang of running a bar....