The very picturesque old town of Barcelos (altitude:40m/130ft), once capital of the first County established in Portugal (1298), lies on the right bank of the Rio Cávado 18km/11mi west of Braga. It is famous for the brightly colored pottery cockerels which have become a ubiquitous symbol of Portugal. The best day to visit Barcelos is Thursday,
when Portugal's largest weekly market is held here.
The town of Barcelo houses a variety of monuments - notably, the Constables House, the Campo de Republica and a Museum of Arts and Handicrafts.