Near the Spanish border of Portugal sits the small town of Vila Nova de Cerveira. It’s located in the Viana de Castelo region on the bank of the Minho River. Discount hotels in Vila Nova de Cerveira ar not plentiful due to its size, but your best options are on EasyToBook.com. The town’s name is based in a legend that a stag chosen by the Gods of Olympus to be king eventually defeated a young nobleman in a duel to become King of Portugal. Though legend says that soon after the stag’s victory his life was taken by the Gods, the coat-of-arms still shows a stag as an homage to this legend.

History tells us that it was King Denis of Portugal who founded Vila Nova de Cerveira in 1321. The Castle, or Pousada as it stands today, was ordered and constructed by King Denis in the 14th century. Inside the castle gates, the Old Town Hall, court, pillory, barracks, and warehouses can still be found. Other sites include the Misericordia Church, also inside the castle, and the Manor House of the Castros Family, the current home of the Municipal Library.