VIANA DO CASTELO - GETTING AROUND
Most of the sights in Viana do Castelo are situated in a compact area that`s roughly two-fifths of a mile wide and four-fifths of a mile long. The sights around the Santuario de Santa Luzia are all in a radius of approximately a quarter-mile. It is particularly easy to reach all the sights in and around the Praca da Republica: there are about ten points of interest within a (figurative) stone`s throw of the square. If you would like to walk for exercise, consider the areas around the Largo 5 de Outubro, such as the Jardim da Marina and the Jardim da Marginal.
By bus
Bus service in Viana do Castelo is mainly geared toward locals and is operated by AVIC - Transportes Urbanos de Viana do Castelo (www.avic.pt). The city buses operate under the AVIC and Transcunha Urbanos banners. The lines that would be of most use to travelers would be Line 1 (Viana - Darque - Mazarefes - Vila Fria - Anha), Line 4 (Carreco - Areosa), Line 5 (Circuit Viana), and Line 6 (Circuit Areosa).
Line 1: Buses leave Viana do Castelo AVIC/Transcunha bus station for Praia do Cabedelo weekdays at 7:40 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; and Sundays and holidays at 12:30 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. Buses leave Praia do Cabedelo for Viana do Castelo bus station weekdays at 7:50 a.m., 10:25 a.m., 12:10 a.m., 3:25 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Saturdays at 9:05 a.m. and 2:40 p.m.; Sundays and holidays at 10:30 a.m. and 2:40 p.m.
Line 4: Buses leave Viana do Castelo AVIC/Transcunha bus station for Areosa`s Estrada N13 weekdays at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:35 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:20 p.m.; Saturdays at 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays and holidays at 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Buses leave Areosa`s Estrada N13 for Viana do Castelo bus station weekdays at 7:10 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:12 a.m., 1:25 p.m., 2:10 p.m., and 3:10 p.m.; Saturdays at 7:55 a.m., 8:40 a.m., 10:40 a.m. and 2:10 p.m.; Sundays and holidays at 6:10 p.m.
Line 5 is a roughly 45-minute circuit to Avenida 25 de Abril, the marina, the beach on the northern riverbank, and other areas of interest. Buses leave Viana do Castelo AVIC/Transcunha bus station weekdays at 8:05 a.m., 8:55 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.; and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.
Line 6: The circuit line traveling to Areosa takes roughly three minutes to get from the bus station to Avenida de Areosa and is the first stop. Buses leave Viana do Castelo AVIC/Transcunha bus station for Avenida de Areosa weekdays at 7:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:40 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 8:30 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets can be bought on board or at the AVIC offices at Avenida dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra 272. Buses pick up at Avenida General Humberto Delgado 101 near the train station and the Continente Bom Dia grocery store. For more information on AVIC (in Portuguese, with timetable pages in English), visit www.avic.pt/transportes/pt/transportes/urbanos.
By the Elevador de Santa Luzia
The Elevador de Santa Luzia, the longest funicular in Portugal, connects the Santuario de Santa Luzia with the Avenida 25 de Abril in downtown Viana do Castelo. One-way fares are approximately €2 and return fares (valid same-day only) are priced at around €3. It operates seven days a week between June and September, on Monday through Friday only in the months of March, April, May and October, and Tuesday through Friday in the winter months. The funicular operates from 9 a.m. (10 a.m. outside of summer) until 8 p.m. (5 p.m. outside of summer).
By ferry
There is a ferry which takes people from Viana do Castelo marina (south of Largo 5 de Outubro) to Praia do Cabedelo each day between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and returns people in the same timeframe. Prices are roughly €4 for a round-trip ticket and can be purchased at the ferry ticket office at the marina.
By taxi
There are five taxi companies that serve Viana do Castelo:
-Taxivianense (+351 258 333 971, Praca da Galiza 14)There is a taxi rank in front of Viana do Castelo train station which is populated with idling taxis most of the day and night, and it is acceptable to flag a vacant taxi down if you see one on the street. Initial taxi fare begins at €3.50 and a fare increase of roughly €1.25 happens every 0.6 miles. Note that there is a 20% increase in fares between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and on weekends and holidays. If you book via telephone, a fee of €1 is charged. If you want to travel away from Viana do Castelo, ask to settle the fare in advance as many taxi drivers do not turn on the meter for intercity travel. Expect to pay €12-€15 for a taxi from Praca da Republica to Santuario de Santa Luzia.
By bicycle
Viana do Castelo is an ideal place to plan a biking excursion, as is the area to the south of the Lima River. There are dedicated bike lanes on a number of Viana streets and the closer you are to the riverside or coast, the smaller the chance of a heavy incline. You can rent a bike from the Viana Welcome Centre (Praça do Eixo-Atlântico); rates start at €3 per hour, not including deposit. For more information, visit www.vivexperiencia.pt/rentals (Portuguese).
By car
Driving is one of the many feasible ways to get around Viana do Castelo. Roads are wide and traffic is usually light. There is a large underground parking garage located on Avenida Campo do Castelo near Rua General Barbosa, before the roundabout, and another one located on the N13 near Rua Pedro Homem de Melo. If you reserve a car through the TripMasters booking process, note that you will be picking up your car at the Francisco de Sa Carneiro Airport in Porto and not in Viana do Castelo.