Vinhais is a hill town in the green, forested uplands of Trás-os-Montes, and it has the air of a place that eats very well. The town is known above all for its smoked meats. Every winter it holds a fair devoted to the fumeiro, the traditional smoked sausages, hams and other cured products of the region, and the pigs that supply them are a local breed, the Bísaro, which is raised in the hills and fed on chestnuts and acorns. If you arrive hungry, the cooking here is a pleasure, and you will find it hearty and generous.
The setting is as rural as northern Portugal gets. Vinhais lies on the edge of the Montesinho and Nogueira mountains, a country of chestnut woods, stone-walled meadows and granite villages where old farming habits survive. Villages have communal ovens, and many still hold ancient winter festivals in which masked young men run through the streets. These traditions, called caretos in the region, connect to older pagan rites, and are part of what makes this region distinct.
The roads in and out of Vinhais are exactly what you would hope for in a quiet corner of Portugal. They twist through forest and open hillside, with a steady rhythm of bends, some rough patches and occasional livestock on the surface. The traffic is minimal, and you may ride a long way without meeting anyone. Mist and frost are possible in cooler months, while summer is hot in the valleys and mild on the high ground. Autumn is the most beautiful, when the chestnut woods turn bronze and the air smells of woodsmoke and fallen leaves.
Vinhais has about nine thousand people in its municipality and its own small centre with fuel, shops and cafes. Bragança, about twenty kilometres to the east, is the main larger town, and it is wise to plan around it for any longer needs. Spain lies close to the north, with the village of Hermisende across the border. For lunch, look for smoked sausage with cabbage and potatoes, or chestnut dishes in season, and finish with a strong coffee before you head out into the hills again.