Esposende grew at the mouth of the Rio Cávado, where fishing and salt production were joined by maritime trade and shipbuilding during the 16th-18th centuries. King Sebastião I made it an independent vila (town) in 1572, separating it from Barcelos.
What to see in Esposende
Forte de São João Baptista
Built between 1699 and 1702, this small star-shaped fort protected the mouth of the Cávado as part of a new chain of coastal defences in northern Portugal. Only part of the original fort survives, and its most conspicuous feature today is the red Farol de Esposende.
Where to stay in Esposende
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