Explore: Viana do Castelo
General Info
This attractive old town lies at the mouth of the Rio Lima, approximately 50nm south of Vigo. It is famous for its decorative filigree jewellery whose design dates back to the time of the Moors.
The marina here is very sheltered with adequate facilities and is close to town so provisioning/fuel is easy.
The wind can gust strongly in the afternoon, and during the summer months, this means the beach and harbour entrance will be packed with kite-surfers, windsurfers and jet-skis. Sail up-river past the fishing/industrial harbour for some shelter.
Position 41° 40.33’N, 08° 50.45’W (river entrance)
Clearance
This is an official Port of Entry.
See the Noonsite/Portugal/Formalities page for full details of clearance.
Marina office is at east end of basin. The usual passports and ship’s papers are required. see documents
Yachts arriving outside office hours may be visited by member of the GNR-Brigada Fiscal.
Last updated December 2015.
Docking
There is an excellent shelter in the marina, which is 1.5 miles up the River Lima. This marina is to port, just before a low road/rail bridge. A pedestrian swing bridge has now been built across the entrance, but there is a waiting pontoon in the river and the bridge opens on the hour as well as on request.
Cruisers report that it may be possible to stay on the waiting pontoon negating the need to enter the small marina.
Beware of strong cross-currents at the entrance to the marina. Note that hazards lie close offshore both north and south of Viana do Castelo – keep outside 20m line. The approach to the marina is dredged to 3m.
Inside the marina, visitors normally berth on pontoon D, which is to stand, just inside the entrance.
There is no anchoring in the river.
There are reports that the long fishing harbour to the east of the shipyard is to be converted into a marina, but there is no indication that this has yet been done.
Last updated August 2017.
