It is locatad in the beautiful Douro River region of Portugal and about 35
kilometres from the archaeological park of Foz Coa, classified as World Heritage
Site by unesco. It is the closest town to the 22,000 years old rock
paintings, which were discovered during the construction of a new dam.
Accordingly to unesco, this is the most outstanding example of the early
manifestation of human artistic creation in this form anywhere in the world. For
the last seventeen kilometres of the River Coa's course, as it wends its way
from south to north, these engraved rock panels are spread over a large area.
This stretches from where it flows into the river Douro and includes the valleys
of other tributary streams of the Coa river. The countryside of Riba-Coa Region
(part of the Kingdom of Spain until 1927) is an area of olives and almonds
making a beautiful sight at blossom time in early Spring. A great contrast to
the Port Wine growing area nearby.