The Vive o Minho program, promoted by the Deputación de Pontevedra, aimed to highlight and promote knowledge of the territory covered by the Visit Rio Minho project, co-financed with FEDER funds through the Interreg V-A (POCTEP) 2014-2020 program. This was achieved through activities combining sports, nature, culture, gastronomy, astronomy, and other values present in the region. These activities took place over four weekends and were very well received by the public, with more than 350 participants despite the strict anti-Covid measures imposed by the challenging health situation we are facing.
The activities, centered around the Miño River, were carried out chronologically, moving along the territory while following its course, from its upper part down to its mouth. The program included a variety of activities aimed at a wide and diverse audience, with massive registration that, in some cases, filled the available spots within minutes.
More than 350 people took part in the program, which included hiking, cycling routes, urban walks and historical tours, visits to wineries, museums, petroglyphs, rafting, kayaking, gastronomy, and birdwatching and stargazing, among other activities.
The first route took place on September 12 and allowed participants to explore the course of the Miño and Deva rivers up to Alto da Moura, followed by a visit to the town of Melgaço. The following day included a rafting activity, with a descent of the Miño River, a guided visit to a winery in As Neves, and a visit to the Coutada petroglyphs.
On the weekend of September 19 and 20, the third and fourth routes were held: a circular hike around the area of Salvaterra, as well as a visit to vineyards and the Wine Museum. The next day’s proposal was a route through the municipality of Monção, known as A Cova da Moura, a visit to the Brejoeira Palace, and a visit to Monção.
The next event, on September 26, included a cycling route along the Miño Ecopath between Valença and Vila Nova de Cerveira, and a guided tour through Valença and Tui. On Sunday, September 27, there was a hiking route between the mouth of the Tamuxe River and the port of Goián, a visit to the fortress, and a stretch of kayaking along the river.
The program concluded on the first weekend of October with a two-day activity at the mouth of the Miño River, combining hiking routes, birdwatching, guided tours, and a dramatized visit to the Castro de Santa Trega.
All participants in the Vive o Rio Minho program, in addition to taking part for free in the ecotourism routes, received a package of promotional materials to help promote the Rio Minho brand. Overall, satisfaction was very high both among the organizers and the attendees, leaving the door open for a future edition, even if European funds are not available.
