Fodor's Expert Review Reserva Ornitológica de Mindelo

This part of the coastline is where you'll find the Mindelo Ornithological Reserve, which became Portugal's first protected area in 1957. One of the few remaining swaths of undeveloped land in the region around Porto, it has 1,500 acres of dunes, fields, and wetlands. It's home to more than 80 bird species and is an important haven for amphibians. The reserve is a 20-minute drive from Vila do Conde; you can also take the metro to Varziela or Espaço Natureza, from where it's a 15-minute walk to the marked trails—or to the boardwalk along the dunes.