Who knew a Portugal vacation by the river was exactly what my body needed.

This was a general consensus for everyone and we do miss our time at Cávado River.

In June, we took a family trip to northern Portugal and we stayed at Casa do Engenho (The Engineer’s House) at Adaúfe River Park on the Cávado River.

Located near Braga, Casa do Engenho was the perfect place to stay for a relaxing vacation and to explore the area from. The city of Braga is an easy 15-minute drive. Aside from exploring this city, we also visited nearby sites, such as Bom Jesus do Monte, and coastal villages. From Braga, we took the train to Porto for the day. Be sure to pack comfortable shoes, especially for all the up-down walking in Porto. We weren’t in Portugal for the big festival in Porto, though we did checked out the one at Vila Verde.

So this travel article is about Casa do Engenho and staying at the Cávado River.

Braga

When people hear “Portugal”, they think Lisbon and Porto. I think of the Azores because of my friend from my Bermuda days. With Portuguese heritage, her family came from the Azores.

If you’re a surfer, Portugal is likely Madeira and Nazaré.

Located in northwest Portugal, Braga is the third-largest city. It’s perhaps not as cosmopolitan or well-known as Libson or Porto for international tourists. However, Braga has a lot to offer, especially for visitors interested in architecture and religion. Churches are everywhere! As one of the oldest cities in Portugal, Braga is a great place for visitors to glimpse its traditions. It’s close to Guimaraes, where Portugal was born. Did you know you can also visit the excavation of a Roman bath?

Braga is a walkable city with lots of places to eat at. We only had a couple of hours; give yourself the day and make sure Braga Cathedral (Sé de Braga) is open. Guess which day we went?

It is also easy enough to visit Porto from Braga. The train takes about an hour or 1.5 hours, depending on which train. It is also a short drive to Spain for additional sightseeing.

Cávado River & Adaúfe River Park

The Cávado River is a river in northern Portugal and runs about 135 km, near Braga and Vila Verde, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

Casa do Engenho is located at the Adaúfe River Park, a popular place for relaxation and fun for locals.

The day we arrived was a public holiday and both sides of the river were packed with people. Music, food, and laughter. A hot day, lots of people were also in the river, jumping off paddle boats and swimming. Fathers, mothers, grandparents taking young kids to visit the historic watermill. There are three old ones as well as an operational irrigation engine dating back to the 19th century.

During the summer, visitors can rent canoes and paddle boats. There is also an inflatable water park and a row of outdoor exercise equipment in the park.

The river is safe and fun to swim in. With so much fish, it’s a popular spot for fishermen. While it’s also home to animals like otter and heron, we mostly saw fish and heard birdsong.

The other days of our stay, the river was quiet. Aside from the occasional person walking their dog in the evening and fishermen casting their lines, we basically had the place to ourselves. It really was wonderful. Casa do Engenho comes with a canoe and our family has a paddle board so we all spent plenty of time on and in the water.

Casa do Engenho

32 Rua do Engenho Adaúfe, 4710-184 Braga, Portugal

Just 9 km from Braga, Casa do Engenho is a unique vacation rental. Dating back to 1843, Casa do Engenho has been renovated for contemporary taste. It sits right on the riverside, by the watermill and wheel.

With its gardens and lawns and a locked gate, Casa do Engenho is also private and kids-friendly. The water off the banks near the house is shallow, the depth changing with the fluctuating water levels. There are several easy spots to enter the river from.

As the house is located in a residential area, our stay here was relaxing and quiet. We enjoyed our early dips and longer swims in the afternoons after the sun’s warmed the water. I spent hours in the river, filming the vibrant river grass and fish. Bring your GoPro. My father-in-law also flew his drone.

With the beautiful landscape as the backdrop, I also took graduation photos as a gift.

Our Stay at Casa Do Engenho

I cannot overstate how amazing our stay at Casa do Engenho was. Wade’s mom found it in her research of vacation accommodations and planning of the trip. His parents took the 2-bedroom apartment in the back. Wade, his son, and I stayed in the “main house”.

While the highlight of our stay was the river, the house was well-designed for our vacation. We had several dinners at the house, with Wade cooking up steak and fish one night. The kitchen table in the “main house” seats eight, that’s all of us.

It was easy enough to pop into a grocery shop, a short drive away. Fresh produce and groceries were well-priced, with lots to choose from. The organic section also had local products for me to try. For souvenirs, we bought tinned seafood.

The loungers in the front garden were a popular relaxation zone with the family. I spent a lot of time in the river, leaving when the GoPro battery was drained.

There was plenty of space for everyone to decompress and do their own thing.

We also booked the spa for an afternoon. As I was doing graduation photos, I had time to sit in the steam room. This brought back memories of sitting in the steam room after swim sessions at the Arbutus Club growing up. Robes and towels all provided, along with the mandatory swim hat for the whirl pool.

I packed a small sketch book which was a fun and relaxing way to document our vacation. I also brought an ink pad and an eraser to do prints of pebbles.

If you’re looking for a special place to stay for your Portugal trip, I highly recommend Casa do Engenho.

What Casa Do Engenho offers

The whole of Casa do Engenho can be booked, which is what we did and it’s perfect for family vacations. However, different-sized accommodations are also available as self-contained apartments, each with their own kitchen facilities and ensuite bedrooms.

Gate to the house, with a view of the wheel; narrow road to the house and river park; beautiful tree with a swing; the side of the house with outdoor seating and BBQ, where we grilled fish and meat for dinner

Foyer (with house info); kitchen and dining table that seats eight, with a view of the front garden; view of the river from the living room; the living room at sunset and a very comfortable sofa, where I slept one night.

Front bedroom with outdoor seating facing the river. The glass door onto the small terrace also works as a window. I sat at the window seats to sketch river scenes.

Casa do Engenho was designed to accommodate different-sized parties visiting Braga and northern Portugal. We loved having the whole house to ourselves as a party of five. Wade’s niece and her friend also spent some nights in the studio.

Each apartment has its own private entrance, kitchen facilities, and living room areas. Every bedroom has its own private bathroom with a shower, TV with streaming options, air conditioning, and a view of either the river or the garden. The studio is the only accommodation on the ground floor. The one/two-bedroom apartment has its entrance at the back of the house. Its stairs are much easier to climb, with shorter and consistent steps. The front steps are built from the original stones, bigger and different-sized. With each entrance located in a different part of Casa do Engendo, every apartment is rather private.

Breakfast service is available upon request.

• studio
  • entrance facing the river
  • full size bed
  • private bathroom
  • kitchenette
  • sitting area with a loveseat and a flat screen TV with streaming
  • lounging chairs outside the entrance
• 1 bedroom
  • entrance via stairs located at the back of the house
  • separate ensuite bedroom with a queen-sized bed
  • kitchenette
  • living room with a sofa, flat screen TV with streaming, and a dining table that comfortably seats four
  • outdoor seating outside the entrance with a view of the river
• 2 bedrooms
  • the 2-bedroom apartment is configured by adding a bedroom to the 1 bedroom apartment described above
• 3 bedrooms
  • entrance via the front of the house (steps are less even and are larger stone blocks compared to the standard stairs at the back of the house)
  • entrance opens to a small hall with the three bedrooms off to the left and the kitchen and living area to the right
  • fully equipped kitchen with a dining table that seats eight
  • spacious living room with a fireplace, an L-shaped sofa, window seats with a view of the river, a cozy corner with a table and two chairs plus a comfy seat for reading. TV with streaming and boardgames.
  • front bedroom has outdoor seating with a view of the river and the other bedrooms face the garden
• full house
  • the house also has several areas for guests to relax and hang out in
    • front lawn with loungers and a tree swing
    • behind the front lawn is an additional lawn area with a fire pit
    • side of the house has loungers
    • further back is a BBQ and an outdoor table that seats 6
• spa facilities located on the ground floor require advance booking
  • steam room
  • whirlpool
  • loungers for relaxing
  • shower facilities
  • towels, robes, and caps provided

Getting to Casa do Engenho

The address of Casa do Engenho is 32 Rua do Engenho Adaúfe, Braga.

From Braga, there are three routes. The first two routes are about the same and all three take about 15 minutes.

1. via N101 – stay on N101
2. via Av. do Cávado/N101 – exit at N205-4 toward N101/Amares/Terras de Bouro/P.te do Porto and then towards Av. do Cávado at the following roundabout
3. via N205-4 – exit at N205-4 as #2 but stays on N205, going on R. do Escalheiral, and coming to the house from further east. (turn right onto R. do Engenho)

1. Braga to Casa do Engenho via N101
   • take N101
   • in about five minutes, take the exit toward Palmeira/Aeródromo/Kartódromo and merge onto R. de Entre Campos
   • take a left onto Av. do Cávado/N101
   • at the roundabout, take the first exit onto R. da Marginal
   • turn left onto R. do Engenho (this is a very narrow “road” – stop and bring in your side mirrors)
2. Braga to Casa do Engheno via Av. do Cávado/N101
   • take N101
   • exit onto N205-4 toward N101/Amares/Terras de Bouro/P.te do Porto
   • at the roundabout, take the third exit onto Av. do Cávado/N101
   • at the next roundabout, take the 1st exit onto R. da Marginal
   • turn left onto R. do Engenho
3. Braga to Casa do Engheno via N205-4
   • take N101
   • exit onto N205-4 toward N101/Amares/Terras de Bouro/P.te do Porto
   • at the roundabout, take the second exit onto R. Sr. do Socorro/N205-4
   • turn left onto CM1286
   • turn left onto R. de Barreiro
   • turn right onto R. do Escalheiral
   • turn left onto R. da Marginal
   • turn right onto R. do Engenho

Accommodations in Braga

Casa do Engenho is about 15-minute drive from Braga and while you can use Uber or Bolt, renting a car is best.

If you prefer not to brave the Portuguese traffic and drivers, you probably want to stay in Braga.

Here are some wonderful options at the heart of Braga.

Vila Galé Collection Braga

Largo Carlos Amarante, 150,4700-308, Braga, Portugal. (+351) 253 146 000

VilaGalé Collection

Vila Galé Collection Braga has quite a historical background and beautiful architecture.

Dating back to 1508, the building has been a São Marcos hermitage, Templar convent, a hostel, and a hospital. In 2018, this historic building became the home of the four-star hotel, Vila Galé Collection Braga.

This hotel offers 123 rooms, including 22 family rooms and 15 suites. Onsite are two restaurants and two bars, including one at the outdoor pool. Complimentary to guests is the Vila Galé Collection Braga’s wellness centre. Enjoy their heated indoor pool, gym, and Vichy showers. Spa treatments are also available.

Closeby is Casa do Raio (Palace of Raio) and Sé de Braga, Portugal’s oldest cathedral.

INNSiDE Braga Centro

Av. Central 107, 4710-310 Braga, Portugal

INNSiDE by Meliá has two hotels in Braga and INNSiDE Braga Centro is the one at the heart of the city. The hotel is a complete renovation of the iconic Retiro das Convertidas, a historic and religious building, that continues to pay tribute to its architecture.

A contemporary hotel that offers 109 rooms with city views, An indoor and outdoor pool, wellness centre with a gym, spa, sauna, and steam room offer relaxation.

In the last five or six years, Portugal has become quite a destination, for both tourists and for relocation. I know so many people who have recently made Portugal their new home. This includes my sister-in-law and her family. I was excited to visit Portugal again. Being in Lisbon to embark a cruise doesn’t count! This trip certainly whetted our appetite for more international travel and more European exploration. This 2026 trip marks my first back to Europe since 2015 when I spent a month in Scandinavia.