The history of the municipality of Esposende (administrative unit) begins in 1572, when King Sebastião granted it the Royal Charter. However, the oldest human presence in the municipality dates back to the Paleolithic. From the 4th millennium BC, other peoples emerged, organized into more stable communities. In the middle of the Iron Age, people settled on the tops of mountains and built their fortified villages there. The medieval period is represented in the remains linked mainly to burial sites. The following centuries were of continuous work and left us with countless physical testimonies. Chapels and churches, mansions and country houses, fortresses, boats and maritime arts, festivals and pilgrimages are the collective heritage of a people who knew how to contribute to the growth of Esposende. In addition to the unique characteristics of its agro-fishing communities on the coast, there are rural communities inland. Esposende has a unique heritage and landscape grandeur, which is revealed in the architecture of the places and in traditional customs and practices.