The Vila of Soajo is located inside the boundaries of Portugal's only national park (Parque Nacional Peneda-Geres). The Park has an area of 702.90 km², 52.75 km² of which is public property, 194.38 km² is private property, and the remaining 455.77 km² are commons. Jurisdictionally, Soajo belongs to the County of Arcos de Valdevez, approximately 20km to the West, and to the District of Viana do Castelo, which is 60km to the West.  The City of Viana do Castelo, the capital of the district, is Portugal's northern-most port city the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Soajo is located in the Viana district's mountainous area of Alto Minho. Bordering Soajo to East is the Ourense, Galicia (Spain) district. Soajo is one of the main points of entry into Portugal, separated by the River Castro Laboreiro.  

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Soajo is the largest village in Valdevez County covering a territorial area of 59.1 square kilometers. Located to the North of Soajo are the villages of Gavieira, Cabreiro (Valdevez County) and Castro Laboreiro (Melgaço County).To the East is Galicia, Spain.  In the South are the villages of Lindoso, Britelo (Ponte Barca County) and Ermelo (Valdevez County). To the West are the villages of Gondoriz, Cabana Maior and Vale (Valdevez County).  Although located in the high mountains of the Serra de Soajo (1,416 meters tall), the Vila de Soajo is relatively close in proximity to three of northern Portugal’s major urban centers, namely Viana do Castelo (60km), Braga (55km) and Porto (110km).

Soajo is actually the central nucleus surrounded by seven other villages (Adrão, Campo Grande, Cunhas, Paradela, Várzea, Vilarinho das Quartas e Vilar de Suente), in a radius of 5 to 12 km between them.

Other rustic rural Portuguese villages like Gavieira, Lindoso, Britelo, Gondoriz, Cabana Maior, Vale and Ermelo surround Soajo.

Weather and Temperature
For Portugal's weather, check out Yahoo Weather The temperature of the region ranges typically from 46ºF - 68º during the winter months to 80º-90ºF in the summer. This weather makes it ideal for hiking and enjoying all of the village’s natural surroundings. When you go to the Peneda-Gerês National Park, you will be able to see wolves, roe deer, and wild boar.

Not only does Soajo have natural beauty worth a visit, but the party scene is reasonably good. Every year, from August 13 through the 15^th, Soajo has a Festival. During this time, there are games, competitions, dancing, socializing, and great food. Soajo’s population doubles during the summer months as Soajeiros return from the various countries where they have emigrated.

Some of the typical foods of the region are Portuguese Cozido, which is a heavy, hearty stew, trout, Papas de Sarrabulho. The desserts are Candies of Arcos and Charutos, which are cigars made from eggs. There are three good restaurants in Soajo.

Espigueiros
During the winter months, Soajeiros kept grain in what is called Espigueiros. These stone structures are raised high above the ground to keep rodents out. The Espigueiros have a cross that stands tall above them, which is to bless the crop annually. Today the people from Soajo, also known as Soajeiros, try to preserve everything from their traditions to their natural surroundings. The Soajeiros are simple people that work hard for what they have and enjoy what the land offers them.

These granaries constructed of stone for drying corn were introduced in the 17^th century. Soajo’s collection of espigueiros constitutes one of Portugal’s greatest and most impressive. They remain as symbol of the group spirit, since they were used by all the community.

A proud competitive people
Soajo boast many successful immigrants who have created successful businesses and careers in other countries. For a small village, Soajo has produced perhaps more millionaires than any other Portuguese village of similar size. Soajeiros are extremely competitive and proud. For example, Soajeiros value their reputation and are protective of their family name. They work hard in part so as not to be perceived as a failure. But despite this high-level competitiveness, Soajeiros are also very neighborly and communitarian. Lending a hand is a way of life in Soajo.

Royal recognition and independence
Many believe that Soajo was established in the first century, but it was only officially recognized in 1514 because of the Charter it was granted. The Charter lasted until February 17, 1852, when liberal reformations to the political system and reforms to the structure of municipal government removed its Charter and Soajo became part of the Town of Arcos de Valdevez, located 20 km to the northwest.

The people that lived in Soajo were called “Monteiro’s” (“Mountaineers”) because their main activity and their way of life in Soajo was hunting wildlife and as herdsmen. As descendants of hunters, Soajeiros possess an innate independence streak. They don’t like being told what to do, not even from their King. But Soajeiros are also loyal, and as a result, Soajo was granted special status from Portugal’s Kings. These are proud people who value freedom. Soajeiros are also a tough and untamed people who don’t shy away from a confrontation.

As a frontier outpost, Soajo and other Alto Minho villages played an important role in defending the Portuguese border region from Spanish encroachment. Recognizing the importance of Soajo, King Dinis granted Soajo a level of independence that few other Portuguese villages experienced. As a result, Soajo was never subjugated by nobles or feudal lords. King Dinis is said to have prevented nobles from settling in Soajo, by decreeing that nobles can only stop in Soajo “for only as long as it takes hot bread to cool at the tip of a spear”.

Soajo has always been loved by the kings of Portugal, and as a result has benefited over centuries. Portuguese kings have protected Soajo from control of feudal lords. While other villages across Portugal were subjugated by lords or the feudal era, Soajo never suffered from that system. The oldest historical mention of Soajo dates to the year 950.

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Brief History of Portugal

Portugal emerged as a nation state in the early 12^th century, and ranks as one of the world's longest established countries. In 1143, Portugal became a kingdom. Dom Afonso Henriques became King of an independent Portugal. He had taken three quarters of the present-day Portugal from the Muslims ("Moors"), including Lisbon.

The Moors of North Africa had invaded the Iberian Peninsula in the year 711 and continued to occupy present-day Spain and Portugal until the late 15th century. After King Afonso Henriques' death in 1185 the conquest was completed by his successors. Afonso III expanded this Kingdom southward to the Algarve in 1249, and under João I, Portuguese sailors began to explore the African coast and the Atlantic. Portugal’s boundaries have been unchanged since the 13^th century.

The Iberian Peninsula has been occupied for around 500,000 years. Paleolithic art dating back 22,000 years has been discovered on rocks in the Vale do Côa. About 5500 BC Neolithic fortified hilltop villages appeared in the lower Tagus (Tejo) valley.

Portugal's history goes back to the Celts, who settled the Iberian Peninsula around 700 BC. The region soon attracted a succession of peoples and was colonized by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Visigoths. In the 8th century, the Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and commenced a long occupation that introduced their culture, architecture and agricultural techniques to Portugal. But resistance to the Moors grew and they were finally ejected during the 13th century.

In the 15th century, Portugal entered a phase of overseas expansion due to the efforts of Prince Henry the Navigator. Mariners set off to discover new trade routes and helped create an enormous empire that, at its peak, extended to India, the Far East, Brazil and Africa. This period marked the peak of Portuguese power and wealth, but it faded towards the end of the 16th century when Spain's Felipe II claimed the throne. Although Spanish rule lasted only a few decades, the momentum of the empire declined over the following centuries.

In 1755, Lisbon suffered one of the world's greatest natural disasters to hit Europe. The city was subsequently destroyed by three major earthquakes, tremors, a fire and a tidal wave. This natural disaster forever altered Portugal's history and destiny.