"Barcelos's rich and varied historical roots still shine brightly in the form of the many medieval and otherwise historical landmarks scattered throughout Barcelos. One can stroll on the Ponte Medieval de Barcelos, gazing at the beautiful waterfront views and walking the same path hundreds have walked for hundreds of years before. Or, one can take a tour through the Paço dos Condes de Barcelos, admiring the ancient palace even as it stands roofless."

"Rooster is the unofficial symbol of Portugal, said to represent the Portuguese love of life. But where did this infamous rooster come from? The folk tale that explains its huge popularity all begins with a landowner who had his silver stolen. The whole town could not find the thief who had stolen it. One day, a man from Galicia was thought to be a suspect, despite the fact that he claimed he was innocent. The man swore that he was passing through Barcelos on a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The man asked to be taken to the judge who had condemned him, so he could plead his case. However, when nobody believed the man, he pointed to a roasted rooster on the judge's table and said "It is as certain that I am innocent as that rooster will crow when they hang me!" Just as he had predicted, when the man was hung, the rooster on the judge's table stood up and crowed to show that the man was indeed innocent. The judge rushed to the man, and he was saved from his hanging. Though it is a strange story, I hope that you have enjoyed hearing about the interesting and beautiful heritage of my home city. It is there, after all, that we Portuguese learned to stand up and cry for the innocence and just treatment of others!"