evidence: Perching on top of a headland, Vila Real preserves stately houses adorned with coats of arms, Manueline windows and traditional wrought iron balconies. [...] As you continue your stroll between Avenida Carvalho Araújo and the waterfront avenue, amid stately houses and shopping streets, you will get to the liveliest and most typical part of Vila Real. This is where the Misericórdia Church and the Clérigos Church are to be found, the latter a masterpiece by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. Take a moment to admire the balconies decorated with iron railings and the granite framed windows which form a gallery of genuinely Portuguese civic architecture. In the Vila Real suburbs, you will find the Mateus Palace, one of the jewels of Portuguese Baroque, designed by Nicolau Nasoni. This palace, surrounded by gardens, is a must-see with its carved wooden ceilings, furniture, paintings and artefacts from different periods, of which a remarkable edition of "Os Lusíadas" stands out. It is a vibrant cultural centre which organises festivals, courses, seminars and exhibitions.