The Route of the Cistercian Vineyards covers and merges with the Távora-Varosa Demarcated Region. In the Cistercian land, name which derives from the ancient Religious Order which was set up in the region, there are astonishing landscapes and a historical architecture to discover. There are also festivities and popular festivals, where you can taste some of the delicacies of this region. In Varosa, where the Cister Monks chose to build their temples many centuries ago, you can still observe today some of the most important treasures and jewellery of the national heritage. The route comprises a wide offer of cultural and historical experiences. In Lamego, you must visit the Cathedral with its 686 steps of the staircase of Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, where the view over the city is magnificent. In Tarouca, the classified as National Monument, the Monastery of S. João de Tarouca, makes the monks' dynamic spirit prevail, those who early moulded the region to their image, working the land, cultivating the vineyards instilling norms and traditions which have lasted until today. Further to the south, in Lapa mountain, there is one of the most ancient Portuguese sanctuaries, the Senhora da Lapa Chapel, built in the 17th century by the Jesuits, and nearby, the Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Assunção de Tabosa, of the Cistercian nuns.