The municipality area consists of 75.12 square kilometres (29.00 sq mi)[1] and 94,672 inhabitants in 2021,[2] and it is subdivided into four parishes: Alfena, Campo e Sobrado, Ermesinde and Valongo.

The Municipality of Valongo was created in 1836 as a part of the administrative reform of the country, which occurred during the reign of D. Maria II.

[3] According to Father Lopes dos Reis, a native of Valongo, “the Moors entered Hespanha enthusiastic about the holy war with the alfange in one hand and Al Koran in the other, taking over with their powerful army all the places they could pass through.

In Vallongo, perhaps there was no blood at all, because the inhabitants, few and without defense, could only fearlessly try to prevent the passage to a powerful enemy from whom they had known that an army of brave people had fled in terror.

That is why, when the Arabs arrived in Vallongo (716), they left their people in peace without writing it, and by means of a certain tribute they gave them the freedom to live as they did here, going to settle far from the Goda settlement, which occupied the Susão and the western part of the villa, on the plain at the edge of a stream that was later called Ilhar Mourisco.”[4] After the reconquest of Portus Cale (Porto) by Vímara Peres in 868, he was named a count and given control of the frontier region between the Lima and Douro rivers by Alfonso III of Asturias, therefore bringing the region under control of the Kingdom of Asturias.

[3] From the economic and social point of view, at this time, the ownership of land was the basis of the economy and the main element of survival and power.

[3] These lands, therefore, served as a stage for battles and military movements that took place between the two straying brothers: D. Pedro, on the side of the Liberals, D. Miguel, on the part of the Miguelists/Absolutists.

This lunch took place on the last visit of D. Maria II to the north of Portugal in the form of thanks for the creation of the Municipality of Valongo in 1836.

The Municipality became the site for the expansion of industries such as metallurgy, textile manufacturing, civil construction, public works, food, wood and furniture.

Bugiada e Mouriscada is a festivity where populars stage a fight between Bugios (christians) and Mourisqueiros ( non-believers) by the possession of John the Baptist, alongside other folk and everyday lives activities.

Slate was formed 350 million years ago by a metamorphosis of shale, clay and volcanic ash that results to a fine-grained foliated rock.