Kartódromo de Viana

In Chafé, near Viana do Castelo in north-western Portugal, the Viana kartódromo runs two outdoor layouts: a large A circuit of one thousand one hundred and seventeen metres and a shorter B circuit of four hundred and sixty-five metres. You drive four-stroke petrol-engined karts, with a fleet of more than a hundred machines, which makes it one of the largest kartódromos in the north of the country. The length of the big layout leaves real room to overtake and build up speed.

Karting stays open to everyone, no licence or experience needed: a briefing, a helmet, and off you go chasing your best lap. The venue offers individual and group rental, company events and endurance championships, in the great tradition of racing karts. The variety of the two layouts lets you adjust the difficulty to the drivers and formats. People happily return to beat their time, stopwatch in hand.

Viana do Castelo is an elegant coastal town in the Minho, at the mouth of the Lima river, known for its Renaissance architecture and its traditions. The Santa Luzia hill, overlooking the town, offers one of Portugal's finest views over the ocean and the estuary. Its long beaches, its crafts and its great popular festivals make it a popular northern destination. Viana is easily reached by motorway from Porto, in about fifty minutes.