 It is located 5 kilometres southeast of the municipal seat (Vila do Conde), 8 kilometres from the harbour of Póvoa de Varzim and 21 kilometres northwest of the city of Porto.The Reserva Ornitológica de Mindelo (ROM) (), created on 2 September 1957, through the initiative of Santos Júnior, is the first protected area created in Portugal, and the only coastal area in the Porto Metropolitan Area that has maintained its natural characteristics.The area is around six km² and includes parts of the beaches, farmlands, botanical gardens and areas of Ribeira de Silvares.