Massimo Marenco & Nicolo Dionisio: Portugal
Nicolò Dionisio and Massimo Marenco (Max, to many of you!) writing to you from cold and rainy Torino, Italy. The winter here has been a difficult one and we can’t wait to get on the road for Ciclismo Classico. We have recently received our schedules and are thrilled to announce that we’ll be in Portugal this year! Nicolò will spend his time sipping port in Porto and Max will spend his days looking at the beachgoers in bikinis! Vamos là!
Portugal is on everyone’s radar these days. It has always been a hotspot for biking, food, and culture. Ciclismo Classico always has a special way of giving you the best in a country or region, so you can be sure to not follow the crowds. But ride along the unbeaten path and have your own special adventure.
What do we love about Portugal? So many things to list…
One of the First.
Portugal is the oldest nation-state in Europe. While Italy, France, and Spain were battling for borders over centuries, Portugal became a nation in 1139, with its first king in 1143. The country remained a kingdom for the following 800 years. In 1910 it became a Republic. Throughout the centuries Portugal has maintained much of its character and its culture, perfectly preserved as if in amber all these years.
Monção and the “Green Wine”
Our arrival into Monção on the second day is sublime. Picture this: from the Spanish border we coast along the banks of the Minho River, through lush green vineyards and valleys, rolling gently through a spattering of medieval villages scattered along the way. It’s a page from a storybook. And there are hardly any tourists around so you will feel as though you are living in Portugal. All those vineyards are the famous Albarino white grape, used in the popular “green wine” of this DOC region. Not that the wine itself is green, but it is young, usually marketed 3-6 months after bottling. In the village of Monção you have some stunning architecture such as the Capela da Misericordia with its beautifully painted cherubs. Or check out the Fortaleza do Monção on a little walk around town. You’ll be glad you did. Did we mention that this was only the second day?!?!
Castelo de Lanhoso
On Day 4 we take you to one of the most historically rich sites of the Póvoa de Lanhoso municipality. The Castelo de Lanhoso is situated in a rural landscape, atop a mountain range called the Laje Grande. The initial corners and walls of the castle were constructed around the year 1040, but there are artifacts testifying to proto-history settlements in this area. The castle would see its share of refugees and kings, taking the keep either for protection from enemies or to reign over the valley. One legend tells of a jealous murder that occurred in the castle during the 13th C. The judge who lived in the fortress at the time caught his wife with her lover in a heated embrace. The judge ordered all doors closed, and fire set to the citadel. The wife, her lover, the servants and the domestic animals all perished in this crime of passion.
Porto and the Duoro Valley
We couldn’t possibly make this list without mentioning the UNESCO sites of the Duoro Valley, Porto and Guimaraes. The stunning village of Guimaraes embraces a colorful piazza surrounded by traditional gothic buildings. It’s the perfect place for an early afternoon beer. The castle was of significant historical importance as it defended the village against the Norman and Moor invasions of the 700s. It is also the city that claims the ‘birth’ of the nation of Portugal. We can’t say enough about Porto: a city of art and culture with an amazing heritage in wine. The Vino do Porto is worth a glass in the town square. The Duoro valley – the first-ever regulated and demarcated wine region in the world – beautifully glitters in the sunshine as we ride amongst the vineyards in the late afternoon.
Nós veremos vôces em breve!