After a steep climb, cyclists enter the walled medieval village through a stone arch then walk their bikes on cobblestone streets. Whitewashed houses touch each other. And you might see a farmer's mule plow a field just outside the village's walls. The Spanish border is just six miles to the East. Vitor thoroughly enjoys hosting picnics, and it shows.
Meals are relaxed, lengthy affairs, filled with good conversation, food and wine.
Riders eat in restaurants and private homes known for their extraordinary take on Portuguese cuisine. The best dishes we tasted included a fish and rice stew, grilled rock bass, grilled kid and baked wild boar in wine sauce. Skewers of squid and prawns, served with a heaping platter of boiled potatoes and carrots, were delicious as was an appetizer of marinated octopus. Forget the Lancers and Mateus brands that are best known here, and try port, the low-alcohol vinho verdi or regional reds from Reguengos or Monsaraz. Touring cyclists are rare in Portugal.