Sunday, 21 October 2012

Portuguese villages... Unique discovery.

by aldeiasdeportugal.pt


LET DISCOVER CASTRO LABOREIRO VILLAGE

Castro Laboreiro, in the parish with the same name and in the borough of Melgaço, lies in Peneda-Gerês National Park, which makes it a touristic attraction right away but, besides that, it hás a unique kind of ancient village buildings and it´s the original place of the world famous canine breed, the Castro Laboreiro dog.

The region

Furthermore, the village has a rich millenary historical, archaeological and architectural heritage, namely megalithic monuments, the Castle of Castro Laboreiro - acknowledged as a national monument - medieval bridges and churches, community ovens, mills, agriculture and grazing activities, and the unique brandas, inverneiras and fixed places, which are testimonies of the transhumance that happens here as well. 




The region´s forests are dominated by oak-trees. We can also find the arbutus-tree, the holly, the laurel cherry-tree, the pine-tree and the white birch. Bushes are more common in the higher areas where mainly brooms, furzes and heathers grow. The most representative animal species are the wild boar, the deer, the badger and the otter.
At the village, visitors may find lodging in recovered village houses and mills.


The gastronomic offer is varied, with typical dishes that include kid, bacon steaks, smoked sausages, rye bread and corn bread. There´s also two typical desserts: bucho doce (usually pork stomach cooked with lard, sugar, eggs, bread and cinnamon) and sopa seca de pão duro (Minho's traditional recipe resembles Cozido à Portuguesa, usually made with more or less the same ingredients: beef, pork, chicken, smoked sausages, cabbages, carrots, and bread). 




After that, for an easier digestion and for a deeper contact with the natural environment, we suggest a walk or a ride in a four-wheel drive vehicle through Rodeiro, Alto da Portela de Pau, Pedra Mourisca, Alto dos Cepos Alvos, Portos, Varziela and, again, Castro Laboreiro.






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