Set high above the River Douro, 12 km west of Peso da Régua across a picturesque valley, Mesão Frio is one of the most charming villages in the region. Famous for its chestnut cakes, the town boasts an impressive main street lined with old lime trees and stately 18th-century manor houses.
The main attraction in Mesão Frio is its Gothic parish church of São Nicolau, which has lovely painted ceiling panels and seven Romanesque tombstones. Nearby, the former 18th-century Franciscan monastery of São Francisco has been converted into the town hall, with the tourist information centre housed in its cloisters. >p> A quiet town situated in the Douro demarcated wine region, Mesão Frio has always been linked to wine-making. The vines grow in terraces on the banks of the river, lending great beauty to the landscape, and dotted here and there are large estates and manor houses, most notably the Solar da Rede, which has been transformed into a Pousada.
The name Land of the Douro Sailor comes from the close connection between Man and the river, as it was in times past, unbridled by dams. It transports you to a time when navigating on the Douro was an adventure of heroic proportions, where it was necessary to safely pass rocks and waterfalls, near which the local inhabitants frequently placed images of the patron saints of navigators. There are those who believe that the folklore dances themselves reflect the rocking of the waves and the boats cutting through them. The town is an old and noble land. The first royal charter was granted by King Afonso Henriques at the dawn of the country's independence. Kings Afonso III and Manuel I, confirmed it. Even today, strolling through the streets of the town, one gets the impression that this is a place with history. And indeed some dramatic events took place here, namely the fires and devastation caused by the troops of General Loison during the French invasion in 1808.
The building heritage has left us two monuments from the Middle Ages which deserve special mention. One is the Convent of Saint Francis, since modified to house the town council and other municipal services, but where it is still possible to admire the façade and cloisters with their decorative fountain. The other is the roman-gothic Church of Saint Nicolau, a national monument which has undergone considerable change since the 18th century.
From the 18th century, a time of prosperty in the Douro, some churches have survived, such as the churches of Oliveira, Cidadelhe and Vila Marim as well as a number of manor houses, scattered throughout the council. but also merge with the land to create breathtaking views. A ethnographic reference: the annual fair of Saint Andrew's, from 30 November to 8 December, in Mesão Frio, a mixture of festivities, fair and pilgrimage, where it is possible to see unforgettable types of people and ancestral gestures in the art of bartering. The typical dish of the local gastronomy is roast pork, but kid is another favourite of the locals. Desserts include "falachas" (kind of chestnut cake) and the "doce de Donsumil". The fame of the local wines, fine wines and table wines, speaks for itself.
The vineyards can be seen everywhere. The town itself is framed by vines, which are not only the foundation of the council's economy.
