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Mesão Frio
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The county of Mesão Frio marks the end of the vinho verde domain and the entrance to the port wine-growing region. Set above the river Douro and surrounded by the magestic heights of the Serra do Marão, its vineyards grow sheltered on the slopes and enhance the magic of the Higher Douro scenery. Although small, the town of Mesão Frio is worth visiting to admire the ancient pillory, the fine mother church of Saint Nicholas (rebuilt in 1877, it kept the magnificent 16th-century ceiling panels, each one featuring the portrait of a saint) or the cloisters of the former 18th-century Franciscan monastery, which now shelters the Tourist Office and the Town Hall. But it is the bucolic scenery of vineyards cultivated on slopes, small farms and villages and quaint chapels which really portrays the region's character. Fine manors and mansions can also be seen, such as the Pousada do Solar da Rede, built in a lavish Baroque style. Mesão Frio is also known for its wickerwork and for two gastronomical specialities: the falachas (chestnut cakes) and a delicious rice cooked in the oven. The lively fair of Saint Andrew, in the beginning of December, attracts many visitors to the town and changes the otherwise calm atmosphere of this agricultural zone.
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