San Antonio de Valero is the formal name of what the world knows as the Alamo. The mission was founded in 1718 by Spanish Franciscans, who named it in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua and the viceroy of New Spain, the Marqués de Valero. It stood beside the San Antonio River, on land that offered water, irrigation and a place to teach indigenous families a farming life. By the end of the eighteenth century the mission was secularized, and its old chapel became a military post, whose name came from the Spanish word for cottonwood.
Its modern fame comes from the thirteen days in 1836 when a small group of Texan defenders, among them Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, held out against the Mexican army of General Santa Anna. All of the defenders died on the final morning, and the cry of Remember the Alamo became the rallying cry of the Texas Revolution. Visitors often arrive expecting a large fortress and are surprised to find a small stone chapel with its famous curved parapet, sitting among tall buildings in the middle of downtown.
Riding here is an urban business. Alamo Plaza is a busy pedestrian area beside the River Walk, which winds beneath the street level in a green channel of restaurants and shade. The streets around it are narrow and often one-way, and parking can be slow and costly, though motorcycles can sometimes find a spot more easily. Visit on a weekday morning, since weekends and holidays bring crowds and heat. In the summer, the sun is relentless, and humidity can make the downtown feel like a sauna.
The wider San Antonio Missions are the best reason to come. Four more missions run south along the river, and together with the Alamo they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. Their ride is a pleasant one on the old Mission Road and the river trail, with live oaks, cottonwoods and old stone churches.
Fuel and food are no problem. The city has stations in every direction and a good supply of Tex-Mex, barbecue and breakfast tacos that rank among the best anywhere. If you need a restful pause, sit in the Alamo's gardens, which are shaded and quiet.