Ponte de Lima is the sort of town that has been charming people for nine hundred years, and the old bridge across the Lima is the reason it exists. The Romans built a crossing here on the road between Braga and Astorga, and the long granite bridge you see today stands on those old foundations, with medieval arches added. The town's own legend says that Roman soldiers refused to cross the river because they thought it was the River of Forgetfulness, until their commander went across and called out each soldier by name. A charter was granted in the early twelfth century, which is why locals say theirs is the oldest town in Portugal.
The riverside gardens, the arcaded old town and the long weekly market give Ponte de Lima a relaxed, civilised feel. This is the heart of the Minho, the green northwest corner of Portugal, where the wine of the region, vinho verde, is light, slightly sparkling and goes very well with local fish. The Portuguese Camino de Santiago also passes through, and you will see pilgrims with shells on their backpacks crossing the bridge. In September the town holds the Feiras Novas, a lively festival with music and processions that dates back centuries.
The riding around Ponte de Lima is soft and green rather than dramatic. The roads wind through small farms, maize fields, vineyards trained high on trellises and granite villages, with dense woodland on the hillsides. Many routes are narrow, and you meet slow tractors, so keep your speed measured. The surface is variable, sometimes lovely, sometimes patched after wet winters. Rain is frequent, especially from autumn to spring, and the stone walls and shaded corners stay damp. Late spring and early autumn give the best mix of dry weather and clear light.
The town has about forty thousand people in its municipality and all the services you would expect: fuel, supermarkets, banks and plenty of restaurants. It is an easy and pleasant place to stop for a long lunch. The regional cooking is rich and generous, with roast kid, rice cooked in the blood of poultry or pork, and cod in many forms. Take a walk along the riverbank and across the bridge before you go, and watch the afternoon light turn the stone gold.