Here the Cávado river is wide... the waters are calm like a lake, actually.
Befora a bridge existed over the river, this was one of the best places of passage, from the earliest times in which medieval pilgrims traveled to Santiago de Compostela.For this reason, the "Barca do Lago"(the small river crossing boat that gave the name to this place ) connected two banks in a constant back-and-forth, according to demand. On both banks, there were boatmen who met the demands of travelles from any social condition. When D. Manuel I was on pilgrimage to Compostela, he travelled on this boat, which was the only reasonable way to cross the Cávado River. The pace is so pleasant that the manor houses settled here. There were dwellings of emblzoned families on each bank. Around the lake,there was activity all year round.More recently,the "Barca do Lago" lost its function when the bridge over the Cavado River was built, facilitating the passage of people and goods.However, this place gained another attaction when leisure and water sports started to be integreated in peopple's daily life.
Location: Esposende
