This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Octant Lousã has appointed Márcia Coelho as new general manager With over 20 years of hospitality industry experience and a degree in hotel management Coelho now leads a team of 37 staff members she will focus on driving operational excellence throughout the property Márcia has held roles at renowned establishments such as Pousadas de Portugal where she advanced to the position of Food & Beverage Director She served as General Manager at NAU Hotels & Resorts group in 2013 where she led projects such as The Vintage House Douro before moving to Montebelo Vista Alegre in Ílhavo Octant Lousã announces the appointment of Miguel Silva as Executive Chef of its signature À TERRA restaurant A native of Coimbra with deep roots in central Portugal’s culinary traditions Silva brings his expertise to craft a new menu celebrating the region’s rich gastronomic heritage Chef Silva’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for À TERRA where he will showcase his passionate commitment to local ingredients and regional producers His new menu features innovative interpretations of traditional dishes including specialties such as Cod loin “Lugrade” with pea and Portuguese cabbage and the distinctive rice from the lower Mondego region served with barefoot and roosterfish fillets I drew inspiration from the authentic regional ingredients and aimed to revive those forgotten foods that once formed the pillars of our local cuisine,” says Silva “It’s a nod to the simple yet versatile culinary traditions that were once the foundation of central Portugal’s gastronomy My new role at Octant Lousã allows me to showcase and let diners experience the unique vibrant flavors that make this region’s food so special.” Silva brings extensive experience from some of Portugal’s most prestigious kitchens having refined his craft under renowned chefs including Fausto Airoldi at Casino de Lisboa and Luís Baena at Hotel Tivoli Lisboa His previous leadership roles include positions at Villa Batalha hotel Aligned with Octant Hotels’ commitment to authentic locally-rooted experiences across its collection of eight boutique properties throughout Portugal – Octant Lousã classified as a Historical Heritage Building of Public Interest provides an elegant backdrop for Silva’s culinary vision offering guests a genuine taste of central Portugal’s rich culinary heritage in a historic setting For reservations at À TERRA, please call +351 239 990 800 or email reservations-lousa@octanthotels.com Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter and receive important industry updates Food & Beverage Magazine is the leading online magazine resource for the food and beverage industry with signature celebrity features and an over twenty year long valuable reputation F&B Magazine has the eyes of the industry’s top professionals that are in search of the latest and greatest Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter and recieve important industry updates Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Figueira da Foz Small, beautiful and historic, Portugal is a favorite of travelers from around the globe thanks to its fabulous beaches, exciting cities, rich history and mild climate Yet such popularity does tend to draw throngs to some of the country’s better-known spots This is why we’ve asked four of our Portugal-based writers to recommend places they love to go for a break – places you might never have heard of before Count on escaping the crowds at these off-the-radar places in Portugal Marlene Marques is a Lonely Planet guidebook author and avid surfer with a deep love for Portugal’s coastal destinations Since I began surfing in the 1990s, Figueira da Foz has captured my attention, as some of Portugal’s pioneers of competitive surfing came from this spot. In this relaxed town some 125 miles (200km) from Lisbon, I found a relaxed scene some of the country’s most extensive beaches and restaurants that work local ingredients to perfection And let’s not forget those incredible waves Go at the end of June to catch the São João festivities fireworks and traditional sardine feasts by the sea My top pick is the Universal Boutique Hotel, in the so-called Bairro Novo, just steps away from Praia da Claridade and the casino; its beautiful decor transports you to the city’s glamorous past. Another great option is Bacharéis Charming House which occupies a beautifully restored 1878 building Tasca Maria serves the best canja de garoupa e ameijoas (grouper-and-clams soup) you’ll ever taste. And Olaias works the arroz carolino do Mondego (rice grown in the Mondego valley) like no other; my favorite is the octopus rice And I always leave room for their sponge cake Joana Taborda grew up in Lisbon and now splits her time between the capital and Madeira The southern coast has always been a favorite holiday spot for Portuguese families. Most end up in the Algarve – but lately, many are switching it up for the Alentejo’s quieter sands. There’s no bad time to visit Late spring and early September are beautiful and calm Vila Nova de Milfontes offers a peaceful seaside vacation away from the crowds I enjoy grabbing my breakfast croissant from Mabi and catching the sunset from the dunes behind Praia do Farol Austin Bush is a writer and photographer based in Lisbon I’ll almost always opt for mountains over the beach – and in Portugal my favorite destination for the former is Trás-os-Montes “Behind the Mountains” is a relative term: don’t come expecting towering summits or ski resorts (although the area can get snow in the winter) rocky area of charming villages and protected natural areas The ideal way to approach the region is to rent a car from Porto you’ll be able to discover Trás-os-Montes’ granite villages where you feel that you are not only traversing geography but also time is one of Portugal’s best-preserved granite villages a place where it feels like the clock stopped somewhere around the year 1500 Locals here still raise long-horned Barrosã cattle who sleep in ground-floor pens beneath the two-story stone homes Hotel Parque Serra da Lousã is a four-star hotel in Serra da Lousã Biological Park that has an on-site spa Trás-os-Montes is a fascinating region for food. When I’m up there, I look to the Tabernas do Alto Tâmega a network of 15 eateries across the region hearty dishes cooked over wood-burning fires; smoked meats; and home-style hospitality My favorite of the lot might be Casa de Souto Velho a fantastic restaurant in the eastern part of the region where just about every ingredient is grown Sandra Henriques was born in Portugal’s Azores islands and has called Lisbon home for 20+ years One of the nine islands of the Azores, an archipelago some 1100 miles (1770km) off the coast of Portugal, this 6¾-sq-mile (17¾-sq-km) lump of land with under 400 inhabitants remains well off the beaten track. It’s true that the Azores islands have grown in popularity over the last decade. Yet the minute you get off the plane on Corvo the peacefulness of this village-like island washes over you The only municipality on the island, Vila do Corvo is a minute cluster of houses and narrow streets on cliffs overlooking the ocean, with everything within walking distance. Its main natural attraction – Caldeirão the lagoon on the the crater of the volcano that formed the island – is a two-hour and enjoy the outdoors and small-town living Forget planning or a packed calendar of activities mingling with the locals and dividing your time between mornings hiking and afternoons at the beach rolling with the punches when the weather doesn’t agree with what you had in mind is essential To learn about local history and heritage, visit the Casa do Tempo museum, and the old animal-powered grain mill Atafona do Lourenço Short-term rentals are available on the island, though I recommend staying at the family-owned Hotel Comodoro This two-star guesthouse offers the comfort of staying with relatives including a complimentary homemade breakfast The only restaurant on the island, Restaurante Caldeirão is right next to the airport and your go-to spot for lunch or dinner with a view. For drinks, casual meals, and laidback chit-chat with the locals, head to BBC – Caffé & Lounge Daniel James Clarke used to holiday frequently in the Algarve – until the day he decided to stay and call the southern coast home When summer brings crowds to the coast, I’m forever drawn to Portugal’s lesser-visited interior. In the hinterlands of the historic Beiras region, the Serra da Lousã is a blend of near-forgotten aldeias do xisto (schist villages), tranquil hiking trails and creative rural hideaways the Milky Way dazzles  – especially in Pampilhosa da Serra an 11th-century monument – provide daytime escapes Around 30 minutes from Coimbra, the town of Lousã is the mountain range’s hub, and HI Hostel Lousã’s modern private rooms are my affordable go-to I’d recommend staying in a renovated rock home at one of the once-abandoned villages Make a reservation at O Burgo or Villa Lausana to enjoy typically hearty dishes such as chanfana (a clay-pot lamb stew), best paired with the local mineral-rich red wines produced from the regional grape, baga. Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Ann Abel is a Lisbon-based writer covering luxury travel with a soulFollow AuthorOct 14 10:05am EDTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Merriweather"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Euclid"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); 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she skittered back when I lifted my camera rutting deer create a primordial soundtrack; some 3,000 of them roam the Lousã mountains Cerdeira is one of a handful of schist villages in the region that have been tourist-ified But while many other houses in Cerdeira are used for short-term rentals the village seems to have avoided that outcome where breakfast is served to Home for Creativity guests and snacks are sold to anyone else along with overnight guests on nature vacations Even though the characters may be transient it manages a feeling of intentional community the community that Cerdeira celebrates is each family that comes The ten houses each sleep two to six people all with separate living and sleeping areas (An additional Village House holds up to 12 people and is mostly used for retreats.) Although they have electricity running water and central heating—unimaginable in the 1980s and ’90s—they feel untouched by time Each is decorated with custom artworks by guests of the village but they consciously avoided TVs and even clocks it's a really interesting subject,” says Serra it offered us an opportunity that other families didn't have and being able to play outside with other kids and the three generations still meet with all the kids,” she continues “And I think it made us so close as a family that we all work together” on the tourism project I think that was built through this opportunity to be in a place with no distractions She adds the obvious: “Maybe there's a lot of inspiration because the village is beautiful; there's no way around it But that opportunity to have that mindfulness of being together as a family and just talking about things randomly and sometimes with neighbors and Kerstin…that's the experience that inspires me to build what we have now.” What they’re creating is “a space that's comfortable where people will feel like they're in their own house that is cozy,” she explains “The experience is built around being able to rent books and games and everything being around the table.” Guests order meals—hearty soup plus local sausages and cheese bacalhau (the salted cod that is inescapable in Portugal) with cornbread crumbs the local slow-cooked goat stew called chanfana—to be delivered to their homes The idea is to spend hours and hours around the table enjoying lunch or dinner without worrying about antsy children or impatient waiters (A note to the wise: Plan on two meals from whatever you order The food—both in the clay pots used for dinner deliveries and in the well-edited breakfast buffet—is not particularly elegant as organic as feasible and appealingly rustic Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email The Honey and Chestnut Fair will take place between the 22nd and 24th of November with 40 thousand people expected to attend over the three days The event will be held at the Municipal Exhibition Park and in two tents installed next to the space with more than 7,500 square metres of covered space More than 100 exhibitors will be present at the event, including beekeepers, chestnut traders and other endogenous products, such as cheese, wine and sweets, the president of the Chamber of Lousã This party is a celebration of our products our history and tradition and a way of affirming the municipality on the national scene” In addition to showcasing regional products the fair also has an entertainment program there will also be a magusto offered by Câmara da Lousã to all visitors The mayor also welcomed the fact that honey from Serra da Lousã recorded an increase in production this year despite being faced with several “negative situations “Quality is already recognised by everyone but the increase in quantity this year is an important and positive fact” We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal The name derives from the material used to build houses in the different villages they have established themselves as a major tourist spot in the country's countryside There are dozens of schist villages in Portugal the villages in the region of Lousã The houses are usually located in rural areas such as the mountains and are hidden gems between mountains and valleys that can be traversed by trails that will make any visitor fall in love with their landscapes Lousã is a city with more than 10,000 inhabitants and is in the municipality of Coimbra More than half of the municipality's territory is composed of forest areas where some of the most beautiful landscapes in Portugal can be found The village goes unnoticed by those passing by the village faces North and develops in a steep descent along an axis that crosses the village and connects it to the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Piedade visitors can see the castle of Lousã as well as appreciate the architecture so typical of the schist villages According to the official website of the schist villages only one couple is living in the village with a large flock Visitors to Casal Novo quickly reach Chiqueiro through a marked route along just one kilometre that can easily be done on foot The village has the particularity of having predominantly dark schist construction the only white and blue building in the village The village is surrounded by high vegetation and organized by two streets The surrounding fauna and flora make the village a very popular area for hiking Of the schist villages located in Serra da Lousã Talasnal is the one that is most sought after by tourists The houses are decorated with branches of vines and the drum and fountain make what the locals call a “melody” that is heard by the sounds of the water running around the village The village's alleys are probably the highlight of the village as they awaken visitors' spirit of discovery Anyone entering through the Talasnal vegetation area will certainly be able to see animals such as deer Despite being one of the most touristic villages The village is protected by Rede Natura 2000 visitors are welcomed with a small bridge where they can see some houses hidden among vegetation The village turns out to be an artistic place as training workshops and creative experiences are held in places like Casa das Artes the festival “Elements à Solta – Art meets Nature” takes place where contemporary artists come together to turn the village into an open-air gallery Anyone who sees the village from afar thinks that it will not have the same charm as all the others mentioned above it is necessary to climb steep streets to discover the charm of Candal The village is located along the road that connects Lousã to Castanheira de Pêra so it is a village that is used to receiving visitors tourists are presented with a view of the mountains accompanied by the freshness of Ribeira do Candal Candal is perhaps one of the most developed schist villages in the region Once the route through the five most visited schist villages is completed tourists can finish their visit at Alto de Trevim the highest point in the Serra da Lousã This is where the most famous wooden swing in Portugal is located Anyone who swings will fall in love with the magnificent panoramic view over the Lousã mountains A typical dish of the region is made from goat meat cooked in red wine garlic and other spices that give the dish a characteristic flavour Already a member? Log in Not a member? Sign up Explore our Food Tours → “It’s not enough,” says the waiter at O Pascoal We had inquired if one dish would be sufficient for three people and the two dishes are easily enough for six people (we are three) We are in Fajão central Portugal’s Beira region – about a two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Porto or around three hours from Lisbon – and this interaction is the perfect introduction to the almost comically hearty cuisine of this area the network links 27 schist villages spread out amongst four distinct geographic zones in an area roughly east of Coimbra the villages have seen a significant renaissance the stone houses having been transformed into vacation homes perhaps with one or two renovated structures Some villages feel like relatively modern towns where little schist is apparent while others still feel frozen in a previous century Authorities want visitors to approach the villages as jumping-off points for a variety of outdoor and cultural activities one of which is the region’s unique cuisine we call this dish chanfana,” explains Carlos Simão He’s a native of Fajão and the owner of O Pascoal We ask him to tell us more about the region’s most emblematic dish “But in the old days it was called carne fresca (fresh meat),” he says “People would kill a goat and it would go directly into the dish.” Carlos explains that this stands in contrast to other meat dishes mountainous region were almost exclusively made from preserved – salted or smoked – meats He tells us that chanfana must be made with an old goat (“But not too old!”) which is made tender via that wine and three or four hours in the oven the result is rich and fragrant – an immense reduced wine and subtle herbs hiding under a generous layer of fat that slowly emerges during the long cook The dish is paired with boiled potatoes and broa crumbled and mixed with black-eyed-peas and greens a local product that leaves the pleasant aroma of honey in our mouths for another half hour The greatest density of villages in the Aldeias do Xisto network is found in the Serra da Lousã range, not far from the city of Lousã. We make our base here, in the village of Candal, a small but buzzy tourist center that is home to Sabores da Aldeia as well as a small shop/cafe that is part of the official Aldeias do Xisto network of stores and restaurants the shop sells a small selection of foodstuffs – jams but what catches our eye is a glass case displaying six different types of local sweets We quickly become fans of pastéis de Alvites Just up the road is the village of Cerdeira, where nearly all the schist houses that tumble down the 700 meter-high mountaintop are part of the Cerdeira – Home for Creativity, an arts-based community that offers residencies, a school and gallery, in addition to accommodation. There’s also a garden, and the Planta do Xisto initiative is the source of many of the edible products sold at the Aldeias do Xisto shops In the opposite direction via a windy mountain road, Talasnal is arguably the schist village with the most to offer in terms of food and drink. In addition to an Aldeias do Xisto-recognized shop/cafe, which sells the usual selection of local items – including talasnicos, the village’s signature sweet, a mix of chestnuts, almonds, honey and lemon zest – there’s the bar O Curral A whimsically tiny door here opens to a museum-like space filled with old bottles and antique knickknacks including platters that revolve around local preserved meats and cheeses but a highlight is the more than 16 different types of local liqueurs We try one made from acorns – a ubiquitous ingredient in the region – which has a sweet flavor and a hazelnut-like aroma Talasnal is also home to Ti Lena a restaurant named after one of the village’s last two inhabitants and with a menu that spans just three dishes – salt cod escorts us to the restaurant’s only outdoor table a tiny balcony overlooking the village’s tiled rooftops and the valley beyond (“The best seat in the house”) and sheep’s milk cheese and a jug of local wine served in a clay vessel seemingly deep enough to swim in Lisette uses red rather than white wine as per the village tradition but we encounter a dried chili in the dish so I use a few things that locals don’t,” explains the native of Mozambique To see the full scope of Aldeias do Xisto, we take several side trips. In the Serra do Açor, in the eastern part of the region, we visit Aldeia das Dez, one of the more cosmopolitan-feeling schist villages. There, Restaurante João Brandão provides a welcome respite from massive servings of goat via a relatively dainty dish of salt cod baked with a cornmeal crust and at a tiny shop/cafe in the village center almost merengue-like sweets that combine cornmeal It’s also in Aldeia das Dez that we take advantage of one of the region’s simplest culinary pleasures “It’s cold – like it came from the refrigerator!” says a woman who’s filling up bottles at the town’s fountain drinking from the tap and filling our water bottles with the cool mountain mineral water something we’ll do at every subsequent Aldeia do Xisto that we visit This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.  My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts A firefighter from the Spanish military emergency unit battles with flames in Vilamarin in Galicia, Spain on Oct. 14. The Portuguese minister in charge of emergency services resigned Wednesday after 106 people were killed in unprecedented wildfires this year in the Iberian nation. The European Union's Emergency Management Service, meanwhile, says the area burned by wildfires this year in Portugal is the largest on record for the nation, more than six times the annual average for the last eight years. A man attempts to subdue wildfire flames in Vigo, northwestern Spain on Oct. 15. Flames threaten a small chapel in Moinhos village, Lousa, Portugal on Oct. 15. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in Moinhos, Portugal on Oct. 15. Portuguese authorities reported that almost all major wildfires were out by Tuesday morning. Some 2,700 firefighters were deployed to prevent re-ignitions in the country's smoldering forests. A house burns in Moinhos village, Portugal on Oct. 15. A resident fights a wildfire in Vila Nova de Poiares, Lousa, Portugal on Oct. 15. Emergency services battle a forest fire in Chandebrito village, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain on Oct. 15. A wild horse grazes close to a forest fire in Cures parish, in Boiro, Galicia on Oct. 15. A firefighter kneels on the ground during a fire in Vila Nova de Poiares, Lousa, Portugal on Oct. 15. A villager checks a burnt area in Soutomaior in Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain on Oct. 16. A burnt sculpture is seen in As Neves, Galicia near the border with Portugal on Oct. 16. A man fights a wildfire in Vieira de Leiria, Marinha Grande, central Portugal on Oct. 16. Investigations were underway to find the cause of the late-season wave of hundreds of forest fires, which Iberian officials blamed mostly on arsonists and freak weather conditions. Temperatures on the Iberian Peninsula exceeded 86 Fahrenheit over the weekend and the area was raked by high winds as Hurricane Ophelia churned past in the Atlantic. Residents hold their pets as a wildfire moves toward their houses in As Neves, Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain on Oct. 16. A woman covers her face to protect herself from the smoke as fires burn in As Neves, Galicia, Spain on Oct. 16. Smoke rises from a wildfire close to a house in Nigran, Galicia, Spain on Oct. 16. A firefighter stares out at flames from a forest fire in Cabanoes, near Lousa, Portugal on Oct. 16. Firefighters try to extinguish a fire in Cabanoes near Louzan in Portugal on Oct. 16. Men gather cattle during a forest fire in Vieira de Leiria, Marinha Grande, Portugal on Oct. 16. Burnt vehicles sit in a garage in Miro, near Penacova, Portugal on Oct. 17. Farmers walk their livestock on a mountain road past burnt vegetation in San Martin de Cereixedo, Cervantes, Galicia, northern Spain on Oct. 17. A property is burnt in the village of Travanca do Mondego in the Coimbra region of Portugal on Oct. 17, 2017. A woman walks through the burnt forest in Vila Nova, near Vouzela, Portugal on Oct. 17. A tree burns near Vouzela in the Viseu region of Portugal on Oct. 17. The Public Ministry opened an investigation following the clear-cutting of trees that occurred in the Lousã mountain range and which led to criticism from environmental associations and the City Council, revealed the Attorney General's Office (PGR) “The investigation is ongoing and there are no defendants,” an official PGR source told Lusa this investigation “investigates facts that may be part of the crime of qualified theft” the Chamber of Lousã filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office against a logging company for alleged illegal cutting of municipal trees in the village of Silveira seven environmental associations criticized which “reveal chronic nature conservation problems” in the country warned: “of the consequences of weak nature conservation policies in Portugal evident this time in the case of the clear-cutting of trees in the Lousã mountain range in the middle of the National Ecological Reserve and Natura 2000 Network” The company responsible for the cuts stated that the entire procedure was legal and denied that any rules had been violated explained that the company did not commit any illegality during the operation The cutting began at the beginning of October and the company was expected to cut “between 24 and 25 hectares” of land with eucalyptus having chosen to suspend the operation “almost two weeks ago” the wood that was cut “was purchased from another company noting that he has the contract and invoice for such transactions in his possession the company's managing partner explained that no trees were cut down by the municipality when the cut area overlapped with the area that the municipality claimed to be its own it was found that the company did not he had cut down “a single tree on the ground” of the Chamber Regarding the cutting on another owner's land António Bandeira explained that the right to cut wood was sold The first World Cup of 2020 looks set to be the first international mountain bike race postponed due to the spread of COVID-19 The downhill World Cup was set to take place next week Local officials in Lousã have published a statement outlining measures it is taking to combat COVID-19 The downhill World Cup is named on the municipalities list of events cancelled in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus While the UCI has not yet commented specifically on the status of the Lousã World Cup, cycling’s governing body did issue a general statement on coronavirus on March 4 In its statement the UCI defers to local health organizations saying that “Any possible decision to cancel will be taken by the health authorities in the concerned regions.” Further “The organizers and all members of the cycling family will be obliged to comply to any such decision.” UPDATE: On March 11, the UCI confirmed the cancellation of World Cup DH#1 scheduled to take place in Lousã “The UCI fully supports the decision taken by the Lousã local authorities and the Montanha Clube to reschedule the event based on the instructions made on 10 March by the Portuguese public health authorities,” reads the statement the UCI and organizing committee will work together to find a new date for the race and with the Mayor of Lousã listing the World Cup among the town’s cancelled events it seems unlikely that the first World Cup DH will go ahead as scheduled There is no news yet when the UCI will attempt to reschedule the Lousã round of World Cup downhill racing While riders and fans are still waiting for official confirmation from the UCI or race organizers, SingletrackWorld reports racers already in Portugal are confirming the postponement RELATED: Live blog: How coronavirus is affecting cycling right now Last week, Sea Otter Classic organizers announced the 2020 show, North America’s biggest mountain bike event, would be postponed to a later date. New dates for Sea Otter Classic have not yet been released. Sea Otter Canada is set to go ahead as scheduled. A post shared by Dean Lucas (@deanos_mykonos) “Following a meeting held today with representatives of different members of the cycling family – teams the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) specifies the following on the subject of the next events on its calendar given the current pneumonia epidemic (Covid-19) linked to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) The decision has been taken not to proceed with the cancellation of any events at this stage Any possible decision to cancel will be taken by the health authorities in the concerned regions depending on the evolution of the local situation and different risk factors identified The organisers and all members of the cycling family will be obliged to comply to any such decision it has been decided that each organiser must take a certain number of measures with the aim of limiting to a maximum the risk of the coronavirus spreading further These include increasing the distance between the public and riders particularly in the start and finish zones; respecting a strict medical protocol but in any case including a process for dealing with suspected cases and the provision of a detailed map of establishments capable of carrying out diagnostic tests for the coronavirus; limiting the number of teams staying in each hotel; respecting certain hygiene measures for example avoiding the use of the same pen by riders signing in at the beginning of the race to refuse the participation of certain teams or if teams find themselves unable to take part in an event for a valid reason either financially or when their sporting results are considered in particular when it comes to evaluating their UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam status If the evolution of the situation were to justify other measures which is permanently following the situation and remains in contact with all stakeholders via an ad hoc group The UCI reiterates that the measures undertaken aim to reduce the risk of infection among riders the public and any other person involved in cycling in order to avoid contributing to the spread of the coronavirus worldwide The UCI will write to each of cycling’s different groups – teams organisers and National Federations – with details of measures taken and the procedure to follow The UCI would like to thank the members of the cycling family for their contribution to this fight against the spreading of the coronavirus and calls for the unity of all parties The same principles will be applied for all events on the UCI International Calendar Get the digital edition of Canadian Cycling Magazine Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sunday saw a thrilling conclusion to the 2020 World Cup season on a fast A tight points race played out in the women’s field while unexpected rain wreaked havoc on the elite men’s overall standings Watch the two final winning runs of 2020 below World Cup’s short but sensational season is over just as it was getting good. If you want more racing, watch Minnaar and Nicole’s winning runs from World Cup #3 on Friday Lousã delivered a thrilling final weekend of World Cup racing wrapping up in style a season that almost didn’t happen it was four days of excitement in Portugal The doubleheader downhill weekend was the World Cup’s first visit to Lousã It all came together for a thrilling weekend both notched their first wins of the new season And Tracey Hannah raced her final World Cup of a long and storied career Catch up with all the action from the Elite races with full highlights from each race below If that’s not enough excitement for you, watch the full winning runs from both rounds. Minnaar and Nicole’s Round 3 wins as well as Bruni and Cabirou’s final round victories Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The Mondego MetroBus (MMS) project will convert an old railway line into a route for electric buses connecting the city of Coimbra in Portugal with the municipalities of Lousã and Miranda do Corvo The introduction of environmentally friendly public transport will help reduce congestion The aim is to combine the capacity and speed of a light rail system with the flexibility lower cost and simplicity of a bus rapid transit system The 41.9 km route will ensure a seamless connection between Lousã and Miranda do Corvo Coimbra University’s maternity and paediatrics hospitals the Coimbra Portuguese Oncology Institute and the University of Coimbra residents in Lousã and Miranda do Corvo had to rely heavily on their cars to get around This mode of transport represents up to 70 % of their mobility options a bus service links Serpins and Portagem in the centre of Coimbra congestion on roads and the lack of standardised ticketing system make the buses unreliable and unappealing to use The project will be divided into three sections: between the Alto de São João district in the south of Coimbra and the village of Serpins (about 25 km); between the Coimbra B train station and Alto de São João (about 7 km); and the line connecting the hospitals in the northern part of the city Converting the railway into road infrastructure for buses will include installing road signs and traffic lights Seven roundabouts will be built near the terminal stations to allow buses to turn vehicle crossings – including a multi-level one –  bridges and tunnels will be constructed Telematics and telecommunications systems will be installed Vehicles and a battery charging system will also be provided MMS will ensure a multimodal public transport system with a single tariff and ticketing system It is estimated that 13 million people per year will use the new buses resulting in a significant reduction in car use the first year of the project’s operation MMS will save 2 572 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in energy and reduce CO2 emissions by 18 907 tonnes The introduction of sustainable urban mobility should contribute to the area’s attractiveness for both residents and tourists an efficient transport link between Coimbra and areas to the south-east will encourage social and economic integration between the city centre and the periphery The MMS project is part of the Programme for Sustainability and Efficient Use of Resources (POSEUR) specifically its objectives of achieving sustainable growth and a low-carbon economy Total investment for the project “Mondego Mobility System (MMS) - Deployment of a MetroBus System” is EUR 215 329 774 with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 60 000 000 through the “Sustainability and Resource Use Efficiency” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period The investment falls under the priority “Supporting the transition to a low carbon economy in all sectors” Estrutura com a natureza jurídica de estrutura de missão criada pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 137/ 2014 de 12 de setembro What’s the fastest way down a mountain Red Bull Rampage winner and world class freerider faces off against World Rally Championship driver Dani Sordo in Fast Encounter Sordo’s 300-plush bhp Hyundai Motorsport rally car has the clear advantage in top-end speed but Lacondeguy finds a more direct rouge down Lousã the premise is the perfect set up for a road gap It just might not be the one you’re expecting Lousã registered the highest maximum temperature in Portugal yesterday (13 July)