2012 FOZTUA International Conference
RAILROADS IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT
CONSTRUCTION, COSTS AND CONSEQUENCES
Foz Tua, 5-6-7 October
Foz Tua, Tua Valley, Alto Douro, Portugal
MEETINGS
Meetings will be in the house of Quinta do Tua (aka Quinta dos Ingleses), courtesy of Symington group (seehttp://www.symington.com; see also here), present owner of the estate. It used to be Cockburns and Smiths "quinta" (Port wine estate), also known locally as "Quinta dos Ingleses" ("English family estate"), until recently acquired by Symington. This is the best house in the small village of Foz Tua, bordered by Douro and Tua rivers and rail lines, and a few hundred meters from the new dam under construction. Mario Soares, previous President of Republic, stayed in this house during his last oficial visit to Carrazeda de Ansiães (middle 80's). It was also an house owned by Dona Antonia Ferreira, may be the most influential name in the Port Wine industry, exactly during end 1900's, when Tua line opened (and philoxera was devastating the wineards). Then she owned most of properties around Foz Tua, both sides of Douro river. Later she lived in Quinta do Vesuvio, an estate around 20 kms from Foz Tua, along Douro river and line, direction Pocinho (seehttp://www.quintadovesuvio.com, this estate is now also owned by Symington group).
HOTELS
Room capacity around Foz Tua is limited. Few hotels and B&Bs are available around Foz Tua, so we need to disperse people by different sites at short distance (max 20 minutes). Of course, we will provide local transportation, as needed.
In Foz Tua there is a small nice hotel, Casa do Tua, just across the station. We have fully booked it during the workshop weekend. Free wireless intranet and swimming pool over Douro river.
Some rooms are also available and booked in Calça Curta, a well known local and popular restaurant just across the station and very close (less than one hundred meters) from Casa do Tua hotel.
Both Casa do Tua and Calça Curta are at walking distance from Symingtom house (a few hundred meters).
Some people will stay again in Tralhariz, a vey close village, but around four hundreds meters higher in altitude (arond 10 to 15 minutes by road). A nice, but small, old house - Casal de Tralhariz - will be used to host some people. See also here.
Other people will stay in Alijó (20 minutes from Foz Tua, by road across the works of the new dam), where there are several small hotels.