ALFAnord - Clube
Alfista de Portugal has celebrated 'Club Day', with a
large meeting of Alfa Romeo classic cars in Porto and
Gaia, two cities in the north of Portugal.
Following several
successful events in Portugal celebrating the 100th
anniversary of Alfa Romeo, organised both by ALFAnord
and Alfa Romeo Clube de Portugal (the two clubs catering
for Alfisti in Portugal), the former opened its
agenda for 2011 by planning an event that would keep up
with the thrill and the celebration spirit raised last
year.
Alfa Vintage
gathered about 90 people in 60 Alfa Romeo classic cars
from all over Portugal, featuring models such as 1900
Superleggera, Giulietta Sprint, Giulietta Ti, Giulietta
Spider, Giulia Ti, Giulia Spider 1600, 2600 Spider
Touring, 1750 Spider Duetto, several Bertone GT and GTV,
the four series of Spiders, 75, Alfetta, Alfetta GTV and
GTV6, 80’s Giulietta, several 'Boxers', 164s and a 155
Q4.
The event was filled with historic and cultural
references, combining the perfection and glamour of the
classics with the breathtaking historic landscapes of
Porto and Gaia. The day started with the gathering of
participants in the exact same spot where Grande Prémio
Histórico 2011 (2011 Historic Grand Prix) will take
place in a few days: the urban Circuit of Boavista in
Porto. Following the road next to the Atlantic Ocean,
the cars drove then along the river Douro through Foz
Velha and the historic Ribeira do Porto – awesome
scenery in a area that is considered a Unesco World
Heritage Site.
The participants then
crossed the famous bridge, Ponte de D. Luís, which links
both cities, in a delicious framing of history that
brought them back to the past. At the Douro riverside
docks, the Alfa Romeos were parked and exhibited to the
public. Watching 60 classic Alfa Romeo cars in 'concours'
condition, in such a picturesque square, was an
unforgettable, thrilling and unique moment. The
passers-by could not walk past without noticing them,
taking pictures and commenting. Everyone wanted a
souvenir and a little bit of that day.
Before lunch, the
participants joined a guided tour of the Porto Ferreira
wine cellar and of its museum, in another precious
moment of historic and cultural interest (including
tasting the famous Port wine). Afterwards, they headed
to a restaurant – Dom Porto – next to the Alfa showroom.
It was a meal full of tasty ingredients: both the
exquisite traditional Portuguese food and the friendly
interaction among people who shared the same spirit – a
dedication to Alfa Romeo. The exchanging of experiences
and the healthy chatting continued for a few hours, next
to the “bellas machinas”, in a tribute to the leitmotiv
of the whole event.
