Porto's Powerful Women on International Women's Day!

'Mulheres do Norte'

For the uninitiated, "mulher do Norte" isn't just a fancy geographical term. It's a badge of honor worn by the strong, witty, and frankly, badass women who hail from Portugal's northern region.

We selected 3 of the most iconic women Porto and the region has ever seen: Antonia, Rosa and Sophia. A Businesswoman, an Athlete and a Poet. Forget damsels in distress, these ladies were the architects of their own destinies, and their stories are definitely more inspiring than a motivational quote plastered on a mug!

First up, we have Antonia Adelaide Ferreira.

This woman wasn't a socialite sipping Port on the Douro, she was running the show! In a time when business was a man's world, Antonia built herself a wine empire, becoming a major player in the Douro Valley in the late 19th century.

Despite having aristocratic origins, her start of adult life didn't look too promising: her father married her to a cousin - a bon-vivant who was not interested in the family's culture and ended up squandering much of the fortune. 

In a twist of fate however, she became a widow at 33 years old, and this precocious widowhood actually awakened her true vocation as a businesswoman.

Quinta do Vesuvio, in the upper Douro. One of most iconic estates of the 30 owned by Antonia.

During her life, Antonia Adelaide Ferreira fought against the lack of support from successive governments. In the 1870's, when phylloxera hit hard in the Douro Valley and many farmers and land owners had just given up, she was enduring the fight against this devastating vine disease, having made a few trips abroad to obtain information on the most modern and effective means of combating this plague, as well as more sophisticated wine production processes.

Antonia's small palace in central Porto, late 1800's, a symbol of her success. This building does no longer exist.

Ferreirinha, as she was affectionately known, also cared about the families of the workers on her land and wineries, having supported the building of schools and medical facilities in the remote areas of the Douro. When she died in 1896, she left a considerable fortune and nearly thirty (30!) estates.

From the Douro to the world, the legend of her tenacity and kindness passed on.

And get this: the upcoming slender new Metro bridge connecting Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia will bear her name! So, the next time you're crossing the Douro River, remember this trailblazing woman :)

D. Antonia Ferreira future bridge. Rendering images: credits - Metro do Porto

Next up: Rosa Mota. Need we say more?

Let's lace up our running shoes and talk about this golden girl of marathons, a living legend. 

The first ever women's marathon was held at a major championship was in Athens, 1982, and guess who won? Rosa!  Los Angeles'84 Olympic marathon? Rosa got a bronze medal. Seoul's Olympics, 1988? Gold medal around Rosa's neck! 3-times Boston Marathon champion? Also Rosa. 

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But here's the kicker: this wonder woman recently hopped back on the track (at 65!) and is SMASHING half-marathon world records in her age group - her own records, by the way! Only 5 months separated her previous 1:26:05 in Riga and her current 1:24:27, in Barcelona, this February.

Talk about defying expectations.

Rosa is the living proof that age ain't nothing but a number, especially when you've got the stamina of a superhero. Her dedication and perseverance are an inspiration to us all, proving that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, no matter the wrinkles.

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Recently renovated, Super Bock Arena had a previous designation: Pavilhao Rosa Mota. We do think the city should bring back the old name of our green dome - the world doesn't actually need more Super Bock (beer), it needs to honour inspirational people!

If you're curious about her life, you can read more about Rosa in a previous post > https://www.portorunningtours.com/blog/see-that-green-dome

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And lastly, we have Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen.

Porto's very own literary lioness. Born in Porto, she was a poet who could craft delicate verses with the same finesse (and irony) she used to argue with the conservative regime supporters, some of them in her own family.  Sophia was a bright person with a fierce political conscience. This woman wasn't afraid to speak truth to power. Under Salazar's dictatorship, she used her poetry writing to subtly promote freedom and critical thinking.

In a time of tight restrictions on the daily press, even some books faced censorship, particularly prose works. However, poetry seemed to escape the censors' watchful eyes. They believed poetry held little public interest, assuming new releases wouldn't generate much attention.

Sophia, in one of her poems, compared Salazar to an 'old and wise vulture' that 'enjoys the rot', stating that 'his speeches have the gift of making souls smaller'. A significant cultural lag was produced during the dictatorship years and Sophia was sad seeing how most of the Portuguese cultural elite was forced to live in exile.

When Portugal finally came out of the 'dark ages' of the 'Estado Novo' regime, Sophia wrote one of the most beautiful poems ever, a poetic ode to the April 25th revolution:

"This is the dawn I've been waiting for
The starting day, whole and clean
Where we emerge from the night and the silence
And free, we inhabit the substance of time"

Despite her elegant poems about Greek mythology and the sea, her favourite topics, Sophia wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in. After 1974, Sophia was involved in politics for some time, and even served as a member of the Portuguese national parliament.  All in all, Sophia was a delightful contradiction: a sensitive poet with an intelectual backbone of steel.

Imagine running along the Ribeira district to the sound of a podcast with Sophia's verses, and feeling the power of her words course through your veins...! Talk about an inspiring jog!

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A toast(with Port) to all 'mulheres do Norte'

These three remarkable women, the entrepreneur, the athlete, and the poet, perfectly embody the spirit of the "mulher do Norte". Witty, independent, and always up for a challenge, these northern Portuguese women are a force to be reckoned with. 

So, this International Women's Day, let's raise a glass (or two) to these Porto pioneer women, and all other amazing women who continue to inspire us today to keep up the fight for gender equality and women's rights!  

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And who knows, maybe Porto Running Tours will be offering a themed tour in their honour soon! We'll run past landmarks significant to these women, hear their stories come alive, and maybe even channel our inner Rosa Mota while burning some calories.

Stay tuned!

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