The Tâmega river, running through the heart of this city, perfectly sets off the picturesque rows of houses on either bank as the impressive Marão hills rise in the background. It is not known when Amarante was founded. One story tells that a Roman centurion named Amarantus was responsible. What is certain is that in the 13th century, a monk already famed as a saint, St. Gonçalo, arrived here on returning from Jerusalem. He was to become the city s patron saint and a great confessor to local unattached ladies. Take a seat on a riverside terrace, shaded by the green of willows and alders and tuck into the famous and irresistible Amarante sweets, including the rich, eggy papos de anjo , brisas do Tâmega or bolinhos de S. Gonçalo . Then look out over the highly photogenic granite bridge, a masterpiece of Baroque civil engineering. Mid-way circular balcony benches were provided to allow people to sit and contemplate the city and the river running beneath. Take a seat and watch the gulls and canoes drift by. You ll also notice the church and convent of St. Gonçalo, an imposing construction that demands your attention. Within it lies St. Gonçalo, the patron saint of weddings. His tomb, sculpted in limestone, is a masterpiece in miniature. Also on the must-see list is the Museum of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, a friend of the painter Modigliani and himself a pioneering genius of modern art. And as for the surrounding natural environment, take to the hills for walking, golf, freshwater fishing or a visit to villages where the rural traditions still reign.
Amarante is a city that belongs to the Porto district (Oporto), old Douro Litoral province, future region of Entre Douro e Minho. The municipality has 299,3 sq. km of area and nearly 58 900 inhabitants distributed amongst 40 communes (nearly 1% of the portuguese communes are in this municipality).
