Cinfães

Cinfães has 17 parishes with an area of over 243 square kilometres and 25,000 inhabitants. It is located on the left bank of the Douro River and on one side of the Montemuro mountains. There is fishing, hunting and water sports here especially in the Carrapatelo lagoon.

Prehistoric man lived here; there are archaeological vestiges and sites. In 1513 King Manuel gave a charter to this town. Egas Moniz used to be the squire here and King Afonso Henriques spent his early years here with him. Agriculture is the principal source of income: Sparkling wine, corn and fruits. The local cuisine is varied and the crafts are still used in day to day life, such as baskets, grape baskets, clogs and straw hats. Cinfães has managed to preserve some of the best buildings despite some confusion.

Situated between the banks of the River Douro and the Serra de Montemuro, it was here that the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, was brought up by his tutor D. Egas Moniz, who was the lord of this region in the twelfth century. The region is very cool and green, and there are several beaches along the river close to the Carrapatelo dam, ideal for those who enjoy water sports. Everywhere there are traces to be found of the region s occupation in prehistoric times, whilst the Romanesque period can be appreciated in the churches of Escamarão and Santa Maria Maior at Tarouquela.