Amarante
Tâmega e Sousa
Porto District

Districts of Portugal

In the Tâmega e Sousa region, located 62 km northeast of the city of Porto. The emblematic São Gonçalo Bridge, the Convent and Church of São Domingos, as well as the gastronomy, are the highlights of Amarante.

Guide to Portugal

A Little History

The city of Amarante became known thanks to the figure of Saint Gonçalo, who traveled to the Holy Land and Rome.
In fact, he was blessed; but it was with his arrival that Amarante became the scene of many pilgrimages and became better known in the north and the rest of the country. It was on the initiative of Saint Gonçalo (1187-1259) that the bridge over the Tâmega River was built.

Born in Guimarães (Lower Minho), Saint Gonçalo died and was buried in Amarante.

During the Napoleonic invasions (the French invasions of 1807-1814) the city was largely destroyed. But the population of Amarante resisted bravely. The Solar dos Magalhães became a symbol of Amarante's resistance to the French invader.

Land of Saint Gonçalo

Amarante, crossed by the Tâmega River, is the land of Saint Gonçalo (to whom a church was erected) and of the Vinhos Verdes wines. In fact, he was a blessed man; but it was with his arrival that Amarante became the scene of many pilgrimages and became better known in the north and the rest of the country.

It was on the initiative of Saint Gonçalo (1187-1259) that the bridge over the Tâmega River was built. Born in Guimarães (Lower Minho), Saint Gonçalo died and was buried in Amarante.

Location

The municipality of Amarante is located in the Porto District, Tâmega e Sousa sub-region, in the former Douro Litoral (now the Northern Region of Portugal).

The city of Amarante is located between the city of Porto, the capital of Northern Portugal, and the city of Vila Real, the capital of the Douro Wine Region.

From Porto to Amarante it is approximately 62 km, which takes about 1 hour by car.
From Lisbon, it is 362 km (about 3h30 by road).





The municipality of Amarante borders, to the north, the municipality of Celorico de Basto, to the northeast with Mondim de Basto, to the east with Vila Real and Santa Marta de Penaguião, south with Baião, Marco de Canaveses and Penafiel, to the west with Lousada and to the northwest with Felgueiras.

Tâmega e Sousa Community

Along with twelve other municipalities, Amarante is part of the CIM (Intermunicipal Community) of Tâmega e Sousa.
This community has more than half a million inhabitants.

Serra do Marão

In Amarante lies one of the highest mountain ranges in Portugal, the Serra do Marão, whose peaks reach 1,415 meters in altitude.

Attractions and Discoveries

Amarante is the land of Saint Gonçalo, to whom a monastery was built and dedicated in the 16th century, by order of King John III: the Monastery of Saint Gonçalo.

There are many other attractions and discoveries to see (monasteries, medieval churches) and to do in Amarante: visit wineries and farms, savor the delicious local cuisine and, above all, taste the incredible Vinho Verde DOC Amarante wines.

Amarante: Unmissable
The iconic São Gonçalo Bridge, the Convent and Church of São Domingos, as well as the gastronomy are the highlights of Amarante.

Learn more: What to see in Amarante

Land of Good Wine

In Amarante, in addition to the traditional and typical cuisine of the north, green wines of good quality, especially the very famous red wines, made with the Vinhão grape variety.

Amarante, with an exceptional terroir, is one of the 9 sub-regions of the Vinho Verde DOC.

Learn more here

Besides the original and traditional Vinho Verde (white), in Amarante "you can find a varied range of wine products. In addition to white, red or rosé Vinho Verde, you can also enjoy sparkling wines, late harvests and even wine-based spirits".
[Amarante Tourism]

Saint Gonçalo Festival

One of the city's biggest festivals, the Saint Gonçalo Festival, takes place in June.

Parishes of Amarante

The following are the 26 parishes of the municipality of Amarante