Amarante
Discover Amarante
Amarante is a beautiful city in Northern Portugal, and a popular pilgrimage destination. Amarante sits on a hill overlooking the bucolic river Tamega. In the distance stands the gorgeous mountain, serra do Marão. Amarante (uh-muh-RUHN-t(ih), /ɐ.mɐ.ˈɾɐ̃.tɨ/) has a city population of over 11,000 (2011), with over 56,000 residents in the entire municipality. Since 2017, it has been a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for music.
What to Experience in Amarante
Taste of Amarante...
The geographical location of the city, between the Minho/Douro Litoral and the Trás-os-Montes (although officially belonging to the Douro Litoral) directly influenced the Amarantine gastronomy, which contains characteristics of all these provinces. Nowadays, the Amarantine cuisine is based on hypercaloric dishes (bad destination if you are making a fortune or if you are vegetarian) such as the mountain goat, the arouquesa and maronesa veal, the feijoada, the tripe, the Portuguese stew, the cod, etc. Particularly famous is the codfish from Zé da Calçada and Custódia, which were once the two most important restaurants in the city, vying for customers and trying to present the best cod. (Custody cod is no longer known by that name). Also common is chicken rice, whose main ingredients are chicken, rice and chicken blood. Amarantine sweets are also famous, namely egg sweets, which combine very well with Douro wine, produced not far from the city. Throughout the city, you can see pastries filled with delicious sweets, such as the papos-de-Anjo, the rockets, the lilies and the breezes of Tâmega. Also on the edge of the monastery, on small stands you can find typical sweets from the region, including phallic sweets, which (supposedly) serve to encourage young people to seek love, The city is full of cafes and pastries filled with delicious sweets typical of the region.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Amarante.
There are no shopping centres in Amarante. These are your options. The geographical location of the city, between the Minho/Douro Litoral and the Trás-os-Montes (although officially belonging to the Douro Litoral) directly influenced the Amarantine gastronomy, which contains characteristics of all these provinces. Nowadays, the Amarantine cuisine is based on hypercaloric dishes (bad destination if you are making a fortune or if you are vegetarian) such as the mountain goat, the arouquesa and maronesa veal, the feijoada, the tripe, the Portuguese stew, the cod, etc. Particularly famous is the codfish from Zé da Calçada and Custódia, which were once the two most important restaurants in the city, vying for customers and trying to present the best cod. (Custody cod is no longer known by that name). Also common is chicken rice, whose main ingredients are chicken, rice and chicken blood.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe most convenient airports for Amarante are (in order of distance): The bus station is about 3 minutes from the city centre. There are buses arriving from various destinations across the country and departing for as many. Twice a day, every week, Rodo-norte (☏ +351 259 340 710) operates a bus service between Lisbon and Amarante, one at 11:00 and the other at 18:00, for the price of €18. In addition to these buses, Rodonorte also has buses from Porto (5 times a day, at 07:00, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00 and 21:20; price: €6.40) and Viana do Castelo (Monday to Friday, at 08:30); price €10.80), among other destinations. See the website for more information. The best way to drive to Amarante is using the A4 motorway if you are coming from Porto or the IP4 Expressway if you are coming from the north or Spain. Just take any exit towards Amarante and you will be 5 min from the city centre. The city is about 1 hour from Porto and 5 hours from Lisbon....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Amarante is a small town and you can easily see all its monuments on foot - in addition, cars cannot enter most streets in the historic centre, and you can see the city much better on foot. Driving is a bad idea in Amarante. At some times of the year, Amarante is invaded by visitors, who fill the streets, creating an impossible traffic, and occupy the car parks, of which there are only a few. Nor is it necessary to take the car, as the city is so small that it can be covered entirely on foot. There are no shopping centres in Amarante. These are your options. The geographical location of the city, between the Minho/Douro Litoral and the Trás-os-Montes (although officially belonging to the Douro Litoral) directly influenced the Amarantine gastronomy, which contains characteristics of all these provinces.
Money & Budget
There are no shopping centres in Amarante. These are your options. The geographical location of the city, between the Minho/Douro Litoral and the Trás-os-Montes (although officially belonging to the Douro Litoral) directly influenced the Amarantine gastronomy, which contains characteristics of all these provinces. Nowadays, the Amarantine cuisine is based on hypercaloric dishes (bad destination if you are making a fortune or if you are vegetarian) such as the mountain goat, the arouquesa and maronesa veal, the feijoada, the tripe, the Portuguese stew, the cod, etc. Particularly famous is the codfish from Zé da Calçada and Custódia, which were once the two most important restaurants in the city, vying for customers and trying to present the best cod.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Amarante
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a person in a small boat under a bridge
brown short coated dog lying on gray sand
a church steeple with a cross on top
r e s p i r e
A beautiful mallard duck glides calmly across the reflective blue waters of the river in Amarante, Portugal. Surrounded by natural colors and peaceful scenery, this serene moment in nature showcases wildlife in its purest form. A perfect symbol of peace and simplicity.
This scenic view from the charming town of Amarante, Portugal, features the iconic stone bridge and a historic church reflected in the calm river waters. A perfect blend of architecture and nature, this European travel destination captures cultural beauty, tranquility, and timeless history.
This scenic view from the charming town of Amarante, Portugal, features the iconic stone bridge and a historic church reflected in the calm river waters. A perfect blend of architecture and nature, this European travel destination captures cultural beauty, tranquility, and timeless history.
This scenic view from the charming town of Amarante, Portugal, features the iconic stone bridge and a historic church reflected in the calm river waters. A perfect blend of architecture and nature, this European travel destination captures cultural beauty, tranquility, and timeless history.
If you like my work and you'd like to support me, you can consider a donation: Paypal.me/rresenden
a person in a small boat under a bridge
brown short coated dog lying on gray sand
a church steeple with a cross on top