Less than 1 hour by car from Porto, Amarante is the perfect city for a weekend or a day well spent. It offers amazing restaurants, a very cute historic centre and incredible views over the Tâmega river. Amarante is indeed unbelievable. So I leave you my tips on what to visit in Amarante.
What is the best time of year to visit Amarante?
Amarante is a city worth visiting at any time of the year. Summers are usually very hot and winters are colder, so the ideal time of year to visit Amarante is April to June and September and October.
However, if you can only visit the city at another time of the year, I still recommend a visit!
How many days do you need to visit Amarante?
Amarante is a small city and, this way, 1 day in town is enough to get to know its main points of interest. However, I give my usual advice: to enjoy the city at a slower pace, two days might be a better option 🥰.
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Accommodation in Amarante
About 20 minutes by car from the historical centre of the city, we have Monverde – Wine Experience Hotel. As the name implies, this hotel is perfect for wine lovers. Firstly, the hotel’s facilities are surrounded by vineyards. Secondly, the hotel offers some wine-tasting experiences for those interested.
The conditions offered by the hotel are ideal for a relaxed weekend: from a swimming pool to take a dip, to a spa service or even a bar for a late afternoon drink.
The rooms and their entrance area are simply lovely. Nothing better than a photo to prove it! Furthermore, the rooms are spacious and have plenty of natural light.
Finally, the breakfast had a huge variety and quality products and was offered as a buffet.
However, although I loved this hotel, there are other options available in the city such as:
What to visit in Amarante?
» São Gonçalo Bridge
Considered a National Monument, this bridge is clearly the city’s trademark. Built over the Tâmega river, this bridge offers spectacular views of the river and of all the colourful houses on the river banks.
» São Gonçalo Convent and Church
Crossing the bridge, we arrive at São Gonçalo Convent and Church – a truly imposing work. Take the opportunity to peek inside.
» Tâmega River Park
From the river bank where São Gonçalo Convent is located, it is possible to walk along a kind of small walkway by the river bank.
This walkway leads us to Tâmega River Park. Take time to enjoy the walk and take some photos along the way.
» Streets of Amarante
It is not exactly a specific point of interest, but the truth is that Amarante is full of cute streets and very photogenic houses. So, let yourselves get lost in them… I guarantee you that you won’t regret it!
» Amadeo de Souza Cardoso Museum
Resulting of the conversion of an old convent, you can find both temporary and permanent exhibitions here. The name of this museum is a tribute to one of the best-known painters from Amarante – Amadeo de Souza Cardoso.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The ticket to visit the museum costs 4€. Visiting times vary depending on the time of year, so I suggest you check the most up-to-date information here.
Restaurants in Amarante
- Zé da Calçada (€€): With a kind of terrace overlooking the Tâmega river, this traditional restaurant offers excellent service, but, above all, very well-prepared dishes. Although “cabrito” is one of its most well-known dishes, I tried the octopus fillets. Simply divine!
- Pobre Tolo (€€): great space with individual doses of many traditional dishes. There are many options on the menu, but we opted again for the octopus “à lagareiro”. The desserts were also delicious… especially the tiramisu!
- Confeitaria da Ponte (€): this is the ideal place to taste some of Amarante’s traditional sweets. It won’t be easy to choose which ones to taste… Besides, the view from the pastry shop terrace is worthy of a postcard.
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