With Lisbon and Porto ticked off my bucket list, I decided that the next time I travelled north, I would venture a little further afield. This was after the advice of several Portuguese friends, all of whom agreed that what makes the North stand out is the friendliness of the people, the traditional cuisine, and the quaintness of the towns and cities.
So, with this in mind, I took my mother on a little trip to discover what we were missing. We took the train from Tunes to Porto and then, from Campanhã station, the scenic bus journey to Amarante. The further into the hills we proceeded, the more the scenery reminded me of my youth in the mountains of Switzerland.
Amarante, literally translated, means the ‘flower that never fades’, and for us, this Romanesque ‘city’ situated on the river Tâmega was something of a fairytale that just kept on giving. At its heart are the picturesque Monastery and Church of Saint Gonçalo and the arch-shaped bridge, also bearing the saint’s name. It is rumoured that it was from this bridge that the inhabitants of Amarante repelled the invading French forces. This idyllic centre is surrounded by several cafes and restaurants, which serve up a sumptuous array of local delicacies, including sweets named os doces fálicos, or, in English, the phallic cakes! If the sweets gave rise to a smile, this was nothing in comparison to the sight of hundreds of pairs of underwear being hung from washing lines across the streets. Apparently, this was some sort of festival and it was obvious someone in Amarante definitely had a sense of humour!
If, at first glance, Amarante seems a little small to be classified as a city, we were pleasantly surprised at how much it has to offer. Along with some excellent vineyards, Amarante is featured as a stop for many of the wine tours originating from Porto. An excellent market is held twice a week, selling everything from fresh produce to local goodies. We were also lucky enough to arrive in the middle of the main Amarante music event, where the ambience rivalled anything I’ve attended in a major city. Such family-friendly festivals appear to be the norm, but should you wish for something a little more peaceful, there are numerous gardens and trails to explore and we felt right at home, dipping our toes in the Tâmega river, surrounded by the beaches and rock pools that were so picturesque they had me positively purring. To add to the attractions, in the centre of Amarante we discovered an outdoor municipal pool and there is also an aqua park, just a short drive away, great for family fun.
Nearby lies the Amarante golf course, surrounded by nature and glorious views. The course might not be long in distance, but there are plenty of interesting holes, and the scenery literally takes your breath away. On enquiring about the facilities in the club, the receptionist was so helpful she even offered to ring the club’s captain to show me around. Now, that was certainly a first.
Regarding places to stay, I can highly recommend the Casa das Lérias and the DesArts Guesthouse, both close to the centre and overlooking the river. The 3-star Casa das Lérias has recently been refurbished, and the rooms are all well-appointed. We opted for a ground-floor room, which was only a few steps from the outdoor pool. The nearby DesArts Guesthouse, also perfectly located, has extremely friendly staff and can’t be beaten in terms of value for money.
We enjoyed the food in Amarante, while the highlight of our stay came at the recommended Pena restaurant, just a short drive away from the city. We plumped for the Beef Wellington and duck breast, served with risotto. Both were full of flavour and cooked to perfection. Even my mother, who is the ‘queen’ of risotto, was suitably impressed. The pumpkin gateau, something I’d never tried before, would have to rank as one of my favourite desserts of all time. During our dinner, we also noticed an art/dinner workshop taking place and we found out from the amicable host that Pena’s mission is to promote the artistic legacy of the Portuguese painter Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, both through art and wine. All in all, it was an enlightening evening, with excellent food served in a magical setting.
Should you be looking to relocate to this area, I cannot recommend highly enough the services of Gil Duarte and Ana Cerqueira at Grupo Decisões e Soluções, estate agents. They were kind enough to show us the whole region and, as was the case with many of those we met in Amarante, we arrived as strangers but left as friends.
In conclusion, Amarante feels like time has stood still, but we couldn’t help but admire how whole generations thronged together and enjoyed each other’s company without a mobile or iPad in sight. To us, Amarante embraces the old with the new and shows us a world that leaves a smile on our faces.
David Woodward is a Hotelier and author of ‘Confessions of a Waiter.’
