Living Travel - Amarante
and on the road, Amarante to Guarda, Portugal
A settlement since the 4th century BC, Amarante is situated in the rich agricultural lands of the Minho region, the northern section of the country which is responsible for the grapes of the vinho verde, the young semi-sparkling ‘green’ wine unique to Portugal. The river Tâmega runs through the town, and crossing this waterway is a striking arched bridge, the Ponte São Gonçalo. It is reputed to have helped local heroes fend off a French attack in the early 19th century. Nowadays cafes and restaurants make the most of their riverside location. Buried in the chapel of a church and monastery now bearing his name, São Gonçalo is the saint most strongly attached to the town. Born here in the 1100s, his ability to heal the sick earned him his special status.
We enter the town of Amarante across the medieval bridge virtually straight into the courtyard of the Church of St Goncalo
The 18th century bridge across the Tamega River replaced an earlier bridge which collapsed in floods
On the road , Amarante to Guarda
