Amarante Granfondo 2024

Amarante Granfondo - an adventure in the Tâmega valley

On 13 October, Amarante will stage a double first in the context of major cycling events for everyone. Land of illustrious painters and writers to whom the country owes an important part of its cultural and artistic identity, the city will host the first edition of the Amarante Granfondo and, at the same time, will honour the winners of the Bikeservice Superprestige Trophy, as this will be the last event of the season. Cycling enthusiasts and practitioners have an intrinsic reference in Amarante. Whether it's because of the exceptional conditions that the region offers for practising the sport - not least those provided by the Tâmega Valley Ecotrail - or because of the memories of the cycling competitions with which the municipality has associated itself, a prime example of which is the Amarante Classic.

There are many attractions for you to mark your presence at this promising granfondo. The city is the living portrait of an almost dreamlike landscape. Carved into the foothills of the Marão mountain range and crossed by the River Tâmega, the church of São Gonçalo and the cloister left over from the old Dominican convent form, along with the bridge over which fierce fighting took place during the second French invasion, a precious ensemble worthy of contemplation.

Just 45 minutes from Oporto and easily accessible from the A4 motorway, it is also home to the important Route of the Romanesque, which combines with excellent gastronomy and traditional convent and folk sweets. Also popular are the sons and daughters of the land who, through their arts and letters, have given Amarante a supranational dimension. Agustina Bessa-Luís, Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, Teixeira de Pascoaes, among other poets, novelists and painters, are some of the biggest names to have been born and/or lived in the region.

Amarante is therefore an unmissable destination for those looking to combine the pleasure of cycling with the ecstasy of travelling through some of the most breathtaking landscapes the country has to offer. If we add to this the cultural, heritage and environmental attractions, the Amarante Granfondo is an event you certainly don't want to miss.