Within the landscape nestled between the Freita and Montemuro mountains, in the southern inland of the AMP, traces of human occupation in the current territory of Arouca date back to time immemorial. However, it was with the foundation of the Monastery of Arouca, in the 10th century, that the territory became economically, politically and religiously relevant in the region, which accompanied the very formation and expansion of the Kingdom of Portugal.

While Arouca's imminently agricultural past is still very evident today in its economic, cultural and festive expressions, the area's attractiveness is increasingly sustained by tourism and activities surrounding the appreciation of cultural and natural heritage.

The Arouca Geopark, which is part of the UNESCO network, corresponds to the administrative area of the Municipality of Arouca itself, encompassing a significant range of cultural and natural resources, particularly its unmatched geological heritage.

The Monastery of Santa Maria de Arouca and the Museum of Sacred Art, the Paiva Walkways and the Paiva Suspension Bridge – 516 Arouca, the Municipal Walking Route Network, the Geosites Route and the Trilobites Museum are the main attractions of this territory, complemented by the excellence of local food, based on dishes made with the Arouca cattle and the Gralheira kid, as well as on regional and convent sweet food and the region's wine, the “vinho verde”.

Further information:

https://www.cm-arouca.pt/

Occupying the southern edge of the AMP coastline, Espinho is the seat of an urban municipality with a strong bathing tradition, whose origins are intertwined with the activities of communities closely linked to the sea.

The installation of the Espinho Municipal Museum - Espinho Art and Culture Forum in a former canning factory not only attests to the continuity of an economic past closely related to artisanal trawl fishing, called the “Xávega” Art, and to industrial fishing, but also confirms the commitment to cross the collective memory and cultural heritage with contemporary artistic creation and flow.

The CINANIMA - Espinho International Animated Film Festival, the FEST – New Directors, New Films Festival, the FIME - Espinho International Music Festival and the Mar-Marionetas - Espinho International Puppet Festival are just some of the most visible expressions of that continuity, forwarding the territory through culture. Traditional crafts and know-how include cooperage and violin making, highly recognised both inside and outside Portugal.

As a tourist destination, the privileged conditions for surfing, birdwatching in the Paramos Lagoon, the Espinho Casino, the oldest golf course in the Iberian Peninsula, the saltwater swimming pools and, naturally, the food based on Atlantic resources are also noteworthy.

Further information:

http://portal.cm-espinho.pt/pt/

Following the course of the Douro along 32 kilometres, Gondomar has a past marked by mining – first gold, in ancient times, and then coal, remaining the origin of practices, knowledge and traditions that reflect a deep relationship between human presence and the characteristics and resources of the territory, which is part of the Porto Mountains Park.

Goldsmithing and filigree are the most relevant expressions of Gondomar's identity. They have been, along with other woodworking trades, the territory's main economic activity in recent centuries, and are today the reason of its international recognition.

However, agriculture and river fishing have remained the mainstays of local economy for centuries, as evidenced by the various traditions and cultural heritage expressions, as well as by the strong dynamism of associations, now completed by other manifestations such as contemporary art and architecture, clearly represented by the Lugar do Desenho - Júlio Resende Foundation, designed by José Carlos Loureiro, or the Gondomar Multipurpose Pavilion, by Álvaro Siza.

The arguments for a visit to the municipality are not limited to the various routes, spaces and expressions of historical, architectural, food or industrial heritage, closely linked to goldsmithing and mining, but they also extend to the environmental value of the rivers, river beaches, mountains and nature trails.

Further information:

http://www.cm-gondomar.pt/

Based in the city of the same name, known for its strong business, industrial and cultural dynamism, the Municipality of Maia does not hide its roots, which pre-date Romanisation and accompany the formation of Portugal and its maritime expansion.

While rurality and the structuring of the territory around the main axes and communication routes arriving to or departing from Porto marked Maia's development for centuries, it has recently been forming a vibrant economic and technological ecosystem, which also benefits from the installation of large companies and of the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, along with the metropolitan public transport network and the proximity to the main road, rail and sea communication routes.

Maia's contemporary dynamism is also present in architecture, with works by Álvaro Siza, Souto Moura or Álvaro Rocha, which coexist with cultural heritage sites and museums, as well as countless expressions and manifestations of intangible heritage, worth visiting.

The area’s cultural life is also based on a network of venues and facilities, the Maia Forum being its epicentre, hosting major events such as the World Press Photo and various international festivals of performing and visual arts, such as the Maia Biennial of Contemporary Art.

Further information:

http://www.cm-maia.pt/

Bathed by the Atlantic, Matosinhos is now one of the largest cities in the AMP, recognised as synonymous with the sea, the beach, water sports, contemporary architecture, pilgrimages, great festivities, historical heritage and a strong cultural dynamic.

Following an economic past linked to sea and countryside activities, Matosinhos is home to the country's second largest artificial harbour, the Port of Leixões, which has benefited in recent years from the impressive Cruise Terminal, one of the region's main gateways.

Architecture is another of the municipality's hallmarks, being the birthplace of Álvaro Siza and where he designed his first works. Fernando Távora, Alcino Soutinho and Souto Moura are also leading figures in Matosinhos' urban ecosystem, which includes the House of Architecture.

Further inland, we find other unmissable heritage expressions, such as the Monastery of Leça de Balio, in close dialogue with some of the municipality's largest industrial and technological infrastructures introducing brands and services that are widespread in the country and around the world.

In addition to tourism, Matosinhos is also the centre of intense economic activity, accommodating two of the country's largest shopping centres and the Porto Business School, one of the best in Portugal and Europe.

Further information:

https://www.cm-matosinhos.pt/

The municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis is located on the southern edge of the AMP. It was once known for its glass production, but today it has a diversified economic and industrial fabric with an international profile in areas such as footwear production, metallurgy and metalworking (moulds for the plastics industry), plastics (components for the automotive industry), food and agricultural products, rice husking and packaging, among others.

Side by side with this industrial activity there is an imminently rural territory, carved up by countless watercourses that have, over the centuries, made it possible for communities of millers to settle here. These are still responsible for the municipality's food, heritage and intangible wealth, such as the famous Ul bread and the “regueifa” (typical bread), with a dedicated site in the Watermill Theme Park.

Being the birthplace of the writer Ferreira de Casto, the municipality is also the scene of intense cultural dynamism, with around two hundred associations and growing investment in cultural facilities and initiatives. Handicrafts are varied and, in some cases, unique in the country: copperwork, woodwork, basketry and the typical Cucujães strip bags, made from interwoven strips of felt, as well as glass products, are just a few examples.

Further information:

http://www.cm-oaz.pt/

The municipality of Paredes plays its part in the Vale do Sousa region’s landscape. It is based on the former municipality of Aguiar de Sousa, which dates back to the early days of Portuguese nationality.

Its thriving industrial tradition features the wood sector: around 60 per cent of Portuguese furniture is produced in the municipality and this is also one of the sectors with the largest exports.

In recent decades, Paredes' industrial development and competitiveness have been reinforced by its excellent road accessibility, which places the municipality just a few minutes from the main international gateways. It is also served by the Douro railway line.

Four of the country's main universities - Porto, Minho, Aveiro and Trás-os-Montes are merely 70 km away, another contribution to Paredes' competitiveness.

With traditions, places and expressions of cultural heritage spanning several centuries, the municipality has been investing more and more in the appreciation and promotion of arts, heritage and cultural facilities.

Mills, mines, a castle, churches, medieval monasteries, farms and manors bearing noble families’ coats of arms make up a mostly green landscape, between mountains and valleys bathed by rivers and streams. Paredes is also one of the three municipalities that make up the Porto Mountains Park.

Further information:

http://www.cm-paredes.pt/

Porto, known as the country's “northern capital”, shows traces of human occupation from prehistoric times to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Its name is the source of the name of the country itself, of the AMP’s designation and of Port (Vinho do Porto), the famous wine that ages in neighbouring Vila Nova de Gaia, with which Porto shares six bridges over the River Douro.

Embraced by the river and the sea, it is the second most important urban centre in the country, with an economy based on the tertiary sector, mostly supported by the health, tourism and commerce branches and with a growing retention of business service activities linked to information and communication technologies and shared services, as well as other creative and technological industries, supported by a network of higher education establishments and scientific research and technological development centres of recognised quality.

Rich in tangible and intangible heritage from different eras and styles, its Historical Centre has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1996, but contemporary buildings by architects such as Siza Vieira and Souto Moura have also put the city on modern architecture's itineraries. With an intense and diverse agenda of national and international cultural events, the city is home to facilities, projects, producers and performers from varied artistic manifestations.

Porto is a point of departure and arrival for international travel and has an extensive transport network that serves its inhabitants and those of neighbouring municipalities, as well as a growing flow of tourists and visitors that the city attracts with a wide selection of accommodation, food and entertainment offers.

Further information:

http://www.cm-porto.pt/

Spread along the Atlantic, the Póvoa de Varzim Municipality is based on the city of the same name, which has become a centre of culture and leisure, whether due to the dynamism of historical facilities such as the Garrett Theatre and the Póvoa Casino, or to its privileged location.

Perpetuating the traditions of the fishing community that used to make the street its ‘living room’, the need to socialise and host well is intrinsic to the people of Póvoa, giving movement and life to the public space, where practices and traditions linked to the sea are still very much present.

This vitality is also reflected and fuelled by the circulation of artists, creators and writers who come together every year for the major events that project the territory, such as the International Music Festival or the literary festival Correntes D'Escritas, with a strong Iberian expression.

Inland, with strong rural and agricultural traditions, there are plenty of reminders of a millennia-old past that covers the settlements and the Romanisation period, with the most visible heritage expressions dating back to the Middle Ages, particularly in Rates, a place of major importance during the Christian conquest and the formation of Portugal.

The excellence of Póvoa’s fish and shellfish may be similar to the reputation of other municipalities of fishing tradition, but local food offers visitors its own specialities, such as Póvoa’s “rabanada” (sweet food) or a local version of Porto’s “Francesinha”.

Further information:

http://www.cm-pvarzim.pt/

Located at the historical confluence of important communication routes, the city of Santa Maria da Feira today serves as the administrative centre of a vast geographical area, documented since ancient times as Terras de Santa Maria (Land of Santa Maria).

Constellated from its Medieval Castle, one of the best examples of medieval military architecture in the region, Santa Maria da Feira is a territory of deep-rooted historical traditions and home to important cultural heritage sites, such as the Museum of the Convent of Loios, the Paper Museum or the Romariz Settlement.

The Viagem Medieval em Terras de Santa Maria (historical reenactement event), the Fogaceiras popular celebration or the Imaginarius - International Street Theatre Festival, along with other events and initiatives, attest to the municipality's long and vibrant encouragement to arts, creators, cultural associations and the community involvement in the international projection of the territory based on culture and cultural heritage, now also a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

In economic terms, it is also one of the most dynamic and vibrant municipalities in the region, with a diverse range of activities and expert in the cork sector.

The Europarque, one of the region's main event and congress centres, is also located in Santa Maria da Feira.

Further information:

https://www.cm-feira.pt/portal/site/cm-feira

Santo Tirso has a long industrial tradition and it is home to some of the largest companies in the country, especially in the textile sector, and in line with the production profile that characterises the Ave Valley. The globalisation of the economy and the technological evolution led to a successful restructuring of the municipality's business fabric, which is now diversified, increasing and specialised.

The industrial past and the collective memory are also at the basis of the cultural, artistic and creative development of the area, which is evident in facilities such as the Santo Thyrso Factory, complemented by other unmissable names such as the International Museum of Contemporary Sculpture, the Abade Pedrosa Municipal Museum or the Alberto Carneiro Art Centre, named after a sculptor whose life and work are intrinsically linked to the municipality.

With a well-established cultural calendar, Santo Tirso attracts countless visitors every year to attend the International Guitar Festival, among other important regular initiatives. Its food, particularly sweet food, is also one of its icons. For example, not many people in the country fail to know the famous “jesuítas”.

Santo Tirso's inestimable cultural value is matched by its environmental value, largely based on the green areas that follow the course of its two main rivers: the Leça and the Ave.

Further information:

http://www.cm-stirso.pt/

Known as the “Capital of Footwear”, the municipality of São João da Madeira, in the south of the AMP, corresponds to a territory with a prominent industrial tradition. Within its economic and commercial past, which goes far beyond the footwear sector, the hat industry and metallurgy are also part of the municipality’s collective memory, as evidenced by some of its cultural spaces and facilities, as well as museums, such as the Hat Museum, the Shoe Museum and the Oliva Creative Factory. These centres, along with the historical and well-known Viarco pencil factory and other industrial spaces still in full operation, form a significant part of the region's industrial tourism routes.

Strong investment has been made in culture and creativity in recent decades, reflected in a mature and consolidated cultural calendar in the region, based on a network of facilities that includes the Casa da Criatividade, the Paços da Cultura and the Oliva Art Centre.

Adding to this strong cultural, tourist and industrial dynamism there are numerous parks and green spaces strengthening the position of a municipality that is relatively small in area, but with roots that go back a long way, with marks and traces of the various cultures and civilisations that have occupied it.

Further information:

http://www.cm-sjm.pt/

Trofa is the most recent municipality in Portugal, although its settlement dates back thousands of years, as evidenced, for example, by the Alvarelhos Settlement and the set of milestones from Roman times, both designated national monuments.

Located in the far north of the AMP, Trofa is surrounded by mountains, suitable for active tourism and nature activities. Also noteworthy is the Azenhas Park, with a route of around 5 km along the banks of the River Ave, with watermills, weirs, pontoons and a huge variety of fauna and flora.

Until the middle of the 20th century agriculture was the municipality's main economic activity, in addition to animal husbandry. Both contributed to the consolidation of traditional dishes such as bean stew, chicken blood rice, “rojões” (pork) and roast kid and, more recently, roast suckling pig, accompanied by a variety of sweet food. Trofa has now a diversified industrial centre, predominantly in the textile sector.

Worthy of note is the production of sacred art in the Coronado Valley, with the creation of workshops-schools and workshops-factories capable of fostering the teaching and handicraft production of religious imagery in wood, based on the teachings of active saint-maker masters, seeking to value, promote and spread this traditional art that dates back to the 19th century.

Further information:

http://www.mun-trofa.pt/

Located to the south of the AMP, Vale de Cambra is demarcated by two large reliefs that make up the Gralheira Massif - the Freita and Arestal Mountains, presenting a markedly rural landscape integrating the Montanhas Mágicas® (Magic Mountains), a sustainable tourism destination.

The municipality is part of three lines of the Rota da Água e da Pedra® (Water and Stone Route) - Arestal, Caima and Freita, which take visitors to discover its natural and cultural heritage linked to water and stone, revealing waterfalls, rivers, prehistoric engravings, peat bogs, old mines, dolmens, crags, fossils, geological phenomena, valleys and quartzite outcrops.

You can also visit the area through the eyes of Ferreira de Castro, following the Literary Route that accompanies the writer's descriptions.

The county's agricultural and forestry wealth, combined with its industrial development, makes it stand out in the dairy and wine sectors and in the metalworking industry, developed to support dairy and wine production.

Proud of its traditions, Vale de Cambra endeavours to preserve and pass on the ancestral practices and knowledge of cornbread production, having restored an oven and five of the community mills, some of which are open to the public, to accompany the entire preparation of the bread.

The region’s flavours also include typical dishes such as roast veal, homemade smoked meat, as well as local wine, the “vinho verde”.

Further information:

http://www.cm-valedecambra.pt/

Valongo's human occupation predates Romanisation, with funerary monuments dating back to the Neolithic period and traces of ancient settlements located in the Santa Justa and Pias Mountains, part of the Porto Mountains Park.

Both the forest, part of which is a Natura 2000 site, and the River Leça’s corridor, which runs within the Porto Metropolitan Area, are natural spaces of significant biodiversity, favourable to active and nature tourism in the areas of speleology, climbing and rappel, mountain biking and hiking.

Valongo, originally rural, developed a bakery industry that used to feed the entire surrounding region. This activity, along with the systematic exploitation of slate, made it known as the Land of Bread and Slate and even today you can enjoy Valongo's typical bread, the “regueifa”, and biscuits.

In June takes place the traditional festivity “Bugiada e Mouriscada”, in which “Bugios” (Christians) and “Mourisqueiros” (Moors) compete for possession of an image of St. John, a cultural event that is increasingly popular among locals and visitors. In July, the streets through which the religious procession of Nossa Senhora do Amparo passes are covered with floral carpets, made by the locals using flowers, sawdust and coloured salt. But the Ermesinde Cultural Forum, created in a former roof tile factory, also presents a varied cultural calendar throughout the year.

Further information:

http://www.cm-valongo.pt/

The origins of Vila do Conde, documented since 953, predate the foundation of Portugal, with traces of ancient communities such as the Bagunte and the S. Paio settlements.

This coastal city reached its commercial and maritime apogee, especially during the 16th century, with shipbuilding, whose tradition is kept in a seaport with a modern shipyard for building and repairing fishing boats.

Besides its 18 km of beaches, served by a cycle and walking route along the coastline to the south of the River Ave, the municipality's natural heritage includes the Vila do Conde Protected Regional Coastal Landscape and Mindelo Ornithological Reserve, of significant biological and landscape value.

The Monastery and Aqueduct of Santa Clara and the Church of Vila do Conde are some of the monuments worth visiting, along with regular cultural events such as the International Short Film Festival, the Food Fair and the National Handicraft Fair, which also promotes local traditional products, from rag blankets to woollen jumpers and wrought iron work, with particular emphasis on bobbin lace, a centuries-old tradition.

Vila do Conde was also home to writers Antero de Quental (1842-1891) and José Régio (1901-1969), whose lives and works can be appreciated in their respective museum houses.

Local dishes include fresh fish from Caxinas and convent sweet food.

Further information:

http://www.cm-viladoconde.pt/

Along Vila Nova de Gaia's extensive Atlantic coastline wooden walkways lead to the many popular beaches of the most populous municipality in the north of the country. The city is also embraced by the River Douro, which it shares with the neighbouring municipalities of Porto and Gondomar, with a wide range of cruises and conditions for water sports, supported by the Douro Marina. Its rich landscape is complemented by the municipality's many and extensive parks.

Gaia is internationally known for its Port Wine, produced in the Douro region and once transported down the river in the typical “rabelo” boats up to the historical part of the city where it aged in the warehouses of the exporting companies. The famous Port Wine Cellars now attract visitors from all over the world.

Its built heritage includes the Monasteries of Grijó and Serra do Pilar, the latter classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city has a diverse cultural offer of venues and events.

In the fishing areas of Aguda and Afurada the typical dishes are based on fish and shellfish, but this does not exhaust the food offer of the municipality.

The riverside along the historical centre, known as “Cais de Gaia”, is home to numerous restaurants and bars and it’s the city's busiest area.

Further information:

https://www.cm-gaia.pt/pt/