Guimarães signs protocols for certified River Ave river beach and Jardim D. Afonso I refurbishment

The City Council of Guimarães and the Government have signed protocols to create a bathing area on the River Ave and to carry out refurbishment works to Jardim D. Afonso I.

Certified river beach on the River Ave (Vaqueiro)

Guimarães is set to gain the borough’s first certified river beach, to be located at the Vaqueiro Leisure and Recreation Area, in the Union of Parishes of Souto Santa Maria, Souto São Salvador and Gondomar.

The scheme stems from one of the protocols recently agreed between the Council and the Ministry of the Environment and is expected to be finished in 2027. The signing ceremony took place at Vila Flor Palace and was attended by the Mayor, Ricardo Araújo, and the Minister for the Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho. Alongside the Vaqueiro river beach project, a separate protocol was also formalised for the refurbishment of Jardim D. Afonso I.

Funding and water-quality certification

Ricardo Araújo said the borough is finally delivering a long-standing ambition by creating its first certified river beach. "It is unacceptable that a borough like Guimarães, European Green Capital, still does not have a river beach. But it will," he said.

According to the Mayor, the works will be funded by the Environmental Fund, through the Portuguese Environment Agency, enabling the municipality to move forward with a project it has wanted for many years.

The Minister also underlined what the future river beach represents. "A river beach only exists when the water quality is excellent, a condition certified by the Portuguese Environment Agency. This shows that the River Ave, which for years suffered from pollution linked to industrial activity, has been restored," said Maria da Graça Carvalho, noting that she used to swim in the river during her childhood.

Jardim D. Afonso I refurbishment and urban ecosystem restoration

The second protocol covers the refurbishment of Jardim D. Afonso I, as part of the programme to restore urban ecosystems. The intervention aims to reshape one of the city’s key green spaces, strengthening the connection between the historic centre, the University of Minho and the monumental area of the Castle, the Palace of the Dukes and Campo de São Mamede.

Ricardo Araújo said he is confident the project will become a national benchmark. "It will be the best project of all six projects of this kind that are being funded in the country," he said, adding that the works will give the space back to the city by creating a forest park, a botanical garden and new green areas for leisure and public enjoyment.

The Minister added that the plan will also introduce new shaded areas, helping to bring temperatures down on the hottest days.