The Route of the Romanesque is launching a new phase of applications for its 'Quality Seal' from 10 July to 31 August.

Tourist accommodation units, restaurants and bars, as well as producers and traders working with products related to traditional arts and crafts and based in the 12 municipalities covered by the Route of the Romanesque (Amarante, Baião, Castelo de Paiva, Celorico de Basto, Cinfães, Felgueiras, Lousada, Marco de Canaveses, Paços de Ferreira, Paredes, Penafiel and Resende) will be able to apply, free of charge, for this recognition of merit.

The 'Quality Seal - Route of the Romanesque' is part of the Route of the Romanesque's Tourist Product and Service Development System, designed to promote a uniform level of quality of the products and services offered to tourists and visitors in the region.

The aim of this System is to contribute, not only to the creation of an image of prestige and quality of the product and service itself, but also to improve the tourist offer available in the territory of the Route of the Romanesque, increasing its attractiveness and visibility, as well as to strengthen cooperation between local and regional economic and institutional players.

The 'Quality Seal - Route of the Romanesque' application form, whose Regulation is available here, should be duly completed and returned by e-mail or post, addressed to the Associação de Municípios do Vale do Sousa, located at Praça D. António Meireles, 45, 4620-130 Lousada.

In addition to the Route of the Romanesque, the Assessment Committee is composed of ten academic and associative entities: Turismo do Porte e Norte de Portugal, UTAD, ADER-SOUSA, ADRIMAG, BEIRA DOURO, CETS , DOLMEN, PROBASTO, AHRESP and Quaternaire Portugal.

So far, the Route of the Romanesque has awarded 125 'Quality Seals' in three application phases. In 2016, the first 84 'Seals' were awarded in two different events: the first one took place in the Monastery of Ancede, in Baião, on 4 April; the second one was held in the old Church of Sanfins de Ferreira, in Paços de Ferreira, on 7 December. The Interpretation Centre of the Romanesque, in Lousada, hosted a ceremony to award 41 'Quality Seals' on 5 December, 2018.

The fourth phase of award of the "Quality Seal - Route of the Romanesque" is part of the project "Tourist Enhancement and Development of the Route of the Romanesque", co-financed by Turismo de Portugal, I.P., through the Valorizar Program - Support Line for Tourist Development in Inland Portugal.