History
History
The Legacy of Amarante's traditional pastries
Casa das Lérias, now a charming 22-room historic hotel, was once the bakery where Alcino dos Reis revived and reinvented Amarante’s traditional pastries, most famously the "Lérias." With roots tracing back to the Poor Clare nuns of the 14th century, these conventual pastries hold a special place in Portuguese culinary history.
Sweet Pastries dating back to 1930
The tradition of making these special sweet pastries in convents in Portugal dates back to 1930 when the Poor Clares of the Order of Saint Clare established their convent in Amarante. Faced with limited resources, they transformed simple ingredients—eggs, sugar, and almonds—into exquisite pastries. These pastries became a vital source of income for the convent, until its closure in 1862.
Alcino dos Reis
Alcino dos Reis, born in 1885 in Massarelos, Porto, maintained strong ties to the Trás-os-Montes region, particularly Chaves, where his family originated. In 1899, at just 14, he moved to Amarante and later married Julia Martins in 1914. Together, they launched several businesses, including reviving conventual pastries, that had practically disappeared, following the closure of the Santa Clara Convent in 1862.
The original Casa das Lérias
In November 1910, he opened his first shop, Confeitaria Flaviense, selling pastries, shoes, and local products. Over time, the business evolved and,in the 1930’s, it became Casa das Lérias. This building housed the bakery where Alcino and his family lived and worked, until his death in 1967. Through Casa das Lérias and his dedication to these extraordinary regional pastries, Alcino dos Reis became a cultural ambassador for Amarante, preserving its culinary heritage and making it known worldwide.
