Porto is a Portuguese city and capital of the sub-region of the Metropolitan
Area of Porto and of the North region, belonging to the district of Porto.
It is the seat of the Municipality of Porto, which has a total area of
41.42 km2, 231,962 inhabitants in 2021 and a population density of 5,165
inhabitants per km2, subdivided into 7 parishes[4]. The municipality is
limited to the north by the municipalities of Matosinhos and Maia, to the
east by Gondomar, to the south by Vila Nova de Gaia and to the west by the
Atlantic Ocean.
It is the city that gave its name to Portugal – very
early on (c. 200 BC), when it was called Portus Cale, later becoming the
capital of the Portucalense County, from which Portugal was formed. It is
also a city known worldwide for its wine, its bridges and contemporary and
ancient architecture, its historic center, classified as a World Heritage
Site by UNESCO, the quality of its restaurants and its gastronomy, its main
football teams, Football Clube do Porto, Boavista Futebol Clube, Sport
Comércio and Salgueiros, for its main public university: the University of
Porto, ranked among the 200 best universities in the world and among the 100
best universities in Europe, as well as for the quality of its centers
hospital.
It is the seat of the Metropolitan Area of Porto, which
groups 17 municipalities with 1,737,395 inhabitants in an area of 1,900 km²,
with a population density close to 914 inhabitants/km², which makes the city
the 13th most populous urban area in the European Union. and the second most
populous area (NUTS III) in Portugal. Porto and the Porto Metropolitan Area
constitute the structural nucleus of the North Region, which has a
population of 3,689,609 inhabitants (2011 Census), and is therefore the most
populous region (NUTS II) in Portugal. It comprises 8 sub-regions or level
III units (NUTS III).
Porto, together with the neighboring
municipalities of Vila Nova de Gaia and Matosinhos, forms the Atlantic Front
of Porto, which constitutes the most urbanized population center in the
Metropolitan Area, located on the coast, delimited, to the west, by the
Atlantic Ocean, with the structural influence of the Douro River estuary,
which links Gaia to Porto. The city is the most important in the highly
industrialized coastal area of the North Region, where most of the most
important economic groups in the country are located, such as Altri, Grupo
Amorim/Corticeira Amorim, Banco BPI, BIAL, EFACEC, Frulact, Lactogal,
Millennium BCP, Porto Editora, Sonae, Unicer or Grupo RAR. Associação
Empresarial de Portugal is headquartered in Porto. The North Region is the
only Portuguese region that exports more than it imports.
By airplane
The city is served by an airport, Francisco Sá
Carneiro, in Pedras Rubras, Maia (IATA code: OPO), which receives
frequent flights from the main European cities and to Lisbon and
Madeira/Funchal. The airport is considered the third best European
airport, receiving this distinction after the refurbishment works.
The airport has a metro station with a direct connection to the city
centre, which is around 15 km away. The ticket costs €1.35.
A
taxi to the center costs around 20 euros.
Company Destinations
Telephone/Website
Aigle Azur Paris - Orly Tel.: +351 229 432 530
www.aigle-azur.fr
Air
Berlin Palma de Mallorca Tel.: +351 808 202 737
www.airberlin.com
Brussels Airlines Brussels Tel.: +351 707 200 424
www.brusselairlines
easyJet Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg; Geneva; Lyon; London-Gatwick;
Milan-Malpensa; Paris-Charles de Gaulle Tel.: +351 808 204 204
www.easyjet.com
Iberia
Madrid Phone: +351 707 200 000
www.iberia.com
Lufthansa Frankfurt Tel.: +351 229 437 900
www.lufthansa.com
Luxair
City of Luxembourg Tel.: +352 245 642 42
www.luxair.lu
Ryanair Baden
Baden; Barcelona-Girona; Barcelona-El Prat; Birmingham (seasonal);
Bologna; Bordeaux; Bremen; Bristol (seasonal); Brussels-Charleroi;
Carcassonne; Dublin (seasonal); Dusseldorf Weeze; Eindhoven; Faro;
Frankfurt-Hahn; Las Palmas; Lille; Liverpool (seasonal); London-Gatwick;
London-Stansted; Maastricht; Madrid; Marrakech; Marseille;
Milan-Bergamo; Munich - West; Paris - Beauvais; Pisa (seasonal); Rodez;
Saint-Etienne; Tenerife; Tours; Valence; Praia da Vitória Phone: +353 1
249 7791/7700
www.ryanair.com
Boston International Room (seasonal); Thin tip; Third
(seasonal); Toronto (seasonal) Tel: +351 229 470 330
www.azores-express.com
TAP Portugal Amsterdam; Barcelona; Brussels; Funchal; Geneva;
Lisbon; London - Gatwick; Luxembourg City; Madrid; Milan - Malpensa; New
York; Paris - Orly; Porto Santo (seasonal); Rio de Janeiro; Pomegranate;
São Paulo; Caracas; Zurich; Praia da Vitória Phone: +351 707 205 700
www.flytap.com
Transavia.com
Funchal; Nantes; Paris - Orly Tel.: +351 707 780 009
www.transavia.com
by
train/train
It is possible to reach Porto by train from the main
cities in Portugal, and there is also a train connection with the city
of Vigo, in Galicia, Spain, which ends in this city. There are two main
train stations: Campanhã, which serves as a hub for connections with the
rest of the country, and São Bento, located in the historic center of
the city and a monument in itself. Both are interconnected to the metro
network.
by bus/coach
The city has regular bus connections to
and from most of the country, particularly the North.
By car
There are 4 main highways in this city: A1 that connects Lisbon to
Porto, A28 that connects Viana do Castelo to Porto, A3 that connects
Spain to Porto, passing through Braga and A4 that connects Porto to
Amarante, from where you can go to Vila Real and Bragança to the border
with Spain.
Of boat
The Port of Leixões receives several
cruise ships (65 thousand per year) and in 2014 the new passenger
terminal will allow easier access to the city.
STCP, which provides public transport in Porto, offers the Andante
Tour ticket, which allows you to travel on the entire Andante network
(metro, trains on the STCP network, some buses), with no zone limits,
for 24 or 72 hours (prices : 7 and 15€, respectively). To stay in the
central region alone, it costs €3.45. To use this or any other means of
STCP transport, you must buy a rechargeable Andante card for €1.10 at
points of sale (metro stations, STCP stores, etc.)
by train/train
There are several lines to the suburbs and nearby cities, such as Braga,
Guimarães, Marco de Canaveses, Aveiro and Leça do Balio.
By
subway
Nowadays, the city has a very modern and practical system with
five metro lines (VLT), connecting the neighboring areas with the city
center. For all other areas not covered, buses can be used, as the
ticket is the same.
by tram/tram
A line of trams (trams)
returned to operation in 2007 between Batalha and Carmo, passing through
some important streets such as Rua de Santa Catarina, Rua dos Clérigos
and Praça da Batalha.
by bus/coach
There are tourist buses
(Sightseeing Tours Porto Vintage) that make two circuits and stop at the
main places of interest. The ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can
enter and exit freely as many times as you like. The same ticket is
valid for the same period for normal buses.
By car
Countless
motorways serve the city, connecting to the south (peripheral cities of
Vila Nova de Gaia, Espinho), east (Vila Real, Amarante and Douro), and
to the north (Vila do Conde, Póvoa do Varzim, Braga, Guimarães and Viana
do Castle).
There are also several bridges, 2 city rings and
several parks in the city centre.
The most touristic part of the city is Cais da
Ribeira. Lively day and night. It was in this area and in its commercial
connection with the Douro River that the city began. You can stroll
through the narrow streets, enjoy the views over the city of Gaia and
its Port Wine warehouses, visit some of the museums and churches in this
area (Casa do Infante, Palácio da Bolsa, Igreja do Convento de
S.Francisco and Museu dos Transport and Communications), take a boat
trip (adapted from the old Rabelo boats that transported Port wine) or
eat in one of the many traditional restaurants. There is a tourist
office in this area where you can collect all kinds of information.
Take the opportunity to appreciate the iron work and cross the D.
Luis bridge to Cais de Gaia, take a guided tour of one of the famous
Port wine cellars, which usually includes a tasting of this excellent
nectar. Cais de Gaia is also the place where you can have the best view
over the city of Porto.
Use the Porto Vintage tourist bus and
head to Carmo. Here you can enjoy the Jardim da Cordoaria, one of the
oldest in the city, the Church and Tower of Clérigos and the Libraria
Lello, with a neo-Gothic façade. Go down Rua dos Clérigos and enjoy
Avenida dos Aliados topped by the Paços do Concelho (1920) and various
buildings. If you want to have a coffee or something to eat, choose Café
Guarany. Discover the statues that proliferate there, such as the
tribute to Ardina (newspaper seller). Continue on to S. Bento Station
and further on to the Cathedral. On one side of the Sé square is the
Episcopal Palace, a baroque building.
Next to the Cathedral is
the Historic Center, classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site in
1996, and which goes down to Ribeira. Pay attention if you plan to visit
this area. Alternatively, you can head to Rua de Santa Catarina to go
shopping or rest in one of the many cafes there.
From Rua de
Santa Catarina you can visit the Mercado do Bolhão, enjoying the typical
atmosphere of this place.
In the Bolhão area, you can take the
Metro (or return to the Porto Vintage Bus circuit) and go to Casa da
Música, in Boavista. There are guided tours of the building, so you
should find out in advance about the times if you want to make one of
these visits or if you want to watch a show. Foz do Douro Use the Porto
Vintage Bus again and go down Avenida da Boavista to the Serralves
Museum, or continue and go towards the Atlantic and stroll along the
seafront or choose one of the esplanades and enjoy.
Clérigos Church and Tower – the Barrico style church
was built between 1732 and 1750. If you dare, climb the 240 steps of the
Tower and enjoy a panoramic view of the entire city.
Cathedral – A
romantic building from the 12th and 13th centuries, it underwent several
renovations over time.
S. Bento Station – Atrium lined with 20,000
tiles by Jorge Colaço.
Casa do Infante – Former Alfândega do Porto
building is currently the Municipal Historical Archive. It has a model
where you can see how the city began.
Palácio da Bolsa – Neoclassical
style building built in the mid-19th century. Inside, the Arab Room
stands out.
National Museum of Soares dos Reis – Collection of
Portuguese and foreign sculptures and paintings from the 16th to the
19th centuries. XX.
Serralves Museum
church of s. francisco
Porto in the summer has several beaches that you can enjoy, most of which are blue flag, and Vila Nova de Gaia has close to 12 km of blue flag beach, with easy access by train from the city center (S.Bento / Campanha) . Foz do Porto also has several km of blue flag beach, with unique geological features and great for a stroll. Matosinhos has an extensive sandy beach, easily accessible by metro (Blue line towards Senhor de Matosinhos).
Arrábida Bridge
D.Luiz Bridge
D. Maria Pia
bridge
Freixo Bridge
Infante's Bridge
St. John's Bridge
city's park
Palm Tree Garden (Foz)
Crystal
Palace Gardens
Serralves Gardens
Liberty avenue
Mouth
Serralves – Museum of Contemporary Art, in a building
designed by the architect Siza Vieira, an Art-Deco Villa with a
magnificent garden.
Porto Exit Games - Play an escape game at Porto
Exit Games. If you like riddles, mysteries and a good challenge, Porto
Exit Games brings you innovative challenges! For 60 minutes you and your
friends will be locked in rooms. They will be transported to new
realities as protagonists of a stimulating game in which the main
challenge is to escape in time!
The city's festival is S.João, which is celebrated on
the 24th of June. In the early morning of the 23rd to the 24th, everyone
goes out to eat grilled sardines, have fun at the various dances
organized throughout the city or watch the fireworks that take place at
midnight over the Douro river and which can be seen from Cais da Ribeira
or Cais de Gaia.
Queima das Fitas - Academic week that brings
thousands of students to the streets and to the city park to celebrate
another year of the University of Porto and for many their last year
(finalists). Others celebrate the beginning (freshmen). Don't miss the
academic procession or, if you prefer, see the concerts and atmosphere
of the fireworks.
Port Wine – You are in the right place to buy it. You
can buy it directly at the Cellars (where you can taste it) or at the
various wine shops or supermarkets in the city. In principle, the more
expensive the better.
Clothes and shoes – especially during sales
season.
Rua de Santa Catarina, located in the center of the city, is
the ideal place for strolling and shopping. In the middle of this street
you will find Café Majestic, one of the most famous in the city, with
“Belle Epoque” decoration.
The typical dishes of the city are tripas à moda do
Porto and francesinha. The francesinha is a sandwich stuffed with
various types of meat, covered with cheese and drizzled with a spicy
sauce. It must be accompanied with beer and can be ordered in most
cafes. The restaurants serve all kinds of typical Portuguese dishes and
you can always opt for cod dishes, such as cod with cream and cod with
bread. Accompany meals with green wine, usually white, typical of the
northern region of Portugal.
Average
Esplanada Marisqueira The
Old Rua Roberto Ivens, 628 - Matosinhos, 229 380 660 ✆.
Piolho, more than a café/tavern, is a symbol of the
city of Porto. Main night spot
Rua Galerias Paris, bustling with
bars and sometimes street concerts.
Economic
Alma Porto Hostel, Rua do Bonfim, 305B (By
metro, exit at Campo 24 de Agosto station towards Rua do Bonfim, go up
the street to number 305B. By train, exit at Campanhã station, go up Rua
Pinto Bessa until the church of Bonfim. Check-in: 14:00, check-out:
12:00. We are a small Hostel, decorated with soft colors, leisure areas,
and a relaxing atmosphere. In line with the characteristics of the
architecture of the city of Porto at the time, the house has ceilings
decorated with decorative stucco, and areas covered with traditional
Portuguese tiles. Outside there is a garden of about 200m2 "populated"
by a lemon tree, a fig tree and some camellias, among other species.
Escondidinho Bed & Breakfast, Rua Passos Manuel, 135, (+351)22 200 40 79
✆, fax: (+351)22 202 60 75, info@residencialescondidinho.com.pt.
Gallery Hostel Porto Rua Miguel Bombarda, 222, info@gallery-hostel.com.
The Gallery Hostel is located in a privileged area of Porto, known as
Rua das Galerias de Arte. Located in the heart of the city, more
precisely on Rua Miguel Bombarda, the Hostel is surrounded by the most
attractive points of Porto such as museums, monuments, gardens,
restaurants and bars.
Hotel Ibis Porto Gaia, Avenida Rua Martires de
São Sebastião 247, (+351)772 82 00 ✆.
Hotel Ibis Porto Sao Joao, Rua
Dr. Plácido Costa, (+351)22 551 31 00 ✆.
Hotel Ibis Porto Norte, Auto
Estrada Porto Braga S. Mamede do coronado K11, (+351)22 986 76 00 ✆.
Hotel Ibis Porto Sul Europarque, Espargo europarque, (+351)256 332 507
✆.
Residential Alvares Cabral. Residencial Álvares Cabral is a cozy
family residence in the center of Porto. All 18 rooms have a separate
shower and bath, cable TV and 24-hour room service. Easy parking and
laundry are other services this guesthouse has to offer.
Oporto
Excentric Design/Surf Hostel, Estrada Exterior da Circunvalação, 13310,
+351 224 069 200 ✆. Check-in: 14.00h, check-out: 17.00h. Each room at
the Hostel is decorated on the various points of interest in the city,
such as: Serralves Foundation, Casa da Música, Parque da Cidade, Casa da
Animação, S. Bento Station, Café Majestic, Ardina, etc. All rooms are
equipped with wooden floors and modern design furniture. Intense images
decorate the walls and create a pleasant atmosphere. Free WiFi is
available throughout the entire hostel. Guests at Oporto Excentric can
enjoy a flat-screen TV in the cozy lounge, with a comfortable sofa and
pillows. There is also a common kitchen with a dining area. 23.
Porto
Youth Hostel.
Rivoli Cinema Hostel, Rua Dr. Magalhães Lemos, 83,
00351-220174634 ✆, rivolicinemahostell@gmail.com. Check-in: 14:00,
check-out: 12:00. We are the only film hostel in Portugal. Here you can
choose the room by name of director or film, all rooms are decorated
with objects related to the film. We have a fully equipped kitchen for
the use of all guests, a lounge area with tv, playstation, wii, + 300
dvd and a terrace on the top floor with more than 130m2 perfect for
sunbathing or just to drink a port wine with a 360º view of the city
Average
Hotel Mercure Porto Batalha, Praça da Batalha 116,
(+351)22 204 33 00 ✆, h1975@accor.com.
Hotel Mercure Porto Gaia, Rua
Manuel Moreira de Barros 618D, (+351)22 374 08 01 ✆, h3347@accor.com.
Hotel Novotel Porto Gaia, Lugar das Chãs Afurada, (+351)22 772 87 00 ✆,
h1050@accor.com.
Vila Gale Porto, Av. Fernão Magalhães, nº 7 4300-190
PORTO, (+351) 225 191 800 ✆, porto@vilagale.pt. For your holidays in
Porto, choose the Vila Galé hotel and spa. Ideal conditions for
organizing events and meetings. Online reservations.
Apartments in
Porto (seasonal apartments Porto), Rua Pedro Hispano, 411, (+351) 224
066 344 ✆, info@flatinporto.com. These are ready-to-use furnished and
equipped apartments for short stays in the city of Porto.
Expensive
Pestana Porto Hotel (Pestana Hotels & Resorts), Praça da
Ribeira, 1, +(351) 223 40 23 00 ✆, fax: (+351) 223 40 24 00.
inPátio
Guest House (inPátio GH), Pátio de São Salvador nr.22 (to Mercado
Ferreira Borges), +(351) 934323448 ✆, fax: (+351) 222085479.
Security
Republican National Guard Rua do Carmo, 11, 223 399 711 ✆.
Public
Security Police Rua Augusto Rosa, 222 006 821 ✆.
Tourism Police Rua
Clube dos Fenianos, 11, 222 081 833 ✆, prtetur@psp.pt.
Municipal
Police Bairro Rainha D. Leonor, 226 198 260 ✆,
policiamunicipal@cm-porto.pt.
School Hospital S. João Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 225 512 100
✆.
General Hospital of Santo António Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, 222
077 500 ✆.
Hospital Joaquim Urbano Rua Câmara Pestana, 348, 225 899
550 ✆.
Hospital Magalhães Lemos Rua Prof. Álvaro Rodrigues, 226 192
400 ✆.
It originates from a Celtic, pre-Roman village. In Roman times it was
called Cale or Portus Cale, being the origin of the name of Portugal.
On the 27th of April, 711 A.D. the beginning of the Muslim invasion
of the Iberian Peninsula, with the landing in Gibraltar of a Moorish
army of 9000 men, led by Táriq Ibn Ziyad. In 714 they took Lisbon, and
in 715 the Islamic forces reached the northern region of what we now
know as Portugal, taking the main towns and cities, such as Porto and
Braga. In 716 practically the entire Peninsula was under the rule of the
Umayyad Caliphate, with the exception of a small mountainous area in
Asturias, where the Christian resistance took refuge.
A century
and a half later, in 868, the first attempts at a definitive reconquest
appear. Vímara Peres, founder of the Portucalense land, made an
important contribution to the conquest of the territory, thus restoring
the city of Portucale.
Finally, and two centuries after the
beginning of the invasion, in 999, Gascon nobles, among which was D.
Nónego bishop of Vendôme in France and later bishop of Porto, entered
with a large fleet at the mouth of the Douro River, to expel the moors.
This armada, which became known as the Armada dos Gascões, associated
with D. Munio Viegas, conquered the city of Porto from the Moors to
dedicate it to the Virgin Mother of God. After this battle, D. Munio and
the "French" tried to rebuild Porto. They erected the old and strong
walls, and in the highest part of the city, they founded a fortified and
well-fortified citadel which, after Count Henrique, served as the
residence of the bishops, to whom it was donated. The tower and the main
door were the work of D. Nónego, who, in memory of his homeland, named
it Vandoma door, and who built a sanctuary on the front of the tower,
where he placed the image of Our Lady of Porto, which he had already
brought with him. with you from France.
In 1111, Teresa de Leão,
mother of the future first king of Portugal, granted Bishop Hugo the
Couto of Porto. The image of Our Lady is part of the city's coat of
arms. Hence the fact that Porto is also known as the "city of the
Virgin", epithets to which must be added those of "Old, Very Noble,
Semper Leal and Invicta", which have been attributed to it over the
centuries and in the wake of deeds values of its inhabitants, and which
were ratified by decree of D. Maria II of Portugal.
The city was nicknamed "Paradise" by D.Fernando who, during his
childhood, visited the city several times accompanied by the greatest
and most powerful descendants of the great Portuguese noble families
such as D.Dinis de Aveiro, a great friend of his.
During the
dynastic crisis of 1383-1385 the city remained, most of the time, loyal
to the Master of Avis, illegitimate son of D.Pedro and half-brother of
D.Fernando. In 1384, near what is now the north bank of the city of
Porto, a Castilian expeditionary force, which had entered Portugal
through Galicia, is faced by a small Portuguese garrison composed of
about 180 men, whose function was to patrol the illegal passage across
the Douro river. The Castilian force, much more numerous, had about 650
men, among which 500 were pawns and the rest a mixture of 150 Castilian
and French nobles whose objective was to join the army of D.Juan of
Castile for the siege of Lisbon . This small skirmish took place on the
morning of July 16, 1384 and had a pleasant outcome for the Portuguese
who, even with such a numerical disadvantage, managed to chase away the
Castilians who left in disarray for the north of Portugal. The supplies
they were bringing to relieve the Castilian troops in the siege of
Lisbon were seized by Pedro Rito and Dinis Oliveira, officers of the
Portuguese garrison. Who says that this small battle was decisive for
the outcome of the siege in Lisbon, because in addition to the Castilian
troops losing a reinforcement of 650 men, all the supplies they brought
as food and siege weapons were seized and never reached the rest of the
army .
It was within its walls that the marriage of King D. João
I with the English princess D. Filipa de Lencastre took place. The city
was the birthplace of Infante D. Henrique, known as the Infante de
Sagres or The Navigator.
Due to the sacrifices that the city made
to support the preparation of the armada that left, in 1415, to conquer
Ceuta, with the population of Porto offering the expeditionaries all the
meat available, leaving only the "guts" to feed the natural ones. from
Porto earned the nickname "tripeiros", an expression more affectionate
than pejorative. This is also the reason why the city's traditional dish
is still, nowadays, "Tripas à moda do Porto".
The city played a key role in defending the ideals of liberalism,
more specifically in the battles of the 19th century. Incidentally, the
courage with which he endured the siege by Miguelista troops during the
civil war of 1832-34 and the valiant deeds undertaken by its inhabitants
— the famous Siege of Porto — even earned him the attribution, by Queen
D. Maria II, of the title — unique among other cities in Portugal — of
Invicta Cidade do Porto (still present today on the coat of arms), hence
the epithet with which it is often mentioned by anonymity - the
«Invicta». It houses in one of its many churches - that of Lapa - the
heart of D. Pedro IV of Portugal, who offered it to the city's
population in honor of the contribution made by its inhabitants to the
liberal cause.
City awarded the Military Order of the Tower and
Sword, of Valor, Loyalty and Merit on April 26, 1919.
The territory of Porto has an area of 45 square kilometers and a
population of around 240,000 people, making it the second largest urban
agglomeration in the country. The city is known as the capital of the
North and its Historic Center has been classified as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1996.
The geographical location of the city,
combined with a network of motorways, allows you to easily reach regions
such as Galicia, Algarve, Lisbon, Coimbra or other places. Porto is
ranked as the 3rd Portuguese city with the most livable living
conditions, as measured by a study published annually by Expresso.
Climate
The city of Porto has a Mediterranean climate of the Csb
type according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. In winter,
temperatures vary between 5 °C and 14 °C, rarely falling below 0 °C.
During this season, rainy periods alternate with cooler days with clear
skies. In summer, temperatures vary between 15 °C and 25 °C,
occasionally reaching or even exceeding 35 °C in July or August. Summer
temperatures above 30 °C are rare due to the proximity of the ocean,
however they occur when the wind blows from the east quadrant. Due to
its geographical situation, cooler periods with precipitation can be
common during the summer in wetter years. The low temperature range is
due to the proximity of the ocean and the presence of the warm Gulf
Stream.
The Porto Metropolitan Area is home to 1757413 inhabitants and has an
area of 1900 km², with a population density close to 1098
inhabitants/km², which makes the city the 13th most populous urban area
in the European Union, being, therefore, the second largest area (NUTS
III) in Portugal. Porto and its metropolitan area constitute the
structural nucleus of the North Region, which is the most populous
region (NUTS II) in the country, concentrating almost 35% of the
resident population in Portugal. Many of the city's oldest homes are at
risk of collapsing. The population of the municipality of Porto has
dropped by almost 100,000 since the 1980s, but the number of permanent
residents in the periphery and satellite cities has grown strongly.
The city of Porto is known as Cidade Invicta and as the Capital of
the North. It was the main city of Entre Douro e Minho and the capital
of the Douro Litoral region, which are two identity territories that
still today have strong cohesion, in physical, natural, human and social
terms, being located in one of the core points of the hydrographic basin
of the Golden River. Porto is often referred to as the Portuguese city
with the most Central European temperament, due to the refined bucolism
of its urban space (recalling the refinement of the commercial and
capitalist cities of the central and Nordic countries of Europe that are
located close to rivers and the ocean), arising from the structural
influences that shaped its inhabitants and the temperament of the city:
the Monarchy of Portugal, the cultural influence of the Jews and the
strong connection to England, with a strong British presence. It is the
city where the largest British community in Portugal lives and where the
oldest and most consistent Jewish roots of the Portuguese can be found,
through a very strong «Marrana», «Crypto-Jewish» and «New Christian»
heritage.
In the city you will find the largest synagogue in the
Iberian Peninsula and one of the largest in Europe – the Kadoorie
Synagogue, built in 1938. Here you can learn about Jewish history and
religion, get in touch with important historical objects and documents,
as well as learn more about the Jewish community of Porto over the
centuries until today.
The city region is where the majority of small and medium-sized
companies in the country are located, and is also the one that most
contributes to national exports, being the only region that exports more
than it imports. The North Region produces 40% of the country's added
value and has 50% of industrial employment, with a rate of coverage of
imports by exports of 129%, against the national average of 74%. This
region is served by two important infrastructures: the Port of Leixões,
which represents 25% of Portuguese international trade and moves about
14 million tons of goods per year, and Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport,
which is the best airport in Portugal in terms of space at the airport.
In terms of cargo and passenger air movements, it is the second largest
in Portugal, having been awarded as the best in the world in the
category of airports with up to 5 million passengers and, in 2014, as
the third best European airport.
The economic relations between
the city of Porto and the Douro Valley are well documented since the
Middle Ages. Nuts, dried fruits and olive oil supported a thriving trade
between Porto and the region. From Porto, these products were exported
to foreign markets in the Old and New Worlds. However, the great impetus
for the development of inter-regional trade relations came from the Port
Wine agro-industry. This activity definitely developed the complementary
relationship between the large urban center on the coast and this region
of enormous agricultural potential, particularly suited to the
production of high quality fortified wines. The development of Porto was
always closely linked with the south bank of the Douro, Vila Nova de
Gaia, until 1834 an integral part of its term, where the cellars for
aging the fine wines of the Alto Douro were established.
Porto
has always rivaled Lisbon on an economic level. The wealthy class of
industrialists in the region created, in the mid-nineteenth century, the
powerful Associação Industrial Portuense, today Associação Empresarial
de Portugal. The former Porto Stock Exchange was transformed into the
largest Derivatives Exchange in Portugal, having merged with the Lisbon
Stock Exchange, creating the Lisbon and Porto Stock Exchange. In 2002,
BVLP became part of Euronext, together with stock exchanges from
Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The building
that housed the stock exchange for a long time, Palácio da Bolsa,
headquarters of the Porto Commercial Association, is today one of the
main tourist attractions in the city. Porto and the North region are the
region where the majority of small and medium-sized companies are
located and where the most productive agricultural regions are located,
and also the region that most contributes to national exports, being the
only region that exports more than it imports.
Porto is home to
Jornal de Notícias, one of the largest national daily newspapers, and
Porto Editora, the largest publishing company in the country, known for
its dictionaries and school books.
In Porto, several roads and
railway lines cross, which also contributed to make the city the main
commercial center of the entire northern region. Despite the progressive
outsourcing of the centre, industrial activity continues to be highly
relevant, with textile, footwear, metalworking, ceramics, furniture,
jewelery and other manufacturing activities working in its industrial
belt, some still at an artisanal level.
As the most important
city in the highly industrialized area of the north coast of Portugal,
many of the most important economic groups in the country from different
sectors – such as Altri, the Amorim group, Banco BPI, BIAL, EFACEC,
Frulact, Lactogal, Millennium BCP, Porto Editora, Sonae, Unicer, Azeite
Serrata and RAR – have their headquarters in the city of Porto or in the
Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto.
As sights, the Clérigos Tower, designed by Nicolau Nasoni, and the
Serralves Foundation, a contemporary art museum, stand out. The Historic
Center is a World Heritage Site, classified by UNESCO. Foz is another
highly touristic area, considered by many to be the most beautiful area
of the city, where you can enjoy the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean
combined with a beautiful and romantic promenade.
It was European
Capital of Culture in 2001 (Porto 2001) and hosted several games of the
2004 European Football Championship, namely the opening game. Also in
evidence is the Mercado do Bolhão, an architectural symbol of
traditional commerce, where the famous market vendors, characteristic of
the city, can be found. The intervention of the Architect Joaquim
Massena is planned for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Mercado
do Bolhão, providing it with health infrastructures for the trade of
fresh products, as well as the inclusion of new functionalities,
maintaining the entire Patrimonial structure.
The historic
complex classified by UNESCO, is one of the most visited tourist
attractions in the city of Porto, where you can find several points of
commerce, squares and historic buildings, which are at the origin of the
city, such as the Cathedral.
The Bom Pastor Convent, located in
Paranhos, is also widely visited in the city, especially by Portuguese
and German pilgrims, because Sister Maria do Divino Coração, Countess
Droste zu Vischering, lived and died there with a reputation for
holiness, who became known worldwide for having influenced Pope Leo XIII
to carry out the consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. Later, in 1964, the nun was proclaimed Venerable by the Catholic
Church and was then beatified on November 1, 1975 by Pope Paul VI. This
convent has two chapels for public worship and a museum with numerous
relics of the Blessed Mother Superior of the Sisters of Good Shepherd of
that community.
In 2012 and 2014, the city of Porto was elected
"Best European Destination", a distinction awarded annually by the
"European Consumers Choice". In 2013, it was voted "Best Holiday
Destination in Europe" by Lonely Planet. Also, in 2014, Business
Destinations magazine, which annually organizes the Business
Destinations Travel Awards, considered that Alfândega do Porto is the
best space for "meetings and conferences" in Europe, choosing this
congress center for its quality and insertion urban and, that same year,
the European edition of the Wall Street Journal dedicated two pages to
the city of Porto, which it suggested as the "fascinating and charming
city... perfect for a long weekend". In 2015, the city of Porto was once
again chosen as one of the main tourist destinations in Europe, making
part of a list of 10 tourist centers made by the British newspaper The
Guardian. In February 2017, Porto was again elected, by the "European
Consumers Choice", "Best European Destination" of the year. It is the
third time that the city has been distinguished with this award and the
only one to achieve this feat three times.
Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO), which is the best
airport in Portugal in terms of terminal space. In terms of cargo and
passenger air movements, it is the second largest in Portugal, having
been awarded as the best in the world in the category of airports with
up to 5 million passengers and, in 2014, as the third best European
airport. After being radically rebuilt, its zone of influence spread
throughout the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, being today a
functional airport with contemporary architecture with capacity to
receive up to 16 million passengers per year, considered by several
international entities as the best in Europe in its category.
the
Port of Leixões, which represents 25% of Portuguese international trade
and moves around 14 million tons of goods per year, located in the
neighboring municipality of Matosinhos, will undergo an expansion that
will double the possibility of cargo, and will bring several luxury
cruises to the port, or even the scientific studies carried out in the
city that have already played a part in the history of World Science.
Leixões was ranked in 2013 as one of the 125 busiest ports in the world.
Public transport in the city of Porto dates back to the year 1872,
when the Companhia Carril Americano do Porto was a pioneer in starting
its exploration in Portugal. A year later, Companhia Carris de Ferro do
Porto was created. The merger of the two companies gave rise to
Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP), which took its
current name in 1946. STCP is in charge of operating the buses and tram
lines that survived the golden age of these transports, being today
sections are undergoing rehabilitation in downtown Porto.
The
metro network is operated by the company Metro do Porto, which in all
has 68 stations spread over 60.0 km of double-track commercial lines,
with 8 km of underground network, arranged throughout the metropolis of
Porto, thus becoming the largest metropolitan mass public transport
network in Portugal. The Funicular dos Guindais, operated by Metro do
Porto, is a railway on a cliff that quickly connects the Batalha area to
Avenida Gustavo Eiffel, in Ribeira. The city also has a suburban rail
network operated by CP: lines from Aveiro, Braga, Guimarães and Penafiel
or Caíde.
The capacity of the city's road system is increased by the A20
motorway, an internal road connected to several motorways and city
exits, complementing a peripheral road, which borders the north of the
city and connects the eastern side of the city to the Atlantic coast. .
The city is connected to Valença by the A28 motorway, to Estarreja by
the A29, to Lisbon by the A1, to Bragança by the A4 and to Braga by the
A3. There is also the Via de Cintura Interna, a ring road that connects
all the main cities around Porto and that connect the city to other main
metropolitan highways, such as the A7, A11, A42, A43 and A44. Since
2011, a new motorway, the A32, connects the metropolitan region to São
João da Madeira and Oliveira de Azeméis.
The main bus terminals
in the urban space of the city of Porto are the Bus Terminal of Campo 24
de Agosto and the Bus Terminal of Parque das Camélias (city of Porto),
which are directly connected to the wider context of the Metropolitan
Area of Porto. Porto, the Transport Coordination Center of Arouca and
the Transport Coordination Center of São João da Madeira.
The
need for a permanent crossing between the two banks of the Douro for the
circulation of people and goods, led to the construction of the Ponte
das Barcas in 1806, previously crossing the river was done using boats,
rafts, barges or barges. The bridge consisted of 20 boats connected by
steel cables and could open in two parts to allow passage for river
traffic. The increase in traffic required the construction of a
permanent bridge, which led to the construction of the D. Maria II
suspension bridge in 1843, dismantled years later after the opening of
the D. Luís I bridge in 1886, the oldest bridge in the city that remains
active. With its two decks - the lower and the upper - it originally
served as a road link between the lower and upper zones of Vila Nova de
Gaia and Porto and, more generally, between the north and south of the
country, for long decades. From the second half of the 20th century,
however, it began to prove to be insufficient to ensure car traffic
between the two banks, having been replaced by other bridges and after
adaptation the upper deck was used by the Metro do Porto.
The D.
Maria Pia Bridge, built between January 1876 and November 4, 1877 by
Gustave Eiffel's company, was the first railway bridge to unite the two
banks of the Douro. Equipped with a single line, which required the
passage of one train at a time, at a speed that could not exceed 20 km/h
and with limited loads, in the last quarter of the 20th century it
became evident that the bridge was no longer responding satisfactorily
to the needs. Which led to it being deactivated and replaced by the São
João Bridge in 1991.
The Arrábida Bridge had, at the time of
construction, the largest arch in the world in reinforced concrete, and
constitutes the final stretch of the A1 motorway that connects Lisbon to
Porto. Initially, the bridge had two lanes measuring 8 m each, separated
by a raised lane 2 m wide; two lanes for cyclists each measuring 1.70 m
and two 1.50 m wide sidewalks, also raised. Later, a traffic lane was
added in each direction, built at the expense of eliminating cycle lanes
and reducing the central divider. Despite the construction of the Ponte
do Freixo, further upstream, the Ponte de Arrábida continues to be the
main connection between the city of Porto and the south bank of the
Douro.
Of the bridges that connect Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia,
the Ponte do Freixo is the most upstream of the river. It was built in
an attempt to minimize traffic jams experienced on the Arrábida and Dom
Luís Bridges, particularly notorious since the late 1980s. It is, in
fact, two bridges built side by side and 10 cm apart other. It is a road
bridge with eight traffic lanes (four in each direction). The Ponte do
Infante, named in honor of Infante D. Henrique, born in Porto, is the
most recent that connects Porto and Gaia. It was built to replace the
upper deck of the Dom Luís Bridge, meanwhile converted for use on the
"Yellow Line" (Hospital de São João/Santo Ovídio) of the Porto Metro. It
was built just upstream of the Dom Luís Bridge, in the heart of the
historic area, connecting the Fontainhas neighborhood (Porto) to Serra
do Pilar (Vila Nova de Gaia).
In the city of Porto there are several hospitals (both public and private), clinics and health centres. Some of the public hospitals in Porto are organized in a Hospital Centre, the Centro Hospitalar do Porto. The hospitals included in this Hospital Center are Hospital de Santo António, Hospital Maria Pia and Maternidade Júlio Dinis. In addition to these, there is also the Hospital de São João and the IPO. Among the private health services, Hospital da Luz Porto, Hospital da Boavista or Hospital da Luz Arrábida stand out.
The city of Porto has several schools and kindergartens, public and
private, of primary, basic and secondary education, such as Escola
Secundária Alexandre Herculano. In the Greater Porto area there are
international schools such as the British Council Porto.
In Porto
is located the University of Porto. There are also other universities
such as the Catholic University of Portugal, the Lusíada University of
Porto, the Fernando Pessoa University, the Portucalense University, the
Lusófona University of Porto and the Polytechnic Institute of Porto.
Porto is the place where the creation of a pioneering consortium in
Portugal was formalized: the Consortium of Northern Universities
(UniNORTE), which corresponds to an association/partnership between the
University of Porto, the University of Minho and the University of Tras-
os-Montes and Alto Douro, in order to share means, human resources and
European funds.
Porto has two municipal libraries. The Municipal
Public Library of Porto, where you can find, among others, books,
magazines and newspapers published in Portugal and where you can find
content with restricted access. The Almeida Garrett Municipal Library is
a modern library, designed by the architect José Manuel Soares, for
public reading where documents have free access.
The city has more than 10,000 annual events, from concerts to
theaters, exhibitions or even parties with famous disc jockeys in one of
the many nightclubs and bars in the city.
However, the biggest
entertainment event continues to be São João do Porto, from the 23rd to
the 24th of June, when thousands of people invade the streets of the
city. In this event, special mention should be made of sardines,
manjericos with the respective sanjoaninas quatrains, leeks, hammer
blows and parish dancers.
Several dishes of traditional Portuguese cuisine originated in the
city of Porto, whose identity (in terms of main meat and fish dishes,
soups, starters and appetizers, wines and brandies, cheeses and
sausages, as well as desserts and confectionery) is part of the broader
gastronomic identity of the Entre Douro e Minho identity territory.
The typical dish par excellence of the city is tripe à moda do
Porto, a historic dish that dates back to the time of the Portuguese
discoveries, and which can be found in many of the city's restaurants.
Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is another emblematic dish of the city of Porto,
much appreciated for its flavor and refinement, which also has an impact
throughout the Portuguese territory, as well as in Brazil, since this
has been populated, structurally, by Portuguese from the North from
Portugal. Caldo Verde is also a typical soup, original and emblematic of
Porto and the North region. The francesinha is, in recent times, the
most famous dish, and consists of a sandwich stuffed with various meats
(usually beef, sausage, fresh sausage and ham) and covered with cheese
and a special sauce (sauce de francesinha).
The drink that bears
the name of the city is Port wine, it is produced in the Alto Douro wine
region (the oldest demarcated region in the world). Port wine is
exported internationally from cellars located on the left bank of the
Douro River, in Vila Nova de Gaia. In Porto, there is also the
headquarters of the Viticulture Commission of the Vinho Verde Region,
and green wine is also the type of wine, in addition to Douro wine,
which usually accompanies various types of dishes of Porto cuisine. It
is in Porto that the 'Vinho Verde Wine Fest' is held annually.
The city of Porto has several cultural spaces of reference in the
region and at a national level. Among the various museums in the city,
the Museum of Contemporary Art stands out, one of the most visited
museums in the country, where works of art by various contemporary
artists are also on display, alongside the typical flora of the northern
region of Portugal in the surrounding area. Serralves Park. The Casa do
Infante, dating from the 13th century and where Infante D. Henrique was
born, is currently the city's medieval museum and district archive.
Other museum houses include the Fernando de Castro House-Museum, Guerra
Junqueiro House-Museum, Marta Ortigão Sampaio House-Museum and António
Carneiro House-Workshop.
Inserted in the Alfândega Nova building,
the Transport and Communications Museum aims to show the history of
transport and means of communication. The Electric Car Museum, housed in
the old Massarelos thermoelectric power station, has a collection of
electric cars and trailers that circulated around the city. Annually, it
organizes a parade of the museum's electric cars through the streets of
the city, between Massarelos and Passeio Alegre.
The National
Museum of Soares dos Reis, created in 1833 by D. Pedro IV, includes a
large part of the sculptor's work. In Porto there are several thematic
museums, namely: the Port Wine Museum, Industry Museum, Natural History
Museum, Paper Money Museum, Numismatics Office, Museum of Sacred Art and
Archeology, Porto Misericórdia Museum, National Museum of the Press,
Newspapers and Graphic Arts, Portuguese Center of Photography, Romantic
Museum of Quinta da Macieirinha, Military Museum of Porto, National
Museum of Literature and Castelo do Queijo, famous for its viewpoint, is
where several temporary exhibitions are held. Porto also hosts the
foundations of António de Almeida, António Cupertino de Miranda, Ilídio
Pinho and Guerra Junqueiro and Mesquita Carvalho.
The city's
cultural auditoriums are, for the most part, buildings from the 19th and
20th centuries. The most daring and relevant construction in recent
years is the Casa da Música, an architectural work that was conceived
for the European Capital of Culture 2001 event, designed by architect
Rem Koolhaas and internationally acclaimed. Teatro Rivoli, Teatro
Nacional São João and Teatro Sá da Bandeira are important venues of
historic and architectural importance, located in downtown Porto. There
are also other auditoriums in the downtown area, such as the Coliseu do
Porto and the Cine-Teatro Batalha, a historic cinema in the city to
which the local expression "go to Batalha!" is linked. Other theaters
include Teatro do Campo Alegre and Teatro Helena Sá e Costa, the latter
is the stage for talents in training at the Porto School of Music and
Performing Arts.
Influenced by the English families that explored the Port wine
business, the first football matches in Portugal took place in the city
of Porto. Porto has great sports clubs, the main ones being Futebol
Clube do Porto, Boavista Futebol Clube and Sport Comércio e Salgueiros.
There are also numerous smaller clubs, but with a social function of
great importance. Estádio do Dragão, designed by Arq. Manuel Salgado, is
the home of Futebol Clube do Porto. The stadium has been featured
several times in international architecture magazines, where it was
highly praised.
On an individual level, the most famous sporting
personality from the city of Porto is the athlete Rosa Mota, winner of
the marathon gold medal at the Seoul Olympic Games and bronze at the Los
Angeles Olympic Games.
In the city, many sports events of the
most varied modalities are organized. Mention should be made of the
Porto Marathon in athletics, the historic races on the Circuito da
Boavista and the Red Bull Air Races. Still in alternative sports, the
city of Porto stands out for hosting several international competitions
of the most varied sports, such as equestrianism. In this sport, in
particular, there is even a candidacy for a qualifier for the equestrian
world cup in Porto.
Boavista is home to the Boavista Urban
Circuit, which takes place every two years. The Circuit usually has an
average of 115 thousand spectators, integrating several categories, but
the most anticipated is the WTCC, due to the man of the house Tiago
Monteiro who was once a Formula 1 driver. The Urban Circuit has also
hosted Formula 1 in 1958 and 1960, winning Jack Brabham (in 1960) for
Cooper-Climax and Stirling Moss (in 1958) for Vanwall.