CITY OF PORTO

Whoever visits Porto for the first time immediately feels the pulse of a city that is not just the regional capital of northern Portugal, but also the main trading centre in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. Traditionally known for its Port Wine trade, the city is the hub of one of the most industrialized metropolitan areas in Europe. Its commercial activity is facilitated by the cargo terminal at the port of Leixões, which handles 25% of the country’s international trade, and also by Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, consistently elected as one of the best in Europe for the last years.

The UNESCO World Heritage historic centre charm and beauty cast a special spell on the city of Porto. But no less enchanting are the modern buildings designed by acclaimed names in architecture such as Siza Vieira, Souto Moura and Rem Koolhaas. The pleasant atmosphere, excellent cuisine, and range of cultural and leisure activities at competitive prices have earned it worldwide recognition as one of the best European destinations.

More about Porto – www.visitporto.travel

 

Entertainment

In the city also known as Invicta, there is a café on every corner. Porto boasts hundreds of bars, especially in the old quarter and the most traditional neighbourhoods, and where the nightlife often only ends the following morning.

In recent years, Porto has seen a revival in its downtown nightlife

The night usually gets going at Restaurant Café Ancora D’ Ouro, known as O Piolho (The Louse). This café is a favourite meeting place of university students and one of the city’s oldest. The walls are filled with messages from successive generations of students who passed by there.

Night-time haunts include bars such as the Armazém do Chá, Rendez-Vous, Radio, Tendinha dos Clérigos, Plano B, Pitch, Maus Habitos, among others.

 

Exhibitions, concerts and shows

In Porto, access to exhibitions, concerts and shows is relatively easy. Many of these events are free or subject to reduction through discount cards, such as a student card or young person’s card.

Porto has also been the stage for a growing number of rock and alternative music shows, as well as various festivals. Nos Primavera Sound in June and “Noites Ritual Rock” in August, are two examples of major festivals held in Porto.

In addition, the Coliseu do Porto, Teatro Sá da Bandeira and Teatro Passos Manuel are superb venues for musical or theatrical performances. To these joined in 2005 Casa da Música, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and now the city´s main concert hall and an iconic symbol of modern, cosmopolitan Porto.

In the field of fine arts, there are many interesting attractions in the city, the main one being the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by architect Siza Vieira. Serralves is a cultural institution of worldwide repute whose mission is to raise public awareness of contemporary art and the environment. It achieves this through the Museum of Contemporary Art, which serves as a multidisciplinary centre; the Park, which besides being a site of natural heritage hosts educational and environmental events; and the Auditorium, which is a centre for reflection and debate on contemporary society.

 

International Festivals

Porto stages many international festivals covering areas as diverse as tango, puppetry, short films, theatre, organ and multimedia. Of particular note, there are two large scale festivals with international scope:

• The International Festival of Iberian Theatre Expression – FITEI which takes place in March bringing together theatre groups from Portugal, Spain, and South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina.
• Fantasporto, which is a fantastic film festival of international renown that traditionally opens in the second week of February, and for two weeks showcases about two hundred films of various genres from different countries.

 

Cinema and Theatre

Porto offers a very broad film program, from cinemas showing films on commercial release (in shopping centres) to those showing films of a more independent and alternative nature. Most of these cinemas open their doors from 2pm, and the larger venues hold sessions at midnight and from 2am at weekends.

Porto´s Cineclube and the Cineclube do Norte hold special sessions, often at the Rivoli theatre or at Casa das Artes, which are also venues for some Fantasporto sessions.

Porto boasts several theatres and concert halls, including the Teatro Rivoli, Teatro São João, Teatro Carlos Alberto and the Coliseu, which is the largest venue in the whole northern region of the country. In addition, there are smaller venues where various theatre companies put on shows, such as Seiva Trupe or Tear, as well as many musical and entertainment groups.

In 1998 the University of Porto opened its own University Theatre, in Campo Alegre. Ateneu Comercial and Palácio da Bolsa are also used for shows, especially musicals.

 

Popular Festivals

São João (St John´s) is the liveliest of Porto’s festivals and is one of the most important popular cultural events in Portugal.

On the night of June 23, the whole city takes part in this great popular festivity until dawn, walking the streets, in high spirits, keeping up the tradition of patting anyone passing by on the head with plastic hammers. Sardines are eaten, the sky is filled with mini hot air balloons and there are bonfires, serenading and dancing in the streets of the old quarter. At midnight, the River Douro plays host to a stunning fireworks display, and on the following day is the setting for the traditional regatta of rabelo boats.

 

Digital Tourist Guide

To help you know the city of Porto better, a student from the Doctoral Course in Digital Media developed TravelPlot, an interactive tourist guide consisting of several platforms: an iPhone application, a website, a map, live events and social networks (YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest).

Discover Porto through a genuine “treasure hunt”!