Since 1951, the botanical garden of Porto includes:
- an historic garden, composed by three distinct areas separated by large hedges ("camellia");
- lakes with aquatic plants;
- an area with an important collection of gymnosperms and beeches, oaks, tulip, magnolia…
- a garden of succulents;
- greenhouses with tropical plants, subtropical, orchids and succulents.

Desde 1951, o jardim botânico do Porto inclui:
- Um jardim histórico, composto por três áreas distintas separadas por grandes sebes ("camélia");
- ...

This chapel dating from the early 18th century was restored and extended in 1801. In 1929 the outer façades were faced with tiles by Edurado Leite produced in Fábrica de Cerâmica Viúva Lamego. Inside the altars are in the neoclassical style and they house an 18th century image of Our lady of Souls.

Esta capela que data do início do século XVIII foi restaurada e ampliada em 1801. Em 1929, as fachadas exteriores foram renovadas com telhas Eduardo ...

Created by Rem Koolhas, it is surely a must-see in Porto.
It holds a huge variety of events, not only music-related: from classical to dancefloor music to architecture conferences. High quality guaranteed!
Guided tours to the building are available (only for groups), and most of the events have special prices (for under 25 year-olds, for example). I totally recomend the guided tour, because it is very unique building, and this way one can look at it in a very different way than before

Criada por Rem Koolhas, não pode deixar de conhecer a Casa da Música no Porto.
A oferecer tem uma variedade de eventos, não só ...

Castelo do Queijo or Castle of St. Francis Xavier, built in the fifteenth century, is a small defensive fortification, located in the Square Gonçalves Zarco.
Since immemorial times it is said that the huge rock where the castle was built was a sacred place for Dragan, Celtic tribes who came to the Iberian Peninsula six centuries before Christ.
Composed of angular design, wide shot platforms and thick walls, with no towers, moats for the land, an impressive drawbridge, etc.. this entire ensemble makes this castle a beautiful work of art.
On the north side, is still the Portuguese coat of arms.
Set shortly after the City Park, this is one of the best spots in town to watch the sunset sun.

O Castelo do Queijo ou Castelo de São Francisco Xavier, construído no século XV, é uma pequena fortificação defensiva, situada na Praça Gonçalves Zarco.
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The garden itself dates from 1865. It was designed by the German architect Emilio David.
In 1941, it was transformed when the trees were completely destroyed by a cyclone. The only large tree that has resisted was the tercentenary elm (1612) known as "gallows tree" not existing anymore.

This garden, known as Jardim da Cordoaria, is officially called Jardim João Chagas. At the center there is a lake surrounded by three sculptures: a “Flora”, made by Teixeira Lopes (1904), a statue of Ramalho Ortigão, made by Leopoldo de Almeida (1909) and a bust of António Nobre, made by Tomás Costa (1926).

In the context of European Cultural Capital Porto 2001, the garden had an intervention coordinated by the architect Camilo Cortesão and there was integrated a set of sculptures by Juan Muñoz, 2001 "thirteen laughing at each other".

O jardim em si data de 1865 e foi projectado pelo arquitecto alemão Emilio David.
Em 1941 foi renovado, após a queda de todas ...

Dragão Stadium was built for Euro 2004 and was the venue of the competition's opening ceremony. It is owned by Porto Football Club and was designed by architect Manuel Salgado. Open-air concerts are also held here in the summer. The stadium, which holds 51,000 people, has won awards, including the ECCS' European Metallic and Mixed Construction award in 2005, for its impressive design and scale. The roof is particularly unusual, made of a steel structure covered by polycarbonate sheets.

O Estádio do Dragão foi construído para o Euro 2004 e foi o local da cerimónia de abertura da competição. É propriedade da Futebol Clube ...

The Flores (Flowers) street was opened from 1521 onwards and ran across hortical land belonging to the Bishop.

It became one of the city´s most important streets, favoured by the nobles and bourgeois who built luxurious manor houses here.

Among the finer buildings are the Casa dos Maias (n.º 29) and the Casa dos Cunhas Pimentéis (on the corner of Largo S. Domingos) which were built in the 16th century. Casa dos Sousa e Silva (n.º79-83) and Casa dos Constantinos (n.º 139) date from the 18th century.

In the n.º 5 there is the Misericórdia Church from the second half of the 16th century.

A rua das Flores foi aberta a partir de 1521, ocupando toda a terra agrícola pertencentes ao Bispo da cidade.

Tornou-se uma ...

The Nossa Senhora das Neves Fort (Forte de Nossa Senhora das Neves) is also known as Leça da Palmeira Fort or Matosinhos Castle.

After the restoration of independence in 1640 and the need to defend our coasts from spanish and pirates attacks were built fortresses by the sea. In Leça da Palmeira was built the Nossa Senhora das Neves Fort, which together with the S. Joao da Foz and S. Francisco Xavier (Castelo do Queijo) forts, integrated the defense line of the city of Porto.

It's a fort “bastion” type with a four-pointed star plant. Its construction was started in 1651, replacing an older and smaller fortification, located next to this and whose construction had begun in 1638.

Today is the seat of the “Capitania do Porto de Leixões”.

O Forte de Nossa Senhora das Neves também é conhecido como Castelo de Leça da Palmeira ou Forte de Matosinhos.

Após a ...

The church was built in the second half of the 16th century, having undergone several changes during the 18th century. The frontispiece was then rebuilt according to the project of the famous architect Nicolau Nasoni and reflects the Rococo influence. In the interior, the main chapel, from the original cinquecentist building, is of great interest. You can also have a look, in the sacristy, to the tile from the 17th century.

A igreja foi construída na segunda metade do século 16, tendo sofrido várias alterações durante o século 18. O frontispício foi depois reconstruída de ...

Next to the Terceiros do Carmo Church there is the Carmelitas Church. This church was built in the first half of the XVIIth century and brings together the sobriety of the Classic style with Baroque influence gilt carved pulpits and altar pieces.

Ao lado dos Terceiros do Carmo Igreja não é a Igreja das Carmelitas. Esta igreja foi construída na primeira metade do século XVII e ...

This is the oldest church in Porto. According to tradition a monastery was founded here in the 6th century. Two limestone capitals dating from the Reconquering of Iberia remain from the original building. The church was greatly altered in 1087 but the blind arches of the chancel were retained. The Church was also substantially remodelled from the end of the 12th century onwards.

Esta é a igreja mais antiga de Porto. Segundo a tradição de um mosteiro foi fundado aqui no século 6. Duas capitais calcárias que ...

This bulding from the XVIIth century, both Baroque and Classic in style, was rebuilt on the old medieval small church location. There is only one nave. It is worth spending time admiring the wood Rococo carvings and panel painted by João Glama.

Este Bulding a partir do século XVII, tanto barroco e clássico no estilo, foi reconstruída no antigo local de pequena igreja medieval. Há apenas ...

This church was inaugurated in 1680.The façade is in Baroque style. The windows are covered with modern tiles depicting scenes from the life of Saint Anthony. The stained glasses are from the XXth century. There is only one nave.

Esta igreja foi inaugurada em 1680.The fachada é em estilo barroco. As janelas são cobertas com telhas modernas que retratam cenas da vida de ...

The church was completed in the 19th cntury. But the plans were started in 1775. During the Siege of Porto Dom Pedro regent (Pedro IV of Portugal, I of Brazil) attended mass here. At the time of his death he donated his heart to the City of Porto where it rests.

A igreja foi concluída em 19 cntury. Mas os planos foram iniciados em 1775. Durante o Cerco do Porto Dom Pedro regente (Pedro IV ...

The church was built in the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries, near an old, small church. The composition of the façade and the layout of the interior are examples of the mannerist influence.

Igreja do séc XVII, cuja fachada apresenta grandes semelhanças com a Igreja de S. Lourenço. De realçar o retábulo-mor, uma bela peça rococó, os ...

Next to the Carmelitas Church there is the Terceiros do Carmo Church. This church was built in the second half of the XVIIIth century in Rococo style.
In 1912 the lateral was faced by a magnificient tiled panel designed by Silvestro Silvestri. I tis worth noting the gilt carved main altar piece.

Ao lado da Igreja das Carmelitas, há a Terceiros fazer Igreja do Carmo. Esta igreja foi construída na segunda metade do século XVIII, em ...

Opened in 1906, Livraria Lello is one "ex-libris" in Porto and it was considered by The Guardian journal the third most beautiful bookstore in the world.

Designed by Xavier Esteves, the bookstore's architecture and interior design are stunning. The facade is an excellent neo-gothic design. Once inside, there is the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello’s motto "Decus in Labore" will no doubt impress you.

The pillars are ornamented with bronze bas-reliefs of Portuguese literature figures and there is a small track on the floor along which employees move carts filled with books. All in all, Lello is one of the best works of the so-called “second eclecticism” style in Portugal, with beautiful art nouveau naturalist elements.

Considerada um ex libris do Porto , a Livraria Lello e Irmão foi eleita a terceira mais bela do mundo.

O actual ...

Built by the Company Alliance (Massarelos Foundry) is an important piece of the "Iron Architecture." Presents numerous constructive and decorative elements that reveal the technical adequacy and plastic potential of the iron. Having been in the past, fruit market, is now a venue for exhibitions and other events of a cultural nature.

Construído pela Companhia Aliança (Fundição de Massarelos) é uma importante peça da "Arquitectura do Ferro".

Apresenta numerosos elementos construtivos e decorativos que ...

In the mid-fourteenth century, as a result of urban expansion, a new outer wall was built and completed around 1370, in the reign of King Fernando, what explains the fact of being called "Ferdinand Walls".

The walls began to be demolished since the second half of the eighteenth century to make way for new streets, squares and buildings. Most of the wall has been demolished in the late nineteenth century.

The surviving sections of " Fernand walls” were classified as" National Monuments" in 1926.

A muralha Fernandina veio substituir a antiga cerca alto-medieval, que no séc. XIV se mostrava demasiado pequena, face ao desenvolvimento da cidade.

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The Urban Park in Porto, designed by the landscape architect Sidónio Pardal, is the largest urban park in Portugal, occupying a total of 83 hectares and about 10 km of paths.

There are lakes and several flora and fauna. The modeling of the terrain, the stone elements and the trees create places particularly pleasant where visitors do not realize that they're in a densely populated area. This park is visited for different reasons: walking, resting, relaxing, playing, having a picnic…

O Parque da Cidade, no Porto, foi projectado pelo arquitecto paisagista Sidónio Pardal e é o maior parque urbano em Portugal, ocupando um total de ...

Quinta da Conceicao is the main municipal public park from Matosinhos. In 1481 was the installation of the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Convent. Currently it is still visible the ancient cloister of the convent, some fountains, a “Manuelino” style portal and the chapel of San Francisco. The place was abandoned for more than three centuries. During the 1960s there were some improvements designed by the architect Fernando Távora, when was built a tennis court and a swimming pool designed by the architect Álvaro Siza.

Quinta da Conceição é o principal parque público municipal de Matosinhos. Em 1481 foi a instalação da Senhora da Conceição Convento Nossa. Atualmente, ainda ...

Inaugurated in 1996, the Quinta de Santiago Museum (Museu da Quinta de Santiago) is installed in a historic building from the late nineteenth century, built by João Santiago de Carvalho for the family residence. Designed by the Venetian architect Nicola Bigal, this summer house was built and decorated with medieval and renaissance elements, decorating the rooms in various styles.

Besides the architectural interest of the building, the actual Museum houses three collections: furniture style of the late nineteenth-century, painting and sculpture.
The painting collection is based on three artists from Matosinhos: Antonio Carneiro (1872-1930), Agostinho Salgado (1905-1967) and Augusto Gomes (1910-1976).

The sculptures, displayed inside the house and gardens are the work of Barata Feyo (1902-1990), Álvaro Siza, Gustavo Bastos, Ruy Anahory, Lagoa Henriques and Irene Vilar.

In the basement of the house there is a bar (temporarily closed) with an outside balcony to enjoy the beautiful garden ... ..

Inaugurada em 1996, a Quinta de Santiago Museum (Museu da Quinta de Santiago) está instalado em um edifício histórico do século XIX, construído por ...

Rua da Reboleira (Reboleira street) is in “Ribeira”.

The house with number 59 has a small tower which dates from the Middle Ages (XIVth century) still preserves its original structure.

In this área there used to be other houses, such as number 55 which still has its original gothic doors and windows on the ground floor.

Rua da Reboleira (rua Reboleira) está em "Ribeira".

A casa com o número 59 tem uma pequena torre que data da Idade Média ...

The São Bento Train Station (Estação de São Bento), in the centre of the city, was inaugurated in 1916. But the first train has arrived in 1896. The name of the station derives from a Benedictine monastery built on this spot in the 16th century. The monastery fell victim of a fire in 1783, was later rebuilt, but was in a grave state of disrepair at the end of the 19th century. In the context of an expansion of the railway system in Portugal, King Carlos I laid the first stone of the station in 1900. The project was designed by the architect José Marques da Silva. The most notable aspect of São Bento Station are the large and magnificent tile panels in the vestible. The tiles number 20 thousand, date from 1905-1916 and are the work of Jorge Colaço, the most important azulejo painter of the time. The panels depict landscapes, ethnographic scenes as well as historical events like the meeting of knight Egas Moniz and Alfonso VII of León (12th century), the arrival of King João I and Filipa de Lencastre in Porto (1387) and the Conquest of Ceuta (1415).

A bela Estação de São Bento foi edificada no princí­pio do séc. XX no preciso local onde existiu o Convento de S. Bento de Avé-Maria, ...

The National Theater of S. João was constructed in the same place where long ago one another lyric theater with the same name existed. The Theater of S. João was inaugurated with the Comedy " the Vivandeira" the 13 of May of 1798, with intention to designate the birthday of the Prince regent. In April of 1908 a fire completely destroyed it. Its reconstruction had beginning in 1911 and finished in 1918. The new building has a robust aspect but no style definition. Today, the building is one of the main buildings of the city and an important place of cultural events of the city.

O Teatro Nacional de S. Joo foi construído no mesmo lugar onde há muito tempo um outro teatro lírico com o mesmo nome existiu. ...

The most attractive part of Porto for tourists is the area along the Douro River downstream from the Ponte D Luís I bridge, the iron bridge built by Teófilo Seyrig, one of Gustavo Eiffel’s students.

On the north bank of the river runs the Cais da Ribeira, Porto’s riverfront which is full of bars and restaurants, and along the south bank is the Cais da Vila Nova di Gaia, where the big port wine producing companies have their famous cellars giving visitors the opportunity to indulge in some wine tasting.

There are plenty of companies offering cruises on the river, and it is worth going on a short trip to check out the six bridges crossing the Douro.

A parte mais atraente do Porto para os turistas é a área ao longo do rio Douro a jusante da Ponte D Luís I ...