MIRAGAIA AND MASSARELOS
Expansive parks and streets that slope down towards an austere post-industrial waterfront, which looks across the Douro to the Gaia quaysides opposite, shape the character of the attractive Miragaia and Massarelos neighbourhoods. Here, one of the city’s finest art collections at the Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis and an array of historic churches complement museums that focus on 20th-century technology. The once run-down Rua Miguel Bombarda has been transformed into the main street of a vibrant arts quarter filled with commercial art galleries, vintage and antique stores, and hip bars and cafés.
1. Jardim do Carregal
Rua de Clementa Meneres 72 • Open 24 hrs
Laid out in 1897 by noted landscape gardener Jerónimo Monteiro da Costa, this garden was rejuvenated in 2009. In the middle of the garden, a statue memorializes famed Porto intellectual Abel Salazar (1889–1946), who was sacked in 1935 from his chair at the University of Porto for his criticism of Portugal’s dictatorship.
Abel Salazar, Jardim do Carregal
2. Museu do Carro Electrico
Alameda de Basilio Teles 51 • Open 2–6pm Mon, 10am–6pm Tue–Sun • Adm • www.museudocarroelectrico.pt
Porto proudly pioneered electric trams in this part of the world, with a network that was the first on the Iberian peninsula. The earliest to operate in the city (in 1872) is the centrepiece of this collection of veteran tramcars, housed in the city’s original electricity generating station. Vintage trams still run on some city centre and waterfront routes, where they are operated by the Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos de Porto (Porto Public Transport Company).
Trams in the Museu do Carro Electrico
3. Centro Português de Fotografia
Largo Amor de Perdicão • Open 10am–6pm Tue–Fri, 3–7pm Sat–Sun
The fascinating collection of antique cameras from the dawn of photography are displayed on the upper floor of this building, which was once a prison. The museum’s galleries are used for exhibitions of vintage and cutting-edge contemporary imagery.
4. World of Discoveries
Rua de Miragaia 106 • Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri, 10am– 7pm Sat–Sun • Adm • www.worldofdiscoveries.com
Hugely popular with families, this interactive museum and theme park portrays life during Portugal’s 15th- and 16th-century era of maritime exploration, with actors playing celebrated navigators like Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias and Prince Henry the Navigator. Although the more unsavoury aspects of the period are glossed over, kids will thoroughly enjoy the 16th-century shipyard, and a watery ride through the jungle on an indoor imitation of a tropical river is a firm favourite.
5. Igrejas das Carmelitas e do Carmo
Rua do Carmo • Igreja do Carmo: open 8:30am–6:30pm daily; Igreja das Carmelitas: open 7:30am– 7pm Mon–Fri
Th 18th-century Igreja do Carmo has one of the most elaborate azulejo façades of any of Porto’s churches and its glittering Rococo interior is equally stunning. Next to it is the more mundane Igreja dos Carmelitas, built for nuns of the Carmelite order. Between the two, the narrowest house in Porto is squeezed into the 1-m- (3-ft-) wide alley.
Igreja das Carmelitas and Igreja do Carmo, separated by a narrow house
6. Museu dos Transportes e Comunicações
Rua Nova de Alfândega • Open 10am–1pm & 2–6pm Tue–Fri, 3–7pm Sat–Sun • Adm • www.amtc.pt
There are enough archaic and arcane vehicles and devices here to keep families entertained on a rainy day, from the armoured limousine that chauffeured long-standing 20th-century dictator António Salazar, to the first car to arrive in Portugal in 1895. Kids who have grown up with smartphones will be amazed by the clunky first-generation computers.
7. Jardim do Palácio de Cristal
The hub of this expanse of lush landscaped terraces (see Jardim do Palácio de Cristal) high above the Douro river is the retro-futuristic concrete dome of the Pavilhão Rosa Mota. Built in 1954, it looks very much like a flying saucer from an early science fiction film, and stands on the site of an earlier building that was equally futuristic in its day. Porto’s Palácio de Cristal, built in 1861, paid architectural tribute to London’s Crystal Palace, but it was pulled down to make way for its more modern successor. The pavilion is surrounded by gardens where resident peacocks lend a splash of exotic colour.
8. Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis
Five centuries of Portuguese and European secular and religious art are represented in this museum’s extensive collections (see Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis). Highlights include Flemish and Dutch portraiture and still life from the 16th and 17th centuries, and works of religious art salvaged from the dissolution of many of Portugal’s monasteries in the 19th century. The signature work is the sculpture O Desterrado by António Soares dos Reis. There is also a collection of paintings by noted Portuguese Naturalist and Romantic painters such as Aurélia de Sousa and António Carneiro. The decorative art display includes Chinese and Japanese ceramics and lacquerwork.
9. Cemitério dos Ingleses
Largo da Maternidade de Júlio Dinis 45 • 226 091 006 • Open 9am–4pm daily • stjamesoporto.org
The modest gravestone of Joseph James Forrester (1809–62), made a baron of Portugal for his legendary contribution to developing the port trade, is among the many memorials in this secluded Protestant cemetery. Hidden away behind high walls, it is the last resting place of many notables of Porto’s expatriate community. Next to it is Porto’s first Protestant place of worship, the Anglican Church of St James, built in 1818. It has no spire or bell-tower, and its modest appearance contrasts with the elaborate façades of the city’s Catholic churches.
10. Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia
Largo de São Pedro de Miragaia • Open 3:30–7pm Tue–Sat, 10–11:30am Sun
The church that was first built here served Miragaia’s fishing community and was dedicated to São Pedro, the patron saint of fishermen. It was completely rebuilt in the 1730s, and its most striking aspect is an interior that is a riot of fantastically carved gilt woodwork that combines both Rococo and Baroque elements.
Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia
A DAY IN MIRAGAIA AND MASSARELOS
MORNING
Hop on one of the vintage trams that take Linha 1 along Rua Nova de Alfândega and hop off at the foot of the Escadas do Caminho Novo. Climb these steep stairs for a look at one of the last few surviving stretches of Porto’s earliest city walls, then walk along Rua Tomás Gonzaga to the Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia for a snap of its vivid exterior and a peek at the ornate giltwork inside. Next, saunter up Rua das Taipas to the Centro Português de Fotografia to admire the vintage and contemporary photography and marvel at the clumsy wood and brass ancestors of today’s digital cameras. For a lunch break, stop off at the Hungry Biker for an eco-conscious lunch.
AFTERNOON
Walk across the Jardim das Virtudes to Largo do Viriato, then up Rua Alberto Aires de Gouveia (or take tram 18), to the Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis to admire its outstanding collection of gold and silverware, Asian arts and crafts, and works by Portuguese Romantic painters. Next, walk one block north to Rua de Miguel Bombarda to enjoy art with a much more contemporary flavour in the upscale commercial galleries. Look out for murals by local street artists on the outside walls and gables. Stroll through the pretty Jardim do Palácio de Cristal, then head to Papavinhos Restaurante for a dinner of hearty traditional Portuguese cuisine with a fabulous view.
The Best of the Rest
1. Jardim das Virtudes
Jardim das Virtudes
The miradouro or viewpoint at the edge of the Jardim das Virtudes has one of the best views in Porto.
View from the Miradouro das Virtudes
2. Escadas do Caminho Novo
Between Rua Nova de Alfâdega and Rua Tomas Gonzaga
A surviving 100-m (330–ft) stretch of the Muralha Fernandina runs parallel to these steep stairs up to the Palácio de São João Novo.
3. Planetário do Porto
Rua das Estrelas • Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri, 3–6pm Sat–Sun • Adm • www.planetario.up.pt
Porto’s planetarium, part of the University of Porto’s science faculty, promises a virtual voyage into deep space with a state-of-the-art show.
4. Fonte dos Leões
Praça de Gomes Teixeira
Winged lions surround this cast-iron fountain, erected in 1886 by a French company that supplied the city’s water.
5. Bandeirinha da Saude
Rua da Bandeirinha 24
This granite obelisk at the corner of Rua da Bandeirinha and Escadas das Sereias is a Miragaia landmark. It marked the quarantine zone beyond which ships were not allowed to moor during times of plague.
6. Museu das Marionetas
Rua do Belomonte 61 • Open 11am–1pm & 2–4pm daily • Adm • www.marionetasdo porto.pt
Puppets and puppetry are the central themes here. The museum has a fascinating collection of marionettes, while the theatre stages shows.
7. Museu do Centro Hospitalar
Praça do Prof Abel Salazar • Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri • Adm • www.museu.chporto.pt
Tiny but fascinating, this museum re-creates an antiquated apothecary’s laboratory and a pharmacy.
8. Casa de Almeida Garrett
Rua do Dr Barbosa de Castro 39 • Closed to the public
One of Porto’s most famous sons, Almeida Garrett, was born in this townhouse and lived here until 1804. A fire gutted the building in 2019 and its future is uncertain.
9. Palacete Pinto Leite
Rua da Maternidade 13 • Closed to the public
Formally Porto’s Conservatory of Music, this Neo-Palladian townhouse was built in the mid-19th century for the aristocratic Pinto Leite dynasty.
10. Igreja e Mosteiro de São Bento da Vitória
Rua de São Bento da Vitória 45 • Open for tours 10:30am & 12:30pm Mon–Sat • Adm
This former monastery, founded in 1608, is now used for performances by the Teatro Nacional São João.
Galleries
1. Espaço Q/QuadraSoltas
Rua de Miguel Bombarda 529 • 226 001 007 • Open 3–7pm Mon–Sat
Quirky and colourful works inspired by comics and street art are among the hallmarks of this refreshingly not-for-profit collective gallery.
2. Galeria Municipal do Porto
Jardim do Palácio de Cristal • Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat, 2–6pm Sun
Porto’s city art gallery hosts an always engaging and ever-changing calendar of exhibitions, with many works on show outside in the gardens as well.
3. Galeria Presença
Rua de Miguel Bombarda 570 • Open 10am–12:30pm & 3–7pm Tue–Fri • www.galeria presenca.pt
Adventurous but accessible work by contemporary printmakers is showcased at this commercial gallery with an international reputation.
4. Vantag Galeria
Rua Calouste Gulbenkian 223 • Open 9:30am– 6:30pm Mon–Fri
This gallery specializes in the work of Portuguese and international contemporary painters and sculptors.
5. Galeria Artes Solar Santo Antonio
Rua do Rosario 84 • Open 10:30am–2pm & 3–7:30pm Tue–Fri, 11am–1pm & 2–8pm Sat
This sleek modern gallery aims to foster new talent and to celebrate the work of established local and international modern artists.
6. Kubik
Rua da Restauração 2 • Open 2:30–7:30pm Tue–Sat • www.kubikgallery.com
This youthful gallery opened in 2010 and quickly established itself as the go-to place for conceptual work by new Portuguese artists. Pieces are displayed in a stark white setting.
7. Ap’arte Galeria de Arte
Rua de Bombarda 221 • Open 10am–12:30pm & 3– 7pm Mon–Fri • apartegaleria.com
Launched in 2010 by a team of young curators, Ap’arte is committed to all that is hip and happening in painting, photography and sculpture.
8. Galeria Fernando Santos
Rua de Miguel Bombarda 526 • Open 10am–12:30pm & 3–7pm Mon–Fri, 3–7pm Sat • www.galeriafernandosantos.com
Opened in 1993, this gallery was one of the pioneers of the Porto art scene. The gallery promotes the work of contemporary artists.
9. Galeria Quadrado Azul
Rue de Miguel Bombarda 553 • Open 1–8pm Tue–Sat • www.quadradoazul.pt
Visitors can expect surprises at this gallery, which opened in 1986 and has built a strong reputation for adventurous contemporary art.
10. Ó! Galeria
Rua de Miguel Bombarda 61 • Open noon–2pm & 3–8pm Mon–Sat • www.ogaleria.com
Ema Ribeiro’s colourful art store specializes in work by 21st-century illustrators and graphic artists from all over the world.
Illustrations on display at Ó! Galeria
Bars and Cafés
1. Rota do Chá
Rua Miguel Bombarda 457 • Closed Sun
This secret tea garden is a perfect place to unwind after a morning in the local art galleries. It serves rare teas from all over the world.
2. Hungry Biker
Rua das Taipas 68/72
Expect righteous, clean-and-green delights such as smashed avocado on wholegrain toast and an array of organic smoothies at this eco-conscious hipster facourite.
3. Confeitaria Portilho
Alameda de Basilio Teles 11A • Closed Sun
For fabulous pasteis de nata and freshly brewed coffee, this friendly little café is hard to beat.
4. Wee Porto
Rua da Armenia 54 • Closed Sun & Mon
A fine array of petiscos and more substantial offerings make up the menu at this friendly café-bar.
5. Mirajazz
Escadadas do Camiho Novo • Closed Mon & Thu
For live music –mostly jazz, although other genres make an appearance too – with a view, Mirajazz is the place to be. Performances take place on Saturday evenings from 6–8pm.
Taking in the sunset from the peaceful rooftop of Mirajazz
6. Armazém
Rua de Miragaia 93
An ultrahip one-stop-shop for vintage and upcycled wares, this spot also has a cosy café with tables outside, or next to a wood-burning fireplace in the winter.
7. Pixote Karaoke Bar
Loja 4, Rua do Campo Alegre 241 • Open nightly
This late-night joint is lots of fun for outgoing, gregarious night owls. The staff are friendly, drinks are cheap and it is open into the small hours.
8. Quintal
Rua do Rosario 177 • Closed Sun
Vegetarians and vegans will love this café and its gluten-free and meat-free soups, burgers and juices.
9. Capela Incomum
79-81 Travessa do Carregal 77 • Closed Sun
The ideal spot for a quiet evening sipping wines from Douro, Minho and Dao vineyards, set in the atmospheric stone vaults of a 16th-century chapel.
10. Catraio Craft Beer
Rua de Cedofeita 256 • Closed Sun & Tue
Porto’s first artisan beer bar dispels any notion that Portuguese beer is just about fizzy lagers. There is a beer garden and a pavement terrace.
Restaurants
1. Digby
Rua da Restauração 336 • €€
The restaurant of one of the city’s most stylish boutique hotels offers a simple menu but the dishes are superb and good value for money.
Breakfast buffet at Digby
2. Taberna do Cais das Pedras
Rua de Monchique 65/68 • Closed Mon • €€
Decor reminiscent of the 1970s provides the setting for an equally old-school menu. Highlights include smoked alheira sausages, chicken gizzards and, of course, bacalhau.
3. Antiqvvm
Rua de Entre Quintas 220 • Closed Mon • €€€
For a special treat, try this Michelin-favoured restaurant, which serves a dazzling menu that celebrates every product of Portugal.
Antiqvvm
4. Típico O Fado
Rua de São João Novo 16 • Open Mon–Sat for dinner only • €
Those whose bucket list includes an evening of fado need look no further than here. The menu includes a variety of grilled seafood and meat, but the music is the main attraction.
5. Papavinhos Restaurante
Rua de Monchique 23 • Closed Mon • €€
Unfussy traditional cooking with a light modern touch is the hallmark of this restaurant with great views.
6. Taberna Santo Antonio
Rua das Virtudes 32 • Closed Sun lunch & Mon • €
For a truly authentic local experience, head to this old-fashioned eating house. Menu options are limited to four grilled meat or seafood dishes.
7. Restaurante O Caseirinho
Cais das Pedras 40 • Closed Sun • €€
Locals like this place for its properly traditional menu. Visitors looking to try the city’s signature dish, tripas à moda do Porto, will find it here.
8. Capa no Rio
Alameda de Basilio Teles 24 • Closed Sun • €€
Simple Portuguese dishes, including Porto’s favourite francesinha sandwich, smoked alheira sausages and grilled meat and fish, are on the menu here.
9. Alfândega D’ouro
Rua da Miragaia 106 • €
This ideal lunchtime stop is noted for its variations on the francesinha theme, offering six versions of the snack.
10. Intrigo
Rua de Tomás Gonzaga • €€
It is all about the baking at Intrigo. Slabs of delicious artisan bread are topped with pungent savoury cod, smoked sausage, pork and beef.