Recent reviews Porto
[Praskipark, 02/11/2011] The church of Saint Francis is a very glamorous church; over the top in decor with splashes of gold everywhere. It was also blessed but due to its wealthy grandeur the blessing was taken away and the church ended up being deconsecrated.
I have never really seen anything as grand as the inside of this church which is situated on Rua do Infante Dom Henrique on the Ribiera, Porto. From whatever angle you view the inside you can’t help squint with the gold decoration. Apart from the wooden pews and tiled floor everything you see is gold.
Originally the church was built in a medieval Gothic styl
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[Praskipark, 02/11/2011] There are many galleries in Porto but I guess the most prestigious of them all is collection of modern art galleries known as the Fundacao de Serralves. The museum / galleries are located in Lordelo do Ouro (Boavista), a little way off the centre set in luxurious gardens upon a hillside designed in a grand French way. You can find this exact spot just south of the Avenida da Boavista and boy, is it fascinating. The grounds alone are beautiful with dazzling fountains, lakes, parks, lots of tall trees and rolling farmland. Not what you would expect in Porto but yes, it’s all there.
The two buildi
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[ruipassos, 25/10/2011] Um dos estádios mais bonitos do mundo, com uma arquitetura exemplar e que tem servido de inspiração para outros arquitetos e engenheiros.
Aqui joga o FC Porto, o melhor clube de Portugal, com mais títulos conquistados neste país europeu.
Neste relvado já jogaram nomes como Vitor Baía, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Quaresma, Lucho Gonzales, Lisandro Lopez, Mc Carthy, Falcao, Anderson, entre muitos outros...
[TanaN, 20/09/2011] The Sao Joao festival take place every year at the end of June. I experienced this festival in Porto in year 2011 and I was surprised how the portuguese people keep their traditions.
"Festa" starts in the afternoon, when all the people of Porto put the garden grills out a the garage and started to prepare sardines. The whole city smelled like one big grilled sardine. Why this kind of fish? It is portuguese tradition. Another tradition bounded with this festival are plastics hammers, garlic, fireworks and art performance (concerts, theater).
I definitely recommend to visit some of the town i
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[angel_strife, 19/04/2011] I've stayed in Mercure in February, and I really enjoyed it. The location is great, it is in centre of Porto, and is just 10 min away (walking) from the metro station, which has a direct line from the airport. The view isn't so good, and you're almost side by side to São Bento station (but still have to walk 10 minutes). In front of the São Bento station, you have an Information post that can really help you to discover Porto's downtown.
The hotel has good access and the breakfast has pretty much everything, and it's serve until 12 pm! The hotel is quite taken care of, and the decoration is
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[djodjo, 19/04/2011] Declared as a national monument you should see it if you visit Oporto. A very beautifull church.
[djodjo, 19/04/2011] One large and old train station. An historic landmark, as it's one of the largest train stations in the country. All the amenities nearby and several international trains connection.
[djodjo, 19/04/2011] You'll enjoy the kindness and professionalism of the waiters. A luxury place where you can have a meal or just enjoy a nice coffee. Regard the costs as it is much expensive.
[djodjo, 18/04/2011] Very modern rooms, with nice design, LCD tv, and an excelent mattress! You can hear some noise, but very nice acoustic isolation. 5 min walk from metro station, or São Bento train station. As Oporto is not plain, consider getting a taxi if you don't mind the money, otherwise it's a nice walk. Near Rua Sta. Catarina, where you can find lot's of shopping, and the well known Café Majestic.
[Praskipark, 05/02/2011] In April 2005 a very strange looking building was constructed on the Avenida da Boavista at number 610. This is an area that is residential with modern apartment blocks and smart new hotels. The angular building with a terrace overlooking the city of Porto and towards the Rotunda da Boavista is called the Casa da Musica. The house of music should have been finished in 1999 but for some reason the construction seemed to drag on and the project went way above budget. Although, very unusual with its impressive lop sided angles this is one contemporary building in Porto I am not very fond of - we
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[Teodor4eto_, 09/11/2010] this is a place I fall in love with.
Porto has very nice soft climate with ocean influence which make it various and you can feel almost all the goods of those weather conditions, soft and refreshing rain after hot and dry sunny day on the coast of the ocean or Rio Duro river, the breeze from the ocean during your afternoon or night walk.
I was in Porto from the beginning the April to the beginning of the May and this period is well known as a rain period, but still pleasant and nice to visit the town with not so hot or cold temperatures all the time. As I said various and in surprised.
My fi
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[Praskipark, 22/01/2010] The Festival of Saint John is celebrated throughout Portugal in the last week of June. Every town, city and village will celebrate this feast day but Porto is the city that really knows how to put on a show. Porto explodes into a riot of drunken revelry which is sometimes anarchic and a mixture of religious and pagan rituals which are often very entertaining, amusing and lots of fun. Remember, it is the summer solstice, also.
The streets of Porto on this day and night are very decorative with grandiose altars, colourful stalls and stages for live entertainment. The party actually begins on th
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[Praskipark, 17/01/2010] The Museu do Vinho Porto can be found in the west of the city of Porto in a picturesque district along the banks of the Douro known as Miragaia. This is a brand new museum situated in a lovely, vaulted area in 17th century warehouses that were originally bult to house the wines of the Companhia Geral de Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro, initiated by the Marquis de Pombal.
Information is available illustrating the production process and history of port. The lay out is very attractive and interactive and in several languages including Braille.
Watch out for the imaginary characters Pipas a
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[Praskipark, 17/01/2010] Standing tall and proud in the western part of the Ribeira in Porto is a large famous building with a stark neo classical exterior. Constructed on the site of a Franciscan monastery this amazing piece of architecture is grand and extremely ornate inside. Originally the building was built as a merchants' guild hall, and over the years has served as law courts, parliament and as Porto's stock exchange and the city's business centre up to 1995.
The building is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. All rooms are gloriously decorated but the ones that stay in my memory are the; grandiose neo-Moorish r
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[Praskipark, 13/01/2010] The Cafe Guarany is a famous cafe in Porto, if not the most famous. The bohemian cafe first opened its doors in the 1930's to a group of artists, poets, writers and musicians. In those days the cafe was always crowded with a cloud of smoke mysteriously lingering over the tables and chairs as its clientele loquaciously discussed and pontificated over the politics, music,art and literature of the day.
In 2003 the cafe had a make over but managed to keep its bohemian aura. Today it is still a very busy and lively place to meet to have coffee. Breakfasts, lunches, afternoon tea are also served
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[Praskipark, 12/01/2010] Just up from the oval church and huge tower of the Clerigos church in Vitorio (Porto Centro), you will stumble across one of the most beautiful bookshops I have encountered. I have never seen so many books under one glorious roof. I say glorious because it isn't just the books that I love this shop for. The building and interior decor is outstanding. The building was erected in 1906 and built in a neo-Gothic style. The stained glass ceiling will give you neck ache as you arch your back to look at the intricate designs and colours. Wood carvings and fine stucco is interesting to look at as yo
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[Praskipark, 11/01/2010] The Portuguese word Ribeira means riverside area and is a very popular district of Porto in northern Portugal. If you go north of the river and just west of the bridge you will find this hive of activity. Tourists and locals love to flock here but I have to say that I have never seen this main promenade which runs at the side of the river ever crowded. Probably because the Cais (Quay) da Ribeira is one of the widest quays I have walked on.
At all times during the day this lively area is full of people. Many old people live here in the pretty, colourful apartments and houses that tumble down
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[zemasisa, 05/08/2009] Portucale panoramic restaurant - has a superb food , service and views.
The rooms are confortable with a fantastic 60's decor. 2 big windows with view over all Oporto, river and ocean.
I love to stay here.
[TheDaz, 27/05/2009] The Station at Sao Bento serves as one of the City's main railway stations - and it bustles with commuters on a daily basis.
It's main draw for tourists is its preserved facades - showcasing the architectural past of Portugal in its heyday of global empire.
The main portico leads to a large vaulted lobby, whose walls are adorned with friezes of historical depictions (of various exaggeration). The tiling used is blue and white, in small squares, and glazed to a polished finish. The details of knights on bended knee, and onlooking townsfolk is certainly eyecatching, and you will probably f
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[Carlos_Andrea, 04/07/2008] The Bridge of D. Maria Pia was built between January 1876 and November of 1877 by the company of Gustave Eiffel and it was the first railway bridge that unites Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia.
They made this construction in a record time and with revolutionary methods for the season. Eiffel use same ethnics and methods to construct other monuments such as the structure of Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower.
The Bridge of D. Maria Pia that had only one line and with a speed limit that could not exceed 20km / h for the trains, was used during 114 years until 1991 and it is now deactivated rep
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