Mercado do Bolhão

“This owes its planning to the visionary spirit of the Almadas whose restoration work brought a new brightness to the city of Porto in the second half of the 18th Century. The road was extended as far as Alameda da Aguardente, today's Praça Marquês de Pombal. Its imposing façades house some fine examples of the Art Nouveau style. Over 1500 metres long, the Rua de Santa Catarina, part of which has been pedestrianised, is the busiest shopping street in the city centre with clothing stores, haberdashery, shoe shops, the Via Catarina shopping mall and countless street vendors, less or more legal and carts selling handicrafts and jewelry.”

“105 YEAR-OLD LELLO & IRMÃO, ON RUA DAS CARMELITAS, IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE LISTS OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKSHOPS IN THE WORLD. THE SPLENDOROUS ART NOUVEAU DESIGN, WITH WOODEN FLOORS AND RED STAIRCASE, NEVER FAILS TO IMPRESS, AND EVEN REGULAR CUSTOMERS REMAIN IN AWE. THE SHOP MERITS A VISIT NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF ITS APPEARANCE BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LARGEST BOOKSHOPS SURVIVING IN THE CITY CENTRE, STOCKING A WIDE RANGE OF ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC BOOKS IN MANY LANGUAGES.”

“Iconic place back to 1920. Delicious and full of charme to have a light meal or just to stay and enjoy the atmosphere.”

“These are the most beautiful gardens in Porto, here you have incredible views of the Douro river, city and sea.”

“THE CHURCH OF CLÉRIGOS (ECCLESIASTICS) IS A GENUINE BAROQUE MASTERPIECE DATING FROM THE MID-18TH CENTURY. IT WAS DESIGNED BY NICOLAU NASONI, AN ARCHITECT OF ITALIAN ORIGIN. HE STAMPED HIS MARK ON MANY MONUMENTS AROUND OPORTO AND THE NORTH OF PORTUGAL. NASONI, ON HIS REQUEST, WAS BURIED HERE IN A SMALL CHAPEL WITH ITS GATEWAY AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE TOP OF THE DOUBLE BOLSTER STAIRWAY. HOWEVER, WHAT SETS THIS CONSTRUCTION APART IS THE TOWER; CONSTRUCTED IN GRANITE PROTRUDING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CHURCH. THIS IS THE HIGHLY DISTINCTIVE LANDMARK OF OPORTO. THE TOWER EXTENDS UPWARDS THROUGH 75 METRES OF ELEGANCE FORMING RHYTHMIC STAGES BEFORE RISING TO ITS CROWNING GLORY, THE SPHERICAL CLOCK HOUSE. THE BAROQUE DECORATION IS THOROUGHLY DELICATE AND OFF A WONDERFUL LIGHTNESS. AN INNER STAIRCASE (240 DEGREES) ENABLES ACCESS TO THE TOP. FOR THOSE WISHING TO AVOID THE FEATS OF THE PUERTULLANOS THIS IS THE BEST MEANS TO GAIN ACCESS TO ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PANORAMIC VIEWS OVER ALL OF OPORTO. THE CHURCH HOUSES TWO 200-YEAR-OLD CHURCH ORGANS DECORATED WITH FLORAL MOTIFS PAINTED IN GOLD. EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, AT 12 NOON THERE IS A FREE ORGAN CONCERT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME ALONG. THE WIDELY VARIED AND RICH REPERTOIRE IS CHOSEN FROM THE BEST COMPOSERS FOR THIS WONDERFUL INSTRUMENT. ”