Porto at Night – Private Panoramic Tour

Aliados Avenue

This wide avenue, bordered by a group of buildings from the 1920s and 1940s, is closed on the south side by the Cardosas building (19th century) and on the north side by the Porto Town Hall.

In front of the Cardosas Palace, at the center of D. Pedro Square -, a square that is confused with Avenida dos Aliados itself because they are contiguous, - is the statue of D. Pedro IV, the Liberator.

São Bento Railway Station

The São Bento Railway Station was built in the early 20th century, in the exact location of the former Convent of São Bento de Avé Maria, a 16th-century building.

This glass and iron structure was designed by architect Marques da Silva.

The vestibule is adorned with twenty thousand tiles painted by Jorge Colaço that illustrate the evolution of transport and the events of history and ways of life of the Portuguese living in this region.

Cathedral

The Cathedral of Porto is a building dating from the 12th/13th century that has been expanded and renovated over the centuries until its final configuration in the 20th century, always maintaining the initial configuration of a medieval cathedral.

Special mentions:

- Gothic Chapel of St. John the Evangelist and its cloister

- The expansion of the chancel

- Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and its silver altar

D. Pedro Pitões Tower

Medieval house-tower discovered at the time of demolition works on the premises where the front yard to the Cathedral was built, in 1940. It was then relocated 15 metres to the side of the Cathedral and completely rebuilt.

It's a quadrangular building, divided into two floors, with a high arch door to the south and a stone terrace in Gothic style, to the north. There was located, until 1960, the City History Office, so this building was also known as the City Tower.

After April 25, 1974, the Tower was occupied by the population, who installed there the Social and Cultural Centre of the neighbourhood of Sé. This is where the Official Tourist Office now works.

Church of Santa Clara

Building of Gothic origin whose construction dates from the fifteenth century.

However, in the seventeenth century, it underwent some changes on which the beautiful Renaissance portal was added, as well as the gilded carving inside.

Dão Fernando Wall

This wall began its works in the fourteenth century, in the reign of D. Afonso IV, to replace the old wall and cope with the expansion of the city.

Although it was almost completed around 1370 its completion was only in the reign of D. Fernando, in 1409, hence the name assigned.

In the 18th century, after no longer being needed in military terms, the wall began to be demolished and only a few parts survived to this day.

Rivoli Municipal Theatre

After the refurbishment of the old National Theatre in 1913, the Rivoli Theatre was inaugurated in 1932 adapted to cinema and with the programming of opera, dance, theatre and concerts.

In 1989 it became the property of the Porto City Council and closed in 1992 for a total remodelling and expansion, being completed in 1997.

It currently has two auditoriums, and a café concert and restaurant located on the 5th floor.

Rectory of the University of Porto

Designed by Carlos Amarante in neoclassical style, it was financed by the Literary Grant, a tax on wine, in 1803.

The building, of classic style, has some similarities with the Hospital Santo António.

In 1911, it housed the Faculty of Sciences and is currently home to the Rectory and the Museum of Natural History of the University of Porto.

Clérigos Tower

The Clérigos Tower is one of the most emblematic monuments of the city of Porto.

This Baroque work by Nicolau Nasoni was built in the first half of the 18th century.

It provides a panoramic view of the city and the Douro River, which can be seen from the top of the tower, makes climbing 240 steps worth the effort.

Lello Bookshop

The building where this bookstore is located was opened in 1906.

Classified as a building of public interest, its beautiful Art Nouveau façade, with Neo-Gothic details, is noteworthy.

Inside, the library is decorated with painted plaster imitating wood and features a magnificent staircase that connects it to the upper floor, one of the first works of reinforced concrete of Porto.

Also worthy of attention is the huge stained-glass skylight, with the monogram and the motto of the library.

São João Bridge

This railway structure, by Edgar Cardoso, connects the Campanhã station in Porto to all destinations in the South. Its inauguration took place on St. John's Day on June 24, 1991.

The bridge adopts a gantry solution, with three spans (two of 125m and one of 250m) supported by two majestic pillars founded on the Douro River bed near each of the banks.

Maria Pia Bridge

Created to replace the suspension bridge, it is Gustave Eiffel's first masterpiece - in which he worked with his partner and former disciple Theóphile Seyrig - and was inaugurated in Porto in 1877 and remained in operation for 114 years until its use was replaced by São João Bridge.

It consists of a biarticulated arch that supports the single-track rail board through truss pillars.

Infant Bridge

The bridge was inaugurated on March 30, 2003, after a project by engineer Adão da Fonseca, to replace the top of the D. Luís I Bridge through which currently one of the Porto Metro lines passes.

With a deck of 371 meters long and 20 meters wide, it is a bridge in arch of the Maillart type, with a span/arrow ratio of 11.2m for a 280m arch span, thus being a world record, of domains never before achieved in this typology of bridges.

It is a type of bridge considered the slenderest by experts.

Luís I Bridge

In 1879, the government determines the opening of a tender for the "construction of a metal bridge over the Douro River, in the place that is most convenient in front of the city of Porto, for the replacement of the current suspension bridge". The proposal of the Belgian company Société de Willebroeck was the winner, with a project by Engineer Teófilo Seyrig, who had already worked with Gustave Eiffel on the construction of the Ponte D. Maria Pia.

The bridge was inaugurated in 1886 (upper board) and 1888 (lower board and full operating entrance).

This bridge, covered by the whole of the Historic Center of Porto on the UNESCO World Heritage list, consists of the largest wrought iron arch in the world.

Piers of the Suspension Bridge

The suspension bridge, officially called D. Maria III, was created as a necessity for a permanent bridge that would connect Porto and Gaia.

This work of the French company Claranges Luccote et Compagnie, was inaugurated in 1843, but was deactivated after four years due to a feeling of insecurity of those who passed through it.

Currently, there are only two stone pillars left, shaped like an obelisk.

Stock Exchange Market

Classified as a National Monument, the Palácio da Bolsa is the property and place of the Commercial Association of Porto.

It was designed by Joaquim da Costa Lima in neoclassical style in 1842 and built on the site of the former Convent of San Francisco, which was completely destroyed in a fire at the time of the Siege of Porto.

Situated in the historic center, it is one of the most visited monuments, with the famous Arab Room as its highlight.

A Cultural and Conference Center, the Bolsa Palace is a place with unique conditions for holding events.

Church of São Nicolau

This building is extremely representative of the religious architecture of Porto in the late 17th century.

It is also part of a mannerist style trend, although one can see some Baroque influence.

The nave comprises the remarkable altarpiece that shows the beautiful image of St. Nicholas, patron saint of metalworkers.

Church of São Francisco

The most important Gothic temple of the city, with construction begun in the fourteenth century, is one of the most important works of the Baroque, for its golden interior of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

It was the exuberance of his carved woodwork that led Count Raczinsky to describe it as a "Church of Gold". And, impressed, he adds: 'This church is so beautiful and rich that it goes far beyond everything I've seen in Portugal and around the world.'

It is worth observing the Tree of Jesse, as well as visiting the catacombs.

It has been classified as a National Monument since 1910 and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1996.

New Customs of Porto

This neoclassical building, built in the 19th century by engineer Jean FG Colson, has two façades, one facing the Douro River and the other facing the city.

The use of constructive techniques that use the use of iron in conjunction with other materials - stone, brick or wood - depending on the functionality of the different spaces, makes this space very interesting to observe.

In 1992 the Museum of Transport and Communications opened.

Tram Museum

Inaugurated in 1992, the Electric Car Museum contains a set of trams and other auxiliary vehicles that used to circulate through the streets of Porto and that have left a mark on the history of light rail transport in the city.

Their holdings also include an example of American horse-drawn trolley buses that were first introduced to Porto in 1872.

Housed in the former Massarelos central, a listed municipal building, the museum also displays some of the original equipment used previously.

Arrábida Bridge

The Arrábida Bridge, designed by Edgar Cardoso and with an extension of 270 meters, was, for some time, the longest reinforced concrete bridge in the world.

Inaugurated in 1963, it is 70 meters above the average water level.

The bronze sculptures are located on top of the four large pillars that support the central extension, adding a modern innovative spirit to the bridge.

Fortress of São João Baptista

This fort, which is a beautiful example of Portuguese military architecture, was built at the end of the 16th century to protect the coast and the entrance to the Douro.

Modern fortresses have been added in the sec. XVII to the original structure and the access gate to the fort (18th century).

Fortress of São Francisco Xavier

São Francisco de Xavier Fort was built in the 17th century to protect the coast from the pirates of North Africa. It is located on a rocky hill in the form of cheese, thus obtaining the name Castelo do Queijo (Cheese Castle).

D. João VI Estatue

Work carried out by Salvador Carvão da Silva d'Eca Barata-Feyo, was inaugurated in June 1966.

The monument consists of an elevated pedestal of decorated granite, which in front of it is displayed a crown and the legend of D. João VI.

On this pedestal is the metal statue, fused in brass, representing King John VI riding horses, giving a sense of movement.

He holds, with his left hand, the reins and, with his right hand, a balloon which certainly already intended to symbolize the imperial dignity obtained in 1816, through the creation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the ‘Algarves’.

It is a replica of the statue that Portugal offered to the city of Rio de Janeiro on its 4th anniversary.

The Anemone

She Changes, popularly known as Anemone, is a sculpture designed by artist Janet Echelman for the cities of Porto and Matosinhos, northern Portugal.

A fluid work of art and great beauty, made by a fishing net that moves with the wind, it looks like a huge anemone going with the flow of the sea currents.

Porto Cruise Terminal

Situated in the middle of an attractive tourist destination, Leixões Port has increased its cruise operation.

After the opening of the new Cruise Pier in April 2011, the Port of Leixões began to have two docks for cruises and to receive larger ships (up to 300m).

In 2012, the number of passengers increased by 81% and the number of ships by 25%. 75,613 cruise passengers visited Porto that same year.

In 2013, the Port of Leixões expects about 70 cruise calls, corresponding to more than 66,000 passengers and 30,000 crew visiting the region.

House of Music

Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, Porto's main concert hall is located in the Boavista area and is called Casa da Música.

It was inaugurated in 2005 and has since become an icon of contemporary architecture.

Albuquerque Mouzinho Square

The monumental 45m high statue erected in the center of the square – the Monument to the Heroes of the Peninsular War – was inaugurated in 1951 and is a work of historical, architectural and sculptural evocation of spectacular grandeur, composed of an obelisk and various groups of sculptures.

It represents the union of the Portuguese with the English (the Lion) and victory against the French Napoleonic armies (the eagle).

Monastery of Serra of Pilar

The Monastery of Serra de Pilar is located on an elevation called Serra do Pilar on the bank of the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia.

The monastery belonged to the Order of St. Augustine; its construction began in 1538, but lasted for centuries to come in several stages of construction which resulted in a significant change in the initial design.

It is considered one of the most remarkable buildings of classical European architecture due to the circular shapes of the church and cloister.

It currently serves as a religious, cultural and military site.

The monastery was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and in 1996, together with the Historic Center of Porto and the Luís I Bridge, it became classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Serralves House (Optional)

The house (of the Foundation) of Serralves, was built in the 30s of the twentieth century and is one of the best examples of the Art Deco movement in Europe. It serves to host exhibitions and events.

It is located in the Serralves Park, a unique reference of the landscape in Portugal, which stretches harmoniously over 18 hectares of magnificent carefully designed gardens, a traditional farm, and even a forest.

Designed by Architect Jacques Greber's project, the Serralves Park, is one of the few Portuguese gardens built in the first half of the 20th century.

Located in the heart of Porto, Serralves brings together in one place the Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Deco House and the Park, as well as leisure facilities, shops and restaurant.

Crystal Palace Gardens (Optional)

The Gardens of Palácio de Cristal - Crystal Palace -, from the period of the Romantic, occupy an area of 8 hectares in the center of Porto and were designed in the 19th century by the German landscape architect Émille David, in the context of the construction of the Palácio de Cristal building.

Currently, the gardens remain preserved according to the original design: Jardim Émille David at the main entrance, Avenida das Tílias, the forest, and the design of the balconies over the Douro River.

National Museum of Soares dos Reis (Optional)

This is the oldest public museum in Portugal, initially installed in the building of the Convent of Santo António da Cidade, the current building of the National Public Library of Porto.

Since 1942, a late 18th-century building has been installed in the Palace of the Carrancas that has undergone several refurbishments for its new museum function.

It is a museum of fine arts, decorative arts and archaeology.

Bolhão Market (Optional)

Mercado do Bolhão is the most emblematic market of the city and was classified as a property of public interest in 2006. It dates from 1850, with a unique structure of two floors, characterized by the monumental nature of neoclassical architecture.

Outside, the market is divided into many establishments, which face the four streets that delimit it: Fernandes Tomás, to the north, Alexandre Braga, to the east, Formosa to the south and Sá da Bandeira to the west.

It focuses mainly on fresh products. Traders are divided into different specialised sections: fish market, butcher’s shops, vegetables and floral items.