PORTO

Helder:The chapel has its origin in an old wooden chapel erected in praise of Santa Catarina. The construction of the building that exists today dates back to the late 18th century, when the Brotherhood of Souls and Nasturtiums of San Francisco passed from Santa Clara Monastery to Santa Catarina Chapel.

Helder:The current building of the Porto City Council, in Portugal, was designed by Architect Correia da Silva and began to be built in 1920. The project followed the expansion plan of the civic center prepared by the English architect Barry Parker, approved in 1916. The realization of this plan led to the expansion north of Liberty Square, opening the Avenue of the Allies and the current General Humberto Delgado Square. Although it was started in 1920, the works of the building of the town halls suffered numerous interruptions, and changes were made to the initial project by Arq. Carlos Ramos. City council services only settled in the new building in 1957

Helder:Ralway station, take a look inside. It is located in Praça de Almeida Garrett, and the French-influenced Station building was designed by the Porto architect José Marques da Silva. He entered the service provisionally on November 8, 1896 and was not officially opened until October 5, 1916. Located in the historic center of Porto, the station has established itself as one of the main monuments in the city, being especially famous for its tile panels. Covering an area of about 551 square meters, they represent mainly scenes taken in the north of the country, with portraying, among other things, the Valdevez Arches Tournament (Battle of Valdevez Arches panel), the presentation of Egas Moniz with the children to King Alfonso VII of Leon and Castile in the 12th Century, the entry of D. João I and D. Filipa de Lencastre in Porto (panel Entry of João I in Porto), in 1387, the Conquest of Ceuta, in 1415 , and traditional country life (Panels Views and Rural Scenes);

Helder:The beginning of its construction dates from the first half of the twelfth century, and lasted until the early thirteenth century. This first Romanesque building has undergone many changes over the centuries. From the Romanesque era date the general character of the facade with the towers and the beautiful rosette, as well as the body of the three-nave church covered by cannon vault. The vault of the central nave is supported by arches, and the Sé do Porto is one of the first Portuguese buildings in which this architectural element was used. In the Gothic era, around the year 1333, was built the funeral chapel of João Gordo, knight of the Order of Hospitalers and collaborator of D. Dinis, buried in a tomb with water. Also from the Gothic era dates the cloister (14th-15th century), built in the reign of D. João I. This king married D. Filipa de Lencastre in the See of Porto in 1387. The exterior of the Cathedral was greatly modified in the baroque era.

Helder:Casa do Infante, or Casa da Rua da Alfândega Velha, is a museum and one of the oldest buildings in Porto, Portugal. Casa do Infante is traditionally considered the birthplace of Infante D. Henrique, patron of Portuguese discoveries.

Helder:Portugal has been producing wine for thousands of years and this asset quickly became an important export since the twelfth century. Despite the remains of stone treading tanks and casks dating back to the third and fourth century that have been found throughout the region, records show that the Port Wine brand, or designation, appeared only during the late half of the seventeenth century, which coincided with the fast growth of Douro Region viticulture and wine exports. A curious fact is that Port Wine export growth is, in part, due to a time of great rivalry between the maritime empires in the North, when the Flemish and the British, in the detriment of wines from France, increased their demand for Iberian wines, late in the seventeenth century. England, in particular, significantly increased its quantity of Port Wine imports, trading it in exchange for Codfish.

Helder:The Stock Exchange Palace was built on the ruins of the Franciscan convent that was destroyed in a fire. Your building began in 1842 and spent almost half a century until its inauguration in 1891. Inside this neoclassical building, classified as a National Monument, you find at first the large central courtyard, the Courtyard of the Nations, covered by a glass structure that leaves get a lot of light into the palace. Climbing up a beautiful granite staircase and marble on the second floor you will walk through spaces such as the Golden Room, covered with golden bread, the General Assembly Room, which seems covered with wood, and some other rooms until you get to the most important: the Room Arabic. In the more than 300 square meters this Moorish-style room, inspired by the Alhambra. 10€/Person

Helder:The Porto funicular connects Ribeira, on the banks of the river, to the neighborhood of Batalha, located in the highest part of Porto. During this short journey, you will be able to contemplate the Luís I Bridge, the medieval wall of Porto and see from above the large number of cellars that fill the Douro river bank with charm.

Helder:In 1963, the Arrabida Bridge was the largest concrete arch in the world. Since 2016, this arch has become the only one in Europe open to visitors. It is a unique opportunity to gain access to a place that has been closed to the public for 53 years (despite some clandestine visits ...). In the company of a guide and with all the safety equipment, even those with vertigo can climb to one of Porto's most iconic buildings. At the top, 65 meters above the river, a peaceful and relaxing place where we enjoy unique views ... and a delightful surprise! Finally, the descent of the 262 steps reveals the size and elegance of this national monument. From 12 years old, in groups of 1 to 13 people.

Helder:Casa da Música is the main concert hall located at Avenida da Boavista, in Porto, Portugal. It was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas as part of the Porto European Capital of Culture event in 2001 (Porto 2001), however, construction was not completed until 2005 and immediately became an icon of the city. Although the opening day concert was held on the 14th with the Clan and Lou Reed, the venue was not opened until April 15, 2005, by the President of the Republic Jorge Sampaio. The Prime Minister, politicians and society of Porto were present for the concert, given by the Porto National Orchestra.

Helder:Serralves Museum is the most important museum of contemporary art in Portugal, situated in the unique spaces of the Serralves Foundation, which include a park and Casa de Serralves.

Helder:10 minutes from the center of Porto, more precisely in Vila Nova de Gaia, is the Santo Inácio Zoo, the largest and greenest zoo in the north of the country. Active participation in the Conservation of Nature, especially Endangered Species, is the great and noble mission of Zoo Santo Inácio. The Santo Inácio Zoo is home to around 600 animals of 200 species, of which over 40 are part of European Endangered Species Breeding Programs, involving over 142 animals and having already favored the birth of 70 young.

Helder:World of Discoveries is an Interactive Museum and Theme Park dedicated to Portuguese Discoveries located inside the former Real Companhia Velha warehouses, in Miragaia, in Porto's historic center. It opened to the public on April 25, 2014, offering a historic trip through the Portuguese Discoveries Epic, depicted from full-scale scenarios. It represents an investment of 8 million euros of the company Douro Azul. With 5,000 square meters, the museum has thematic rooms with the evolution of vessels, navigation instruments, cartography, 4D globes and touchscreen LCD on navigators, life on board and a shipyard. The museum space has a navigable zone with replicas of small boats where the Portuguese sea paths are recreated, with passes through China, Japan, Indonesia, India, North Africa and Brazil. The visits are guided by guides dressed in the 16th century. It is a lot of fun for all ages.

Helder:The Tramcar Museum unravels more than one hundred years of history that changed the life of Porto. Forever. Enter an interactive journey and discover the exhibition which tells the evolution of the tramcar network of Porto. Discover as well the new Machinery Hall of Massarelos Thermoelectric Power Plant and the collection of historical vehicles on rails. Between lines is the permanent exhibition where history and technology intersect to tell the evolution of the electric traction network of Porto fed, in the first 45 years, by the energy produced in the century-old Massarelos Thermoelectric Power Plant. Inaugurated in 1915, this plant was early on a location of energy production that quickly intertwined with the city. The history of this energy flow, which surges of the thermoelectric power plant and gives rise to the movement of vehicles through the city, reflects in the Tramcar Museum and its various nuclei, stating new experiences between the lines defined in the layout of the rails

Helder:If you want to have the experience of visiting the vineyards where port wine is produced, you can visit Quinta do Seixo at Sandeman and taste Port Wine in the vineyards. 1h47min from Porto and 1h36min from Casa Titos.