PLACES TO VISIT IN PORTO
Quinta do Covelo
The entrance to the Quinta through Rua de Faria Guimarães, made by a steep and dilapidated staircase, gives direct access to a hill covered by native vegetation of great value: oaks, cork oaks, stone pines and pines.
In the lower part of the Quinta, to the east, the old manor house is located and a paved and straight path, with benches and wooded sidewalks, is stretched. On one side of the path, and making a gentle slope, there is an extensive lawn planted with numerous young trees that make up a beautiful set; on the opposite side, greenhouses and nurseries belonging to the Municipality of Porto (CMP) that completely filled the old agricultural fields, were requalified, and there is now an area entirely dedicated to the youngest (playground), opened in May 2009.
Dragon's Stadium
The Dragão has a capacity for 50033 spectators and is endowed with unique features that, enriched by the placement of green spaces and the restructuring of the roads attached to the sports, residential and commercial complex, materialize a new centrality in Porto. The Dragon asserts itself as a sports and cultural reference point for the city and the region
The inaugural ceremony took place on November 16, 2003, with the greatest moment being the private meeting between FC Porto and the guest of honor FC Barcelona, which ended with a 2-0 blue and white victory (goals from Derlei and Hugo Almeida). Subsequently, Estádio do Dragão hosted the opening game of Euro 2004, discussed between the teams of Portugal and Greece, and was the stage of the stunning Porto journey towards the conquest of Europe, in the 2003/04 season. In 2019 it received the final phase of the first edition of the League of Nations, won by Portugal, which won Switzerland and the Netherlands in the Dragon.
It has also hosted concerts by the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Muse and One Direction and events such as the Race of Champions.
Lello Bookstore
Livraria Lello, also known as Livraria Lello & Irmão or Livraria Chardron, is located at Rua das Carmelitas, 144, in the Historic Center of the city of Porto, in Portugal.
Due to its unique historical and artistic value, Lello has been recognized as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world by several personalities and entities, such as the Spanish writer Enrique Vila-Matas, the British newspaper The Guardian and the Australian publisher of travel guides. Lonely Planet travel.
Conceived according to a project by engineer Xavier Esteves, Livraria Lello is one of the most emblematic buildings of Porto’s neo-Gothic, standing out strongly in the surrounding urban landscape. It is a set in which the architecture and decorative elements show the dominant style in the beginning of the 20th century.
The façade has a large, low arch with a central entrance and two side windows. Above, three rectangular windows flanked by two figures painted by José Bielman, representing “Art” and “Science”. A lacy plateau finishes the windows, ending the facade in three pilasters topped by spiers, with neo-Gothic arcade spans. The decor is complemented by plant motifs, geometric shapes and the designation “Lello e Irmão”, under the windows.
Inside, the broken arches rest on the pillars on which, under lacy canopies, sculptor Romão Júnior sculpted the busts of writers Antero de Quental, Eça de Queirós, Camilo Castelo Branco, Teófilo Braga, Tomás Ribeiro and Guerra Junqueiro. The worked ceilings, the large stained glass window that bears the monogram and the motto of the “Decus in Labore” bookstore and the large staircase leading to the first floor are the most significant marks of the bookstore.
The stairs of Lello are also known for being the inspiration of the bookstore where Harry Potter met Gilderoy Lockhart in the book “Harry Potter and the camera of secrets”, since J.K.Rowling came to live in the city of Porto.
Music House
Casa da Música is the main concert hall located on Avenida da Boavista, in Porto, Portugal.
It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, as part of the Porto European Capital of Culture event in 2001 (Porto 2001), however, the construction was only completed in 2005, immediately becoming an icon of the city.
Casa da Música has two main auditoriums, although other areas of the building can be adapted for concerts or shows (workshops, educational activities, etc.).
The large auditorium has an initial capacity of 1,238 seats, but may vary according to the occasion.
The small auditorium is flexible, with no fixed number of seats being advertised, although an average of 300 seats and 650 seats can be defined, depending on the size and location of the stage, the arrangement of the chairs, the presence and size sound and recording equipment, etc.
At the top of the building, there is a third space for shows, designed for 250 seats.
Restaurante Casa da Música – In the Restaurant you can enjoy signature cuisine, inspired by the world, made with quality ingredients and at attractive prices.
Before or after a concert, for lunch or dinner, the Restaurant has for you a variety of proposals that go through the menu of the day (lunch from € 12.00 and dinner from € 19.50), menu à la carte or dinner + concert menu, where contemporaneity and refinement accompany the many musical proposals of Casa da Música. With a maximum capacity of 220 people seated or 400 standing, the flexibility and uniqueness of the Casa da Música Restaurant allows the holding of corporate or private events, for large or small groups. Chef Artur Gomes, innovating in his signature cuisine, presents a set of menus that allows a wide variety of choices and prices.
