Porto Attractions

Puts the Tate modern to shame

Advantages: Great transport links, city centre location
Disadvantages: can be difficult to find way in

This foundation/museum/park is in just next to Avenida Boavista in Porto. It has a local taxi rank next to it and plenty of bus stops. The entrance is hidden down a side alley but once you find it you will find yourself in a time warp. The building is 1920s art deco mansion through and through. It has a rolling set of exhibitions of modern Portuguese artists such as Cargaleiro, Silva Vieira as well architects like Tomas Taveira. All of these are ...
...place. This makes you appreciate the art not in clinical setting like the Tate Modern but in a situation where you could really admire it as a live in piece of art, in your bedroom or dinning room. It really shows the impracticalities of certain "celebrated" pieces of art like the dead cow or the dirty bed some people in the UK have taken to describe as art. However that is a debate to be had but this is not the time or the place. The rooms are ...

jtamagnini 20.01.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Fundacao de Serralves (Museu Nacional de Arte Moderna), Porto

PORTO AIRPORT GOOD CITY TRANSFER

Advantages: Modern Airport friendly and close to city.
Disadvantages: None.

We flew into Porto from Birmingham so it was just getting dusk as we were on our final approach, but even so we were treated to a lovely view of Porto, the river and bridges. My brother and sister in law flew in from Stansted so arrived in the early afternoon sun light and said it looked brilliant. The landing was smooth . taxied up to the terminal building, always a bonus rather than a bus transfer. First impressions are of a modern building, ...
...First Passport control, plenty of booths manned so was quick and friendly, the friendly aspect to be repeated by all we met, Hotel Staff, Restaurants, shops etc etc. We had only hand luggage, so can not comment on speed of luggage arrival on carrousels. Thru to the main arrival hall, toilets to the right, used by my better half, clean report. The row of Car Hire Desks also at this end of the arrivals. There are also a few shops and cafe. Went ...

poshtroika 12.03.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Porto Airport, Portugal

Fabulous views over a great city

Advantages: Great access to it by public transport as it is in main shopping district,
Disadvantages: No access for disabled and lots of steps

This is not the biggest Cathedral or the most picturesque Cathedral to be seen but a great landmark in the city. It is built in the highest point in Oporto and can be seen from all over the city. When we visited this place entrance was completely up to the tower bit. Even this was dirt cheap at an Euro per person and once you climbed to the top you had fantastic views of all over the city from the sea to the Port wine cellars in Gaia, all the bridges ...
...see all the historic city from this vantage point. It is also in the main shopping and business district so there is always a bus going past outside but the area is quite loud. You should bear in mind that this also a working church so if you are just sight seeing it is sensible to check there is no mass going on when you visit. If there is you can always visit a lot of other sites nearby and come back later. ...

jtamagnini 20.11.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Se (Cathedral), Porto

Are these people mad?

Advantages: FREE!
Disadvantages: Uhmmm?

I've heard of hospitality but this is takes the biscuit! We wanted to see a Port wine cellar but the tour operator wanted to charge us 50 euros so we decided to go independent for once and got a taxi instead (4 euros!) When we arrived and asked for a tour we were lead of into a room with a lovely garden and balcony where we could enjoy a wonderful sight of historic Porto across the river which is a world heritage site. We where they gave us some ...
...guide arrived and we were lead off. This was pretty amazing as there were only two of us. Before we left we were given some Tawny Port for the way and the cellars were huge but felt extremely cold. The tour involved looking at work men working at the barrells and clearing the deposits left behind and what happens to any waste products (where Boots seem to really like them for cosmetics!) to the vine growing process which happens further up the river, ...

jtamagnini 20.11.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Taylor's, Porto