City of Porto

also known by the Portuguese people as "Invicta"

About the city

Porto is located in the North of Portugal, on the north bank of the river Douro. It’s the second largest city in the country, in an urban area with more than 1.3 million inhabitants. Four main bridges (Arrábida, Freixo, Luiz I and Infante) and two railway bridges (S. João and D. Maria – this one, considered an historical monument, is no longer operational) make it possible to cross the river to the other bank (Vila Nova de Gaia).

Porto is a city characterised for its granite, which makes it a city “with character”. Its climate is temperate, though quite damp.

Porto is a multicultural city with large green spaces and sports facilities. The city has a revitalised public transportation network and a vibrant cultural environment enriched by the more than 70 000 Higher Education students living in the region.

Classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Porto also stands out for its unique gastronomy and hospitality of its people.

Cost of living

Basic expenses such as housing, food, and transportation

Accommodation

The attribution of places is done by order of the application's acceptance.

The submission of the request does not guarantee the attribution of a place in the University of Porto Halls of Residence.

The U.Porto provides a list of private accommodations available in the city, however, since the management of these requests is external to the University, it cannot assume any responsibility in the attribution of this type of accommodation.

To receive the List of Private Accommodation please send an e‑mail with the request to: international@reit.up.pt.

Accomodation

The attribution of places is done by order of the application's acceptance.

The submission of the request does not guarantee the attribution of a place in the University of Porto Halls of Residence.

The U.Porto provides a list of private accommodations available in the city, however, since the management of these requests is external to the University, it cannot assume any responsibility in the attribution of this type of accommodation.

To receive the List of Private Accommodation please send an e‑mail with the request to: international@reit.up.pt.

Arrival to Porto

Porto is the second largest city in the country with an area of 42 km2. It is located in the north of Portugal and in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, on the right side of the Douro River, close to its mouth. You will find it easy to get to Porto by car, train, bus, metro, boat or plain, due to a growing wide network.

By car:

Porto’s privileged geographic location, complemented by a modern communication network, allows the tourist travelling from Galicia, the Algarve, Lisbon, Coimbra or any other part ofPortugal to easily reach the city. You can drive from Galicia to Porto in two hours and to the Algarve in five. Porto’s road network includes three motorways: A1 Lisbon, with a connectiona to the Algarve; A3 Valença (Minho), with a connection to Galicia, and A4 Amarante (Trás-os-Montes), with a connection to Bragança.

By plane:

The Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is a modern infrastructure equipped to cope with the huge air traffic to and from the city, located in an important commercial and industrial area (11 km from Porto), and providing various services, coffee shops and commerce spots.

By train:

Campanhã: Located in the eastern side of Porto, this railway station includes international services, the Alfa Pendular, services between cities and regions, and Regional and Suburban services, which enables the connection to several destinations in the country and abroad.

São Bento: Located in the centre of the city, this railway station includes suburban and regional services, as well as services between regions, which enables the connection to the several destinations in the city. It also offers an international service for Vigo.

From the airport to the city centre:

Line E (Violet) connects the airport station to the “Estádio do Dragão" station and the entire metro network. It is necessary to purchase an occasional Andante title required for travelling between the airport station and Oporto city centre (Title Z4). In the Andante shop located in the arrivals zone of the airport you can also buy the Andante Tour, an unlimited and intermodal title valid for 1 or 3 days.

You can take a look at the metro system map: www.metrodoporto.pt

Explore the city

Explore Porto's special spots
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