Activities in Oporto & Points of Interest

To know the city of Oporto, a World Heritage Site since 1996, is to venture on foot through the streets and waterfront with time to appreciate what the Invicta has to offer. 

The historic center of Oporto

Begin your tour at the Guest House Charming House Marquês in the historic center of Oporto through the Rua de Santa Catarina, an area known for commerce, where you can stop for coffee at the famous Café Majestic, the most emblematic and ancient city café. Follow up with the Bolhão market and continue to Torre dos Clérigos. If reading is one of your favorite pleasures, be sure to visit the Lello & Irmão bookshop, considered one of the most beautiful in the world! Other points of interest with equal charm are the São Bento Train Station and the Churches of Santa Clara and S. Francisco.

From the Ponte D. Luís to the Riverside Area

Built in the late 19th Century, the Ponte D. Luís was a project of the Belgian engineer Théophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel's collaborator in the construction of the Maria Pia railway bridge. A walk across this metallic structure offers a classic view of the city of Oporto you will not want to miss. Across the Douro River, in Vila Nova de Gaia, you will find several of the cellars of famous Port wine producers, most of which can be visited. The best known are the Offley, Ferreira, Sandeman, Ramos Pinto, Taylor's and the Real Companhia Velha. They all grow and harvest only in the region demarcated by the Marquês de Pombal in 1756. This policy was largely responsible for promoting the exports of Port Wine, which was already being cultivated, according to some sources, since the 13th Century.

Returning to the starting point, across the Ponte D. Luís, stroll down the Oporto River, admire the Rabelo boats and enjoy the Restaurants and Bars on offer. There is one for every taste. And why not take a cruise on the Douro, especially the 6 Bridges of Oporto, giving the name to each of the rooms at Guest House Charming House Marquês?

Culture and Design

For lovers of art and architecture, the Serralves Foundation with its Museum of Contemporary Art and its Gardens is a mandatory stop. The same applies to the Casa da Música, whose quality of programming is internationally recognized. Now, on to the arts neighborhood, around Miguel Bombarda area, where you can lose yourself in the extensive range of art galleries, designer shops and design products that you will find there.