This really is a multifaceted city! In Porto you can find a variety of leisure activities, including golf, a great sport for being outdoors in contact with nature.

Porto has several golf courses with excellent conditions that are ideal for both veterans and beginners. In fact, Porto is home to the oldest golf club in the country, the Oporto Golf Club, in Espinho!

In the North of Portugal, the golf courses have been carefully designed, in keeping with nature, some of them by architects of national and international renown.

As was the case with football, golf was also brought to Portugal by the British, who visited or lived in the city, due to its link with the Port Wine trade. 

The Oporto Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the country and fourth oldest in Continental Europe, having been founded in 1890 by the British Port Wine producers. This club usually holds national and international tournaments between May and June, such as the Skeffington Cup, Dockery Cup and Kendall Cup, and has a par-71 course, with four par-3 holes, eleven par-4 holes and three par-5 holes. It also has a 6-hole pitch and putt course, to encourage children to play.

In Póvoa de Varzim you'll find the Golf Club Estela, which was founded in 1989. It overlooks the sea and enjoys a mild climate throughout the year. With regard to its characteristics, this is a par-72 course, with four par-3 holes, ten par-4 holes and four par-5 holes. Due to the 'Penncross Bent' grass, the greens are among the fastest in the country.

Close to Miramar Beach, which is in Vila Nova de Gaia, Club de Golf de Miramar was formed in 1931, so that the Portuguese could also enjoy playing golf, which had previously been associated with the British. This nine-hole, par-70 course with 35 for each of the rounds, has a fantastic view of Miramar Beach and is considered to be one of the best traditional nine-hole courses in the Iberian Peninsula.

In Vila Nova de Gaia, there is also the Golfe da Quinta do Fojo club. This is much more recent than those mentioned above, as the club was set up in 1997 and the course was built in 2002, which is comprised of six holes (par-20). This course is ideal for beginners, as you can play either 6, 12 or 18 holes.

Further North, in Amarante, there is the Golfe de Amarante course. This short 18-hole course with seven par-3 holes, eight par-4 holes and three par-5 holes was inaugurated in 1997. It has fast greens but the slopes require extra attention and concentration.

Boavista Futebol Clube is based in the Boavista area of Porto. This club is very well known for its professional football team, but it also has other types of sport. In total there are 16 sports, both professional and amateur, most notably football, of course, but also cycling, chess and boccia.

This club has around 24 thousand members and currently plays in the First Division. It was one of the first Portuguese clubs to play football (a sport that came here through the English, due to the economic and cultural connections between the British community and Portugal) and was later the first to have professional teams. History tells us that it was actually a group of Englishmen, together with some Portuguese, that formed The Boavista Footballers.

The club’s greatest achievement was winning the 2000/2001 Portuguese Football Championship. Boavista has also already won five Portugal Cups and three Portugal Super Cups, and is the fourth Portuguese club with the most national football titles. This club also comes in fourth place regarding Portuguese clubs in the European football championships, as it has already been in the Champions League twice.

Boavista FC's stadium is Estádio do Bessa Século XXI, which was completely remodelled for the Euro 2004. This stadium is situated in the centre of Porto and was designed so that it could also be used for purposes other than football, such as shows.

In 2012, the club had serious financial problems, with a lot of outstanding debt. Due to collection from creditors, Boavista was out of the First Division, due to lack of financial means and only came back to the main level during the 2014/2015 season, when the current chairman, João Loureiro, returned as leader of the club. The 'boavisteiros' (Boavista fans) assure us that the chairman's return helped to confirm, in fairness, the right to be back where it belongs and from where, according to the fans, it should never have left...

This club also has a museum, which is inside the Bessa stadium (Estádio do Bessa Século XXI). You must make a prior booking in order to visit the museum. Apart from the trophies won in different championships, there is also information on other sports, such as chess, boxing, volleyball and handball. You'll also find references here to other personalities that were landmarks in the club's history, such as the club's former chairman, Major Valentim Loureiro, or the ex--Boavista player and Portuguese international, João Vieira Pinto.

With an excellent location near the mouth of the Douro River and with a long stretched coastline bathed by the sea, the district of Porto has dozens of beaches and and holiday resorts by the sea!

There are different beaches for a variety of activities here, some more geared towards family outings and others better for surfing or windsurfing. You’re not limited to the Porto side of the river either, because in Vila Nova de Gaia there are long stretches of sandy beaches where you can sunbathe for hours. There's a wide range of choices to suit all tastes.

Once you've made up your mind, you'll be ready to have fun!

Porto

Praia do Molhe is much more than just a big, sandy beach. The steps leading down to this beach are a real eye-catcher. And there are plenty of beach-bars and cafe-terraces where you can sit and relax and enjoy a drink.

Praia do Castelo do Queijo is next to Forte de São Francisco Xavier. As it is rocky it is very popular among those who like fishing. This beach has no lifeguard but has some support structures such as showers, toilets and a restaurant.

Praia Internacional is part of Parque da Cidade. It has a long stretch of sand and is very popular for surfing. It is located right in front of the Edifício Transparente (transparent building).

Matosinhos

Piscinas das Marés are the salt-water swimming pools located on Praia de Leça, in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos. This set of swimming pools, which fit harmoniously into the rocky landscape, were built by a great Portuguese architect, Álvaro Siza Vieira, and are parallel to the avenue there and the sea.
Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Praia de Leça da Palmeira is one of the most popular beaches in the summer, because of its extent and support infrastructure. Here you will find many surfers and bodyboarders.

In Praia da Agudela you will find everything you need to enjoy a fantastic day at the beach. It has a beach-bar, sun umbrellas and toilets, and it is also easy to park at this beach.

Praia do Aterro is ideal for water sports such as surf and bodyboard. This beach is surrounded by vegetation, creating a unique landscape, and has everything you could possibly want.

Praia Azul (or Praia de Angeiras) is a beach next to a major coast road, so it has good access and provides plenty of support to bathers. Praia Azul is a nice sandy beach, but is renowned for its choppy sea.

Praia de Matosinhos is a beach with a long stretch of sand, has facilities for a variety of activities, such as volleyball, beach football, surfing and bodyboarding. There are a number of support services for bathers, such as the rental of sunshade and beach loungers, bars and toilets. Fishing is an activity very present on this beach. The statues there prove this fact, a kind of tribute to fishermen and families.

Praia Pedras do Corgo, in Matosinhos, has a wide stretch of sand and good support, such as rental of sunshade, umbrellas and loungers, a beach-bar and alternative activities for those who don’t want to sunbathe, such as beach volleyball, among others.

Praia da Senhora - Boa Nova, in Matosinhos, is a small beach where you will find the chapel of Boa Nova Chapel. Here there is a famous teahouse that also serves as a restaurant. As for support, there are showers, free parking, umbrella rentals, a bar, WC and an area of beach for sun-umbrellas.

Foz do Douro

Praia dos Ingleses (Englishmen's Beach), just as the name indicates, was and still is very popular with English tourists. It is easy to get to this beach as it is close to the urban area. There are café terraces and other beach support structures. If you don't want to go for a swim, you can always go fishing.

Praia da Luz, in Foz do Douro, is a very cool beach, which is easy to access on foot and has free parking and a restaurant perched over the beach, just like a window on to the sea.

Praia do Homem do Leme (the Helmsman's Beach) in Foz do Douro, is a busy beach named after a statue that is there. It’s close to the city and has very good access and support structures, such as children's playground, esplanade and parking.

Vila Nova de Gaia

Praia do Senhor da Pedra has a chapel, which is right next to the sea, a sign of how religious the people of the sea are. It has a long stretch of sand, and is an area where you can practice surfing, bodyboarding or other water sports activities. This beach has toilets and umbrella rental.

Praia de Salgueiros is renowned for its wide, sandy beach and vegetation. It has good support structures, such as umbrella rental, restaurants and toilets. As there is a path all the way along the beach, you can go for a walk or a bicycle ride.

Praia da Aguda, in Gaia, has a huge sandy beach, with dunes and vegetation. It's a lovely place to go for a walk, as it has a long wooden walkway. This beach has a bar and esplanade, umbrella rental and toilets.

Praia de Miramar offers excellent conditions for bathers and for anyone who practise water sports. This beach has good access, here you can find the typical coloured umbrellas, toilets and beach-bar.

Praia da Madalena an extensive sandy beach with a stretch wooden pathway inviting you to take a walk by the sea, where you can admire the surrounding scenery.

Praia de Francelos has great conditions for bathing, with showers and canvas beach huts. The scenery here will make you want to go for a long walk by the sea or a bicycle ride. They say this beach is so popular because its water has special healing powers.

Praia dos Lavadores, in Gaia, is very close to the buildings, and is therefore considered a semi-urban beach. It has a long stretch of sand, and good support infrastructures, such as esplanades, changing rooms and umbrella rental. This beach has green spaces and even a children's playground.

Praia da Sereia da Costa Verde, also known as Praia do Canidelo, in Gaia, has everything for you to spend a lovely day at the beach. It provides good support for bathers, and is protected by fences and has wooden pathways.

Praia de Valadares Norte is a beach north of Gaia, very well known for its unique surrounding landscape. There is a restaurant at this beach, which has everything for a great day out at the seaside.

Póvoa de Varzim

Praia da Estela, in Póvoa de Varzim, is very popular among nudists, although it is not officially a nudist beach. It has a long stretch of sand and is renowned for its sand-dunes.

Praia da Póvoa de Varzim is next to the urban area, meaning it is easy to access and has an array of support structures for bathers. This long, sandy beach has the typical umbrellas and small, wooden, beach-bars.

Vila do Conde

Praia da Azurara has everything: lots of sand, umbrellas, football and volleyball field and support infrastructures. This beach is also very popular among surfers and kite-surfers. It is situated in Vila do Conde and is very popular among young people. Concerts and festivals with Portuguese and international artists also take place here.

Praia Azul, in Vila do Conde, is a beach that is very close to a residential area. It has plenty of support available, including a cycle lane and a footpath, so it is perfect for going for a walk or a bike ride. It provides a rental service for umbrellas and loungers, as well as other support structures.

Praia do Mindelo, in Vila do Conde, is one of the most popular beaches in the summer, due to the huge granite-sand beach and dunes.

Praia da Árvore has areas without direct access, providing some privacy. Next to the beach there is a camping site with plenty of support, such as parking, access for people with reduced mobility, umbrella rental and loungers, a bar, restaurant, showers and toilets. You can also go fishing and play beach volleyball here.

Praia do Pinhal, in Vila do Conde, is a lovely, sandy beach with various support structures, such as rental of the typical umbrellas, changing rooms and showers. It is ideal for families.

Praia de Caxinas is a small beach best known for being sheltered from the wind, and therefore is very popular. This beach has good support structures, such as toilets, bars, umbrellas and loungers. There is also good transport access as it is very close to the coast road.

Espinho

Praia de Espinho in the Porto Metropolitan area is very popular among surfers and body-boarders, sport fishing and beach volleyball. With free parking, this beach will have at your disposal a bar, WC and a first aid post, as well as a restaurant and an umbrella rental service.

This is an interactive museum and theme park, which reconstructs the life and adventures of the Portuguese navigators, who braved the seas to find new lands and peoples. Don't forget that Infante D. Henrique (Henry the Navigator) was born in Porto!

This era, known as the 'Discoveries', was led by the Portuguese who played a prominent role in exploring the world to find out more about its existence.

At World of Discoveries, in Porto, twenty major permanent theme areas will enable you to spend about half an hour re-enacting an adventure of those times. All the content is provided in six languages (Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, German and Italian).

At the end of the visit you can relax in the restaurant 'Mundo de Sabores', which serves delicacies from the cuisine of countries such as Portugal, China, Japan, India and Brazil. You can buy a souvenir in the 'Sphera Mundi' shop.

Location: Rua de Miragaia, Porto
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm. Weekends and Public Holidays from 10 am to 7 pm.
Closed on 1st January and 25th December.