Porto Customs House (Alfândega do Porto)

The Alfândega do Porto (Customs House) rests along the riverside, west of the Ribeira district. This imposing structure takes up a good tract of land below the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal. The French architect Jean Colson built the former customs house in the mid-19th century on the site of Miragaia (looking at Gaia) beach. Alas, the sandy beach is no more. The Alfândega do Porto didn’t see that much use as an actual customs house. The building was restored in 1993 and now contains a transportation museum, a media centre and a conference centre. Just west of the Alfândega do Porto is a helipad for helicopter tours of the city.