Free Tour Porto
Our Free tour of Porto is the best way to learn about the history of one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Europe.
Let yourself be seduced by the charm of Porto
Porto is the perfect city to visit - a diverse range of accommodation and attractions, a long-standing wine and food tradition, museums and beautiful places to get lost in and enjoy. One of those places is undoubtedly the Crystal Palace Gardens area.
If you're looking for things to see in Porto on your next getaway, be sure to include a walk through this park among your activities. Here's why!
Often, when we travel, we need a moment to breathe, relax, and focus on the now rather than on the responsibilities. In Porto, the ideal place for this is the Crystal Palace Gardens - a green and central lung of the city.
The area where the Crystal Palace Gardens are located was designed by a German landscape architect in the middle of the 19th century.
The Crystal Palace, from which the gardens take their name, was demolished in the first half of the last century. However, in its heyday, it was such an important structure that it was used for the celebration of the Universal Exhibition in 1865.
On the site that once housed the palace now stands the Rosa Mota Pavilion. This facility is used every year to celebrate cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts and fairs, among which the Book Fair stands out, and sporting competitions.
The gardens are in the upper part of the city, which gives a wonderful panoramic view of Porto. In particular, the Douro River flowing into the ocean. The gardens are open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. If you're going in winter, keep in mind that the gardens close earlier (at 7:00 pm).
But the views aren't the only attraction of this green space. Crystal Palace's gardens have flat, open, and spacious areas, perfect for strolling and relaxing.
The tranquillity of this park invites exploring its themed gardens, where you can stop to observe medicinal, aromatic plants and rose bushes. You can also photograph the peacocks as they roam freely. Try to keep the distance though, and especially don't touch them!
There is also a small garden with four sculptures, one for each season, dedicated to the memory of Émile David, the landscape architect who designed the gardens.
Other places of interest in the gardens are: Acoustic Shell, an open-air auditorium and the chapel of Charles Albert of Savoy, an Italian king who died in exile in Porto.
If you decide to go to the gardens, why not take the opportunity to visit the museums in the area? Within less than 400 meters from the gardens are the Romantic Museum and the Soares dos Reis Museum.
The Romantic Museum was the residence where Charles Albert of Savoy, King of Sardinia and father of Victor Emmanuel II, spent the last stage of his exile. It is a bourgeois-type residence from the 19th century with richly decorated interiors and furnished with elements from that era.
On the other hand, the Soares dos Reis Museum is in the Palacio dos Carrancas, one of the oldest palaces in the country, whose rooms hosted historical celebrities such as the Duke of Wellington or Don Pedro IV, King of Brazil and Portugal for a short period in the early 19th century.
Here you can enjoy a permanent exhibition of furniture and works of art such as ceramics, paintings, engravings and glass. The main attraction of this museum is the collection of sculptures by Portuguese artist António Soares dos Reis, which gives the museum its name.
Now that you have learned the stories of these magnificent gardens, don't forget to put them on your "to-do list". The views and the botanical collection are worth it!
If you want to get to know the city even better in a fun way, come with us on one of our free wlking tours.
Our local guides will show you the key points of the port city, tell you interesting facts, answer questions and even recommend places to eat.
Book your spot now. We look forward to seeing you with a green umbrella on Praça da Liberdade!