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Port Moody

Port Moody is a city in the Vancouver eastern suburbs of British Columbia, Canada. Set on the eastern end of the Burrard Inlet, it has some fine waterfront property. It's primarily a residential community, just close enough to commute to Vancouver for work. High-rise developments on the water, such as NewPort Village, have also spurred retail and entertainment districts.

Get in
See Vancouver for options to get in the Vancouver area by plane, by bus, and by train, and by boat.

By car
The Barnett Highway (Highway 7A) leads in from Burnaby and Vancouver from the west and on to Coquitlam and eventually Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. From the Trans-Canada Highway 1, it's often quickest to take Gaglardi Way (exit 37) to Como Lake Rd and then make a left on to Clarke Rd.

Get around
St. John's Street is the main street in, out and through Port Moody. Several community buses get away from St. John's Street into the surrounding neighbourhoods. The C25 bus serves Ioco. The C27 serves the Heritage Mountain area and parts of Westwood Plateau (Coquitlam), running from Port Moody station to Coquitlam station. The C28 provides similar service to the C27, except with more focus on the Westwood Plateau area. The city has complimentary electric car charging spots at City Hall, the library, the recreation Centre, Kyle Centre, the art centre, and Rocky Point Park.

By public transit
Passengers can pay for fares using Compass Cards ($6 refundable deposit), Compass Tickets, or tap-to-pay using contactless credit cards (only American Express, Mastercard or Visa) or mobile wallets. Passengers using Compass Cards and Compass Tickets pay discounted fares. Passengers can transfer for up to 90 minutes, except if taking West Coast Express, in which case they can transfer for up to 120 minutes. On bus and HandyDART, passengers can also pay in cash, but in that case will not receive change and are not eligible for transfers. Zone based fares apply between Monday and Friday for trips starting before 6:30 pm, if travel involves SkyTrain or SeaBus. Outside of those hours or for travel on only bus or HandyDART, a single zone rate applies. If traveling by West Coast Express, a higher cost zone based fare system applies regardless of time of travel. Children 12 and under can ride for free. People aged 13 to 18, and 65 and older pay discounted concession fares.

Bus fare is (as of ). The standard daytime Skytrain fare to/from Coquitlam is, Burnaby is and Vancouver is. Evening and weekend fares to all destinations are.

By SkyTrain
SkyTrain's Millenium Line has two stops in Port Moody: Moody Centre and Inlet Centre. Moody Centre is the closest stop to Rocky Point Park and a number of restaurants and micro breweries; Inlet Centre is close to the Newport Village area of town. The Millenium Line connects to Coquitlam to the east, and to Burnaby and Vancouver's neighbourhood of East Van to the west. Lougheed Town Centre station, connects to the Expo Line line with service to New Westminster and Surrey.

By bus
The #160 bus runs along St. John's St and the Barnett Highway to Burnaby, where it connects with buses to downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver.

See

 * Rocky Point Park 13.JPG

Do
Walk along the 3-km which runs from Rocky Point Park to near Alderside Road, west of Bentley Road. It runs along the Burrard Inlet and is very scenic.

Nearby
North of Port Moody are the villages of Anmore and Belcarra. The main attraction of these villages is two large adjacent parks with hiking, sandy beaches, swimming and some great views. To get the villages and the parks by car head north on Ioco Rd or take TransLink bus route 182.

Belcarra Regional Park
Within the park, is a popular fresh water beach located on Sasamat Lake. The is salt water beach at the western end of the park the Indian Arm of the Burrard Inlet. From the Main Beach, the Admirality Point Trail, a trail with minimal elevation change, follows the shore to, where it is possible to see along the Burrard Inlet, including Vancouver in the distance.

One of the most popular activities are the excellent day hikes, ranging from 45 mins to the Dilly Dally loop, which is a 10-12 hour hike. The most popular trail is the, a rolling loop around the lake (about 8 km). The is much more demanding but offers some good views from the ridge top on a clear day.

There are often map brochures in the park by the large map signs. The lake has a couple of and is also popular for boating and fishing. You need a freshwater licence to fish; these are available from Anmore Store in the village. Only boats with small electric engines (check the specs before bringing a powered boat) are permitted on the lake otherwise you can canoe or kayak. Canoes can be rented from Anmore Store. Be aware of the large strip of logs signaling where you cannot swim/boat past on the north side of the lake.

There are a few buildings around the lake, a couple of abandoned houses towards the north end, one which was built for a movie. Otherwise, buildings are property of BC Hydro, who use the lake for power generation, and should not be entered. Please note parking at Buntzen Lake is limited and there is no street parking on nearby streets or at the nearby trailer park. Illegally parked cars are likely to be towed. Some residents close to the lake allow people to pay to park on their lawns or driveway.

Breweries
Small breweries are located on Murray St near Moody St, near (SkyTrain Millennium Line)  and Rocky Point Park.

Sleep
Accommodation options within Port Moody are limited. There is a larger selection of hotels in nearby Coquitlam, Burnaby and New Westminster.

title: Port Moody


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Port Moresby

Port Moresby (Tok Pisin: Pot Mosbi) is the capital of Papua New Guinea. It is the gateway to PNG, and almost all visitors to the country pass through the city. While it has a daunting reputation due to high crime rates and is considered one of the least livable cities anywhere, almost all of the locals are welcoming and there are some interesting sights.

Understand
Port Moresby is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. The city is on the shores of the Gulf of Papua. Its population is around 365,000 (2011) and growing quickly. The indigenous people of the area are the Motu-Koitabu. Moresby, as it is commonly known, got its name from Captain John Moresby who arrived in 1873 as the first European visitor.

The city is quite spread out. The original colonial settlement was by the sea and this is still the port area, as well as the main business and banking district. On the hills above are upmarket residences. Closer to the airport, separated from the original town by hills, is Waigani, a 1970s development built to provide facilities for the PNG Government, which were needed for independence in 1975. Nearby are the housing areas of Boroko and Gordons, which also contain most of the large shops.

Get in
Port Moresby is the main point of entry into Papua New Guinea for air-traffic and most of the boat-traffic.

By plane

 * Air Niugini flies from Cairns, Sydney and Brisbane, Australia; Fiji, Honiara, Palau, Solomon Islands; Manila, Philippines; Tokyo (Narita), Japan; Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong
 * Citilink flies from Denpasar
 * Philippine Airlines flies from Manila
 * PNG Air flies from Cairns
 * Qantas flies from Brisbane, Australia
 * Solomon Airlines flies from Honiara
 * Solomon Airlines flies from Honiara

Airfares from Australia can be quite cheap. From other countries fares are fairly expensive and it may be cheaper to fly to Brisbane or Cairns and fly to Port Moresby from there.

The airport is modern, and immigration and customs are relatively smooth (as long as you have the correct visa), especially as the staff are extremely friendly; however, delays are common when multiple flights arrive at once. There is an ATM next to the baggage carousel and another one in the main hall, along with a money changer, phone shops, and a café. If you are transferring to a domestic flight you might have to rush as you have to exit the international terminal, turn right and walk 300 m to the domestic terminal. If you are flying Air Niugini domestically, you can check in at their transfer desk next to the other check-in desks in the international terminal, then walk over to the domestic terminal.

All major hotels will provide airport transfers - make sure they know your arrival time and whether you will be at the international or domestic terminal. In addition, a bus connects the airport with downtown Port Moresby, taking 30 minutes. Taxis are outside the terminals and can transport you to downtown Port Moresby in around 20 minutes and 80 PGK.

Get around
For a tourist, the attractions in Moresby can be spread out. There is little 'attraction' in the CBD and walking around will not get you very far. It is nice to walk along Ela Beach and around market areas but otherwise you will be reliant on motorised transport. There is the odd push-bike around the place, though finding one for hire may be a challenge.

By PMV
The locals rely on mini-buses (known as Public Motor Vehicles) that service all parts of the city. Whilst cheap, some drivers do not mind over-loading their vans. All PMVs have their route number and destination printed on - it is easy to ask locals where the buses go, they'll be happy to help and warn you.

By car
Car rental agencies are available close to Jacksons International airport but driving in Port Moresby might not be what most people are used to. In some areas of POM the locals throw stones at the car, usually just for amusement but in some cases they manage to crack your windshield. There are cases of people standing in the middle of a stretch of road they have mended and demanding compensation from people driving by, and as soon as you get outside of the city the roads deteriorate to muddy trails that only a 4x4 with an experienced driver should attempt. If you want to see the sights near Moresby such as Crystal Rapids near Sogeri or the start of the Kokoda, a 4x4 is highly recommended.

By taxi
There are numerous taxis (some 'teksis' too) around Moresby and calling one from your hotel will bring one promptly. You can try your luck hailing one but if you want to feel safe arrange a friend or your hotel to call a reliable driver - there is a genuine risk of robbery that can be avoided if the hotel knows exactly who you went with. When you get a good driver, take their phone number down for future trips. Taxis often have meters but they are rarely used, so agree on a price as you get in. Short trips might cost K10-20, trips from Waigani to Ela Beach might be K40-50 and to the airport anything from K50-100. Taxis might be willing to wait for you at shops and can agree on an hourly rate.

Through your hotel
The easiest and safest way to get around is by organising transport through your hotel. Most will offer transport to the main attractions in town, such as the Port Moresby Nature Park or Papua New Guinea National Museum & Art Gallery. Get the phone number of the driver and call them once you've finished to be picked up.

Do

 * Scuba diving – A number of reefs and wrecks are within close proximity to Port Moresby and diving can be arranged through day vessels or on nearby Loloata Island (which has its own dive shop). There are a variety of sites and depths for all experience levels.

 * Swimming – A popular spot with the locals, the Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Centre is a modern sports complex opened in 2015, home to two outdoor pools (25 m and 50 m long) and six Olympic standard volleyball and basketball courts.

Groceries
There are basically four stores to buy groceries if you are a foreigner in Port Moresby: Andersons Foodland, now called SVS Harbour City, Stop and Shop in Hohola, and Boroko Foodworld in Boroko and Gordons. Andersons is next to the Royal Papua Yacht club and usually suffices. Otherwise there is Foodworld which is larger and located over the hill in Boroko. An even larger and newer Boroko Foodworld is further east in Gordons. Port Moresby's shopping mall is Vision City in Waigani. There is a large hypermarket called RH selling anything from household furniture to baked beans. Their supply is abundant and the quality is good and prices are competitive. Imported goods might not always be there. Often if you see something you like you have to buy a lot of it because there is no telling when the next shipment is coming. This doesn't apply to basic foodstuffs but rather to things that might not be in high demand such as herring. RH has basically closed this gap.

Drink
The drink of choice in Port Moresby as in the rest of Papua New Guinea is South Pacific lager: "SP beer". However, once that cultural experience is done, you will probably prefer to move on to the more refined 'SP Export' lager, or 'Niugini Ice' beer. To buy alcohol you have to go to one of the characteristic yellow and green coloured shops that are usually integrated into the supermarkets. You don't want to go to the ones that aren't. They have a relatively limited selection of wines, mostly Australian or New Zealand brands. The prices are higher than you would expect because of the taxation of alcohol. The locals tend to get quite rowdy when they drink (as everywhere else) so it's best to avoid anyone that seems to be under the influence. Typically most expats drink at hotel bars or sports club bars, which have a more relaxed atmosphere.

Sleep
Hotels are generally quite expensive in Port Moresby, and the quality of accommodation can be disappointing. Research hotel options before you book to check current standards and arrangements for airport transfers. Due to the security situation it's likely that you won't leave your hotel after dark, so choose one with good dining and recreation options.

Stay safe
Port Moresby is well known for its crime. Carjackings, muggings and worse are common. Women are particularly at risk. Foreigners are sometimes specifically targeted. As such, it has been rated as one of the least livable cities in the world.

There is a great deal of concern about the level of crime and civil disorder and about the ability and willingness of the police to cope. Police officers have been found to be complicit in major crime. Police brutality against minor offenders, complainants and witnesses has been the subject of criticism from the international group Human Rights Watch.

It is possible to minimise the chances of becoming a victim of crime by being aware of your surroundings, avoiding places where large groups are gathered and avoiding places where offences are prevalent. The Waigani area, particularly the area around the traffic lights and the Port Moresby Golf Club, has experienced numerous carjackings. The Morata district is well known by locals for its riots during the weekends. It's best to not walk between locations in Port Moresby, or travel at night.

Still, the local people are mainly friendly and peaceful. The main risks are from idle young people, mostly having fun and struggling for money. But traditionally, a wrong or bad or negative behaviour often has the other side of the mirror, which is known as "pay back", also called in some cases compensation, but always wild and violent.

It is always wise to seek the advice of a person familiar with Port Moresby before venturing into unknown areas.

Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are still common throughout all of Papua New Guinea. However, you are extremely unlikely to run into one.

Embassies & consulates
A listing of the embassies and consulates in Port Moresby is available on embassypages.com. These include:
 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇳🇿 New Zealand
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines
 * 🇹🇼 Taiwan
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
With relatively few attractions, Moresby is usually just a stopping off point for tourists heading to other parts of PNG. The whole country could be listed under Go next. For major locations see Papua New Guinea. Possible day trips from Port Moresby include:

 * Sogeri Plateau. 50 km from Port Moresby and, at 800m, an escape from the heat. Sogeri marks the end of the Kokoda Trail, which was the route through the jungle taken by Japanese soldiers in 1942 in an attempt to capture Port Moresby. You may encounter some attacks by young people hiding in the park. The main opportunity is to visit this very pleasant place by groups of at least 20 people.
 * Yule Island. A small island just off the coast of Central Province, a two-hour drive west of Port Moresby. This was one of the first areas of PNG to have European contact. Catholic missionaries settled in 1885. They were joined by Filipino catechists and, as a result, the people of the area often have distinct Filipino features. It is a popular spot for a relaxing getaway and for good seafood.
 * The Kokoda Track. Walked by over 4,000 people a year, you'll be able to recognise them on the flight to Port Moresby by their wearing of hiking boots on the plane. The 96-km track is usually walked in guided groups over 6-12 days, largely following the paths used by Japanese and Australian troops who fought here in 1942. Along the way are numerous small villages, providing one of the best ways to see traditional Papua New Guinea life in a safe environment. The track starts and ends at Owen's Corner, an hour by bus from Port Moresby, and finishes and starts at Kokoda on the other side of the Owen Stanley Ranges, a 45-minute flight from Port Moresby. The only way to travel between the two is by foot, under and down endless muddy hillsides.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Port Moresby


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Portneuf County

Portneuf County is an historic and regional administration covering the western part of Quebec Region on the western boundaries of Quebec City. The county is mainly known for its wilderness and remaining pristine landscapes, but it remains a region untouched by mass tourism. The southern towns, by the shore of the St. Lawrence river, are some of the oldest settlements in North America and carries the trace of the colonial history of Canada. The scenic Chemin du Roy trail goes through the county and those historic villages.

Towns
North-West South West
 * St-Raymond
 * Lac-Sergent
 * St-Léonard
 * Ste-Christine
 * Rivière-à-Pierre
 * Donnacona
 * Neuville
 * Cap-Santé
 * Portneuf
 * St-Basile
 * Pont-Rouge
 * Deschambault-Grondines
 * St-Alban
 * St-Marc-des-Carrières
 * St-Gilbert
 * St-Casimir
 * St-Thuribe
 * St-Ubalde

Other destinations

 * ZEC Batiscan-Neilson
 * ZEC de la Rivière-Blanche
 * Portneuf Wildlife Reserve
 * Duchesnay

Understand
Portneuf is still a purely rural county which economy relies mainly on farming and lumbering as well as some local factory. The region covers about 4000 km² for a population of about 35,000 inhabitants where the majority lives in the southern part of the county just by St-Lawrence River in one of the 18 organised municipalities. The county's northern part remains undivided public land and is reputed as a cottage country holiday area for the inhabitants of Quebec City.

Due to its proximity to Quebec City many villagers commute everyday to the city for work.

 * Tourist information

Get in and around
With a few exceptions, there is no public transport in this rural county. A car is therefore required to ease the mobility to and within this rural county.

By car
Portneuf County is easily reachable within 30 minutes of driving from Quebec City by heading west towards the A-40

By train
Rivière-à-Pierre still has a functioning train station. The Via Rail trains head north through the Public Land to Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean.

By bus
Orleans Express serves the riverside towns along the A-40 on its service between Montreal and Quebec City, but the service is infrequent and unreliable.

Itineraries
Three main itineraries can be set to visit the different features of this county:
 * 1) North-West and Public Land (Wilderness Trail)
 * 2) Along the St. Lawrence (Historic Trail)
 * 3) The West (Colonisation Trail)

Stay safe
This rural county has no crime rate. Call 911 to reach the local police station which is based in Pont-Rouge.

If you venture into the public land, you must register in a case you need a rescue. This advice is actually an obligation and responsibility to everyone who would venture in this vast untouched area. The nearest settlement and assistance can be hours away by car once in the northern wild part of county, letting the rescue service know about your whereabouts could be a paramount element.

Go next

 * Île d'Orléans - the birthplace of Francophone culture in North America

title: Portneuf County


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Porto

Porto is Portugal's second largest city and the capital of the Northern region, and a busy industrial and commercial centre. The city isn't very populous (about 238,000 inhabitants in 2024), but the Porto metropolitan area has some 1.7 million inhabitants in a 50-km radius, with cities like Vila Nova de Gaia, Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim and Espinho.

The city is built at the high ground overlooking the Douro River estuary's northern side, and its historical centre was declared a in 1996. It has been continuously inhabited since at least the 4th century BC.

Understand

History
Porto (POHR-too, /ˈpoɾ.tu/) was named by the Romans Portus Calle (the origin of the entire present country's name), the city is nowadays officially styled A muito nobre, sempre leal e invicta cidade do Porto (the very noble, always loyal, and undefeated city of The Harbor). This is usually shortened to "a Cidade Invicta" (the undefeated city) a title won because of Porto's unparalleled resistance against hostile troops during the 1820s. Residents of Porto are nicknamed the Tripeiros, or tripe eaters, since the Portuguese conquest of Ceuta in North Africa in 1415, when the city's inhabitants went without meat in order to provision the fleet (which left from Porto), and had to subsist on tripe soup, which developed into a gastronomical specialty of the city.

The city is quite varied architecturally, with medieval and modern buildings side by side. Porto's geography is hard on the feet, but pleasant to the eye. The city's grounds are extremely uneven; the Romans strategically built their fortified settlement into a cliff face that overlooks the river, where the present cathedral stands today. Stairs cut into the stone run up and down the cliff face and offer a laborious but rewarding walking tour. Across the Douro from Porto proper, at Vila Nova de Gaia, are the warehouses of notable Porto wine companies: Cálem, Ferreira, Fonseca, Sandeman, Kopke and others.

The Portuguese usually include the article "o" when referring to the city, "O Porto" (literally, the port). It used to be common in English to write the city as "Oporto", but this spelling has declined in popularity. Nowadays it is rendered in English simply as "Porto" without the article.

While most don't think of it, the influence of Porto's football team had got the city's name in one of Australia's six big fast food stores: Oporto, which still uses the old spelling.

People
Citizens of Porto, while definitely Portuguese, hold themselves apart culturally from the rest of the country, as is expressed in the often heard phrase "o Porto é uma nação" (Porto is a nation). Outsiders often consider Porto to be more crass and mercantile than the rest of the country, and the inhabitants to be somewhat lacking in social graces. This is likely because the city's working and middle classes have historically been dominated by Portuguese bourgeoisie and English trading factions rather than the nobility. By and large, Os Portuenses, to use the correct term for the inhabitants, of course disagree, regarding themselves with some justification as a no nonsense people at the economic heart of the nation. As the saying goes, "Porto works, Braga prays, Coimbra studies, and Lisbon gets the money."

While the local attitude is friendly, to outsiders it is worth noting that locals can respond literally to questions, which may seem slightly off-putting to the uninitiated. An example of this would be to ask in a bar if they have a menu (for food) and to receive a straight 'no' as a response. It's after further questions that one can find out that the establishment doesn't sell food. Such a response is not considered rude, it is merely direct and literal.

If you speak in Spanish to a local, you will be largely understood, and as a rule they will freely converse with you, but from time to time, more so with the older generation, you may be politely reminded that you are in Portugal and the native language is Portuguese.

Climate
Porto has a semi-Mediterranean climate, although it's strongly affected by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes it cooler than other cities with this climate. Temperatures can rise as high as 40 °C in August during occasional heat waves. Winters are mild, rainy and humid, with occasional cold nights when temperatures can drop below 0 °C.

By plane

This is due to Porto's particular economic importance and growing tourist interest, coupled with northern passenger logistical demand to fly out of Porto directly, instead of going by rail to Lisbon to get on a flight. As a result, Porto Airport is now Portugal's secondary hub for intercontinental flights to Brazil, North America and many European destinations by the Portuguese flag carrier TAP Portugal. Other European airlines are increasingly offering flights to Porto from their main hubs. There is also a growing presence of low-fare carriers, most prominently Ryanair. Porto Airport has connections to all other major airports in Portugal, Madeira and Azores.

Ground transportation from Porto Airport
The Metro line E connects the airport to the city centre, offering a fast and peaceful ride into the heart of the city, for €2.15 (Z4 ticket as of October 2023) + €0.60 for the rechargeable paper card. You can buy 24 hours pass for Metro and buses for €7.55 (Z4 - includes the airport). The metro runs from around 06:00-01:00 daily, roughly every 15-30 min. Please be sure to validate your trip by touching the ticket to the prominent yellow sensor devices, placed at intervals in the entrances and inside stations, before boarding a train. When doing so, a flashing green light and sound are emitted. The penalty for being caught without a validated trip is at least €100. It is also possible to use a contactless credit card (VISA or MasterCard only) at the validation sensor on the entire Metro line E - however not on all other lines.

STCP buses 601, 602 and 604 (see STCP airport buses) also connect the airport with the city centre. They operate between around 05:30 and 00:30, roughly every 25 min. STCP also operates a night bus line 3M (Av. Aliados - Airport) every 60 min between 01:00 and 05:00.

Ride-hailing apps Uber and Bolt will take you to the city centre for about €25 (Feb 2024).

Lisbon Airport
Alternatively, you may fly to Lisbon Portela Airport and get to Porto by train or long-distance bus from the Oriente station there, which is connected to the airport by metro and bus. The journey takes between 2.5 and 3 hours to get from Lisbon to Porto and is operated very frequently (once or twice per hour).

Another airport around is in Vigo. From Vigo to Porto it's about 2 hours by train or long-distance bus.

By train
The city is served by two major train stations - São Bento terminus station and Campanhã stop over station.

To São Bento station
station is right in the city centre and only served by local trains (Urbanos) and selected Regional and Inter-regional services to Regua and Pocinho. Urbanos (commuter trains) travel in four directions out of São Bento - to Braga, Guimãres, Caíde and Aveiro, stopping at numerous destinations along the way.

To Campanhã station
The is about 3 km east of São Bento on a high-speed line to Lisbon. The long-distance Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains arrive at Campanhã and reach these destinations in the following amount of time, respectively:
 * Coimbra to Porto - 59 min (AP) to 69 min (IC)
 * Lisbon to Porto - 2 hr 46 min (AP) to 3 hr 9 min (IC)
 * Faro to Porto - about 5 hr 45 min (selected AP services only)

From Lisbon, you can board the train at Santa Apolónia, Entrecampos or Oriente. Travelling to Porto from Oriente in the north of the city, and close to Lisbon's Portela airport (within a 10-minute metro ride directly connecting Oriente and Portela) saves 9 minutes from the travelling time. Domestic trains are very frequent and usually on time.

There is only one direct international train from Porto. It's the Celta train to Vigo, Spain. There are two daily trains that take about 2 hr 15 min to complete the journey stopping only at Nine (connection with Urban trains from Braga), Viana do Castelo and Valença. Other international trains (to Paris and Madrid) require a change in Coimbra-B station.

There are various Regional and Inter-regional to Régua, Pocinho, Coimbra and Valença (connection to indirect trains to Vigo besides the Celta services and calling at more stations). There is also a direct night train to Lisbon (there are no direct night trains from Lisbon, as this service is traditionally used by serviceman reporting in Lisbon).

If you have a train ticket to or from Campanhã, you can travel to or from São Bento on urban trains with that ticket at no extra cost. Trains between Campanhã and São Bento take about 5 min.

By car
The city is served by five major highways: A1, which connects Porto to Lisbon, A29 which connects Porto to Aveiro, A3 connects Porto to Braga, A28 connects Porto to Viana do Castelo and the northern Portuguese border, and A4, which goes eastwards from the city towards Vila Real. The IC29 connects Porto to the neighbouring city of Gondomar. The city is also served by 2 ring urban highways, the A41 (still incomplete) which is the outer ring, and VCI/IC23 or A20 which connects all the main places inside the city. The A20/VCI, A28, A29 and A41 are all free highways, but there are plans to install tolls in the latter three, sometime in the future.

Generally speaking, the traffic is usually chaotic and very intense, especially during rush hours.

Parking is difficult for longer periods. Some of the underground car parks offer 72 hours for E20. Motorbikes are free to park in most underground car parks.

By bus
There are many companies providing direct bus trips from major European countries and also for most of the northern cities of the country. Try Rodonorte for timetables. Rede Expressos is the main nationwide express bus service. Visit also Porto Bus Service and Renex.

An international bus operated by the Spanish company ALSA leaves Madrid at 23:00 and arrives in Porto Casa Da Musica at 06:00. It costs around €50 from Madrid and also stops at (among others) Ávila and Salamanca. The return trip leaves Porto at 20:30.

By shared shuttle
There are a few companies providing door-to-door shared shuttle service to Porto. It is a budget option with more personal service than the bus. You can get to Porto from Lisbon with Daytrip shared shuttle or from Coimbra with Coimbra airport shuttle. Prices start at €53, and tickets can be booked in advance to guarantee a seat.

By boat
There is a cargo and recreational harbor called Leixões or porto de Leixões (port of Leixões) in the neighboring city of Matosinhos. Modest-sized cruise ships can dock just outside a drawbridge to the inner harbor. Beneath the south approach to the bridge is a station for the light rail system (see "By Metro" below) that goes to Porto.

There is also a very small recreational harbor in the Douro river. As far as a major method of getting to the city, sea transport is not really a feasible means. However, you can go on scenic tour boats along the Douro river, based especially in the zona ribeirinha of Porto but also on the Vila Nova de Gaia wharf, for one of the most scenic short riverine trips you'll ever make.

By car
Porto, like most Portuguese cities, is a nightmare to drive in. Roads vary in conditions - from fully paved to cobbled lanes that can make even the most shortest of distance seem like a go-kart rally. With that said, keep in mind that the tourist parts of the city (the Ribeira and Baixa) are a never ending maze of narrow streets, short tempered drivers and snakelike alleys. Better to walk (despite the fact that it's very hilly). Also, drivers seem to have forgotten how to drive (apart from pushing the pedals) - therefore, they make their own rules of the road (however, this generally does not apply to young drivers). Be prepared to lose your patience several times whilst driving.

By metro
Porto Metro is a modern light rail/subway system, which was only constructed at the turn of the millennium and is still being expanded. It has several lines, that run across the centre of Porto, and reach out to surrounding municipalities. It is quick, and probably the most efficient way to get around Porto. Some major areas of the city, however, are not that well served by the metro. Announcements in the metro are made only in Portuguese, though most ticket machines and directional signs are bilingual in Portuguese and English.

Tickets must be purchased beforehand. They can be bought at the machines in the station (if there are no tickets in the machine that day, take the metro to the next station and buy it there!) The ticket is stored on a card called Andante, and you can purchase as many rides (or travels) as you want. Andante is Porto's main ticket system and it is based on somewhat unusual zone system. The city centre is zone C1 and the airport is N10. To travel between places you need to know how many zones you need to cross. Within the same zone or up to another zone you buy Z2 ticket. Z3 for three zones and so on. The Andante card itself costs €0.60 and can be re-used/re-charged, so do not throw it away. You can also buy daily passes or Andante Tour tickets for 1 or 3 days, which may be more convenient.

There is also the option to buy a Porto Card for 24, 48, or 72 consecutive hours which, besides of providing unlimited access to public transportation, includes free access to several museums and further discounts.

If you plan on staying for more than three weeks, it is recommended you get the Andante Gold, Andante's monthly subscription pass. The card costs €6, and will allow unlimited travel with your chosen zones. The Andante Gold, like the Andante Blue can be used in all metro lines, the funicular and all buses. When you are buying the Andante Gold, you must have a picture of yourself (your passport photo will do. They can amplify the image from the passport to the card in seconds).

Your Andante must be validated before you enter the metro, bus or funicular. There are no barriers to stop you at the metro, but the Metro police enter the cars and check your Andante to make sure you have validated it, and are travelling within your zones.

By bus
STCP is the best way to move around if you don't want to waste money on taxis. It's the public bus operator in the region, and the only one operating inside city borders. Suburbs are served either by STCP or private companies. STCP buses are the largest eco-friendly fleet in Europe, modern, comfortable, and lines cover the entire city, as well as major suburbs.

Buses colours are white and blue. Line numbers are a 3-digit code. First digit is assigned according to the destination zone (2-west porto, 3-north porto, 4-east porto, 5-matosinhos, 6-maia, 7-valongo, 8-gondomar, 9-vila nova de gaia). For example, line nr. 906 has its destination in vila nova de gaia (9).

You can use two kind of tickets: Andante (see "Metro" above) or STCP own tickets (you can only use STCP's monthly subscription that costs €47 plus a card). You can also buy single tickets for €1.85. Andante tickets are recommended: you can also use them on metro and suburban trains, plus they're easier to buy and recharge on any metro station or newspaper seller with "payshop" symbol. Andante blue card costs €0.60 and can be charged with how many journeys you like.

Every bus stop has at least a timetable and lines served. There is also a code, so you can get an SMS showing minutes left to next arrivals updated in real time. The SMS cost €0.25. You can also download the Move-Me app that, if you have an internet connection, is free and does the same thing. The busiest ones have electronic displays (though most of them are not working and they're often unreliable) with timetables and city maps. Every bus inside has a display showing the name of next stop as well as its Andante zone (very occasionally the Andante zone is not mentioned however it isn't very relevant since it is probably the same zone as the last stop), so it's easy to keep track of them. The stop and the zone (if it's the first or last stop in it) are announced however this announcements are in Portuguese (Próxima Paragem - Next Stop and Fim de Zona - End of Zone).

Route 500 is probably the most scenic STCP route as it runs along the river and the ocean front. STCP also possesses a fleet of old trams three of which are still in operation, mainly for tourist purposes. Route 1 runs along the river from Ribeira to Foz, route 18 runs from the river towards the city centre and route 22 goes around the city centre. The single tram ticket costs €3 and a 24-hr ticket costs €8 for adults and €5 from children up to 12 years old. While the Andante website claims the ticket is valid on the tram, this is not the case for the pay-as-you-go card.

Some other private companies run services namely to some suburbs however they are often unadvertised and Andante tickets might be of limited acceptance.

By taxi
A fast way of getting around the city, although traffic congestion near the city centre might be a problem. However, be expected to pay a high price for these services, especially compared to the other public transportation such as bus and subway. Uber offer their services in Porto providing both the standard 'UberX' service available in many cities, and a 'Green' option that guarantees you an electric car. Prices are the same for either service.

By boat
There are ferry boats that connect Porto to the neighboring city of Vila Nova de Gaia, although you can easily walk or travel by car, metro or bus to the other side. Also there are numerous tourist boats which travel up the Douro river, where you can get fantastic views of the green landscape the region has to offer.

By helicopter
Not exactly a public transportation, but its a wonderful way to see the city from above. Near the Douro there is a heliport with a helicopter available for people to use to get to know the city as a whole. Travelling accompanied will make the flight cheaper. Exit at Museu do Carro Elétrico stop in the 500 and ZM buses as well as the 1 and 18 trams (see By Bus above).

By Funicular dos Guindais
This is a cable railway system. Use this if you don't wish to walk up the steep streets of Porto. This system connects the to the, in the city centre (connection with some buses, the 22 tram, metro and trains, the last couple of ones from S. Bento).It also has a panoramic view of the River Douro. A single trip cost €2.50. Monthly Andante tickets (see Metro above) are also accepted; the pay-as-you-go ticket Andante card is not.

By Ascensor da Ribeira
This panoramic elevator runs from the Largo da Lada, and is visible behind the buildings of the Ribeira, close to the Ponte D. Luís.

See

Porto is a mysterious city that reveals its charm to the visitor through time. Take your time, wander through the mazes and alleys of the city. Take in the old, bohemian spirit of the city. Hike through the Ribeira and Foz do Douro regions (the latter, at sunset). Porto may not be in every tourist's Iberian Peninsula itinerary, but it's well worth a visit if you want to see a city that has changed economically, but that has kept its old traditions.

If you want to visit several museums, consider the Porto Card which provides free access to several museums and further discounts, optionally also free public transport access.

São Nicolau

 * South city centre

 * The 6 bridges connecting Porto to Gaia over the Douro river, many of them providing an excellent view to the river.
 * The 6 bridges connecting Porto to Gaia over the Douro river, many of them providing an excellent view to the river.
 * The 6 bridges connecting Porto to Gaia over the Douro river, many of them providing an excellent view to the river.

Boavista

 * North-west of city centre

Foz do Douro
This is the area around the ocean front just north of the mouth of the Douro River. You can rent a bike and cycle along the riverfront and then the beach to that area.

Do

 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier:
 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier:
 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier:
 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier:
 * Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Primeira Liga, Portugal's top tier:

Learn
Basic Portuguese language is very much appreciated. English, French, Galician, Catalan, Italian or Spanish may be spoken or understood at major hotels/resorts. For major tourist attractions such as river boat rides or Port Cellar tours, generally the chosen language for a given tour slot is granted on a first-come-first-served basis, if you want a tour to be guaranteed to be in your language, turn up early and request it.

Work
Porto is a business, financial and manufacturing centre. Some hotels have conference rooms, some with internet.

The Porto University is the second largest in Portugal by student numbers and its biology, pathology and computer science research departments are top notch. The University's Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia cooperates with well established companies by providing assistance to new companies with business research and incubation support.

Buy
Almost all the shops are open every day, but are usually overcrowded during the weekends and rainy days.

What to buy?
Port wine, of course. This is the right place for it, in the city of Gaia, on the south shore of the Douro River.

The Norte region is known for the passing down of quality craftsmanship traditions from generation to generation while adapting with the latest production and technological innovations. Many of the best Portuguese apparel, footwear, luxury goods and accessory industries are based in and around the city of Porto. Therefore, you will find many flagship stores and factory outlets in and around Porto. The Portuense people know craftsmanship and appreciate quality in whatever it might be, clothing, shoes and leather goods, cars, jewellery, furniture and so on. Brands are numerous and range from globally recognised, like Cavalinho, Charles, Claus Porto, Lanidor and Parfois, to stricly local ones providing for a unique selection on any budget. Many of the more affordable products may not be produced in Portugal, the attractive aesthetic value notwithstanding.

Shopping streets
Take a stroll around the Mercado do Bolhão which has a food market and handicrafts stores, and Santa Catarina street (highly recommended, even if only to stroll), which is near Bolhão. Cedofeita street is also a busy shopping street, as well as Boavista.

Shopping centres
For shopping, Porto and the suburbs have plenty of shopping centres, including Norte Shopping, Arrábida Shopping, Parque Nascente, Gaia Shopping and Mar Shopping (the biggest IKEA group shopping in Europe). Apart from these you also have less populated shops that are smaller but still great (Shopping Cidade do Porto, Via Catarina, etc.).

Eat
Porto has some of the finest restaurants in Portugal.

It is said that if you like to eat, you should go to Porto because it's a place where you eat well in terms of quality and amount (even Lisbon citizens say that in Porto is where they eat the best food).

The best restaurants of the city are mainly in Matosinhos near the beach, and the Porto de Leixões seaport but watch out for pricing, more than a few ok establishments deem themselves worthy of high pricing just because of the decor or the "in crowd" is seen going there or a combination of both, they charge ridiculous prices for food not much better prepared or presented than elsewhere and many times, the dose is very small, so don't be shy to look around to get a sense of what is what. You can take the blue metro line A to get there which takes about 30 min. In the Ribeirinha part of Porto, overlooking the Douro River and Vila Nova de Gaia, there's many well run very affordable small family run restaurants with a great vibe, friendly staff, great food and drink and sometimes, due to limited space, having to share tables with complete strangers, sometimes local people and sometimes not, making the whole experience very cosmopolitan and entertaining. Within the old city centre, inexpensive to reasonable priced eating houses catering mostly for residents are also easily found for both lunch and dinner, these places welcome foreigners and many take special pride in hosting you. At these places, to enjoy a hearty well prepared meal, it's best practice to just follow the waiter suggestions as the menus are three course set Pratos do dia (Today's menu), normally a choice of two or three soups, main dishes including bread, wine of the house, dessert and a bica (espresso) in the end, all this for €7-10 per person. If you are hungry, a good strategy is to say how much you enjoyed the soup and politely ask if you can have a little more. That's why local patrons tend to have the soup last. If you truly enjoyed the meal, show your appreciation to the chef and staff, it always makes the people proud for being of service.

Expect hearty meals, and if you can, try "Tripas à moda do Porto", a tripe dish. Citizens of Porto are called tripeiros (tripe-eaters) on account of this dish. Traditional set menu restaurants, tend to serve the soup last but these days most waiters will ask what you want first and so on, but don't be surprised to see someone starting with desert and finish with the couvert! It's known to happen. Also try bacalhau - in any way it is cooked - there are hundreds of different dishes with salted codfish!

Don't forget the traditional grilled cheese sandwich called "Francesinha", which literally translated means little French lady. This city is just about the only place in the world where you can find it. However, in many other northern Portuguese cities you can find a low quality version of it. Essentially it is a toast with layers of meat inside (beef, pork meat, ham....) It is covered with cheese and a spicy sauce, with the option of including french fries on top. Most importantly, this dish must be accompanied by beer and not wine.

In July, there is a fish festival in Matosinhos, accessible by bus or subway. Freshly caught fish is served the same day at barbecues lined up in the streets just a few blocks from the main beach. You choose a fish (only whole fish) and they prepare it on the streets for you - not a fancy restaurant, but together with the local people you are eating the best tasting fish you ever had! Try a dourada; it is delicious.

Porto is dotted with thousands of different bakeries (Pão Quente) and pastry shops (Pastelarias). Apart from serving delicious (and quite inexpensive) goods, they are also equipped with a side-cafe that serves all sorts of coffees (Pingo, Meia de Leite, etc.) and sandwiches (Tosta Mista-ham and cheese toastie). Unlike the other river side cafes in the city, these establishments do not have picturesque views of Porto (that's expensive, and in the end, you'd be the one paying for that bill). Instead, they attract tourists by offering good food at very cheap prices.

Most locals drink black coffee (espresso).

There is at least one fully vegetarian restaurant in Porto, Paladar da Alma (Rua de Santo Ildefonso 293/5), and some other restaurants which offer vegetarian dishes alongside non-vegetarian options, such as Capa Verde (Rua da Nossa Senhora de Fátima). Vegans may have to ask for dishes to be specially prepared for them, even in vegetarian restaurants.

City centre
There are several budget-friendly restaurants around.

Mid-range
There are several little restaurants all with great food and service on Rua da Reboleira with great views of the river. Away from the ones mobbed by tourists on Cais da Estiva.

Drink
Porto is home to port wine of course, and there are many wineries around the city where port wine is brewed. Strictly speaking, port wine can only be called port wine if the grapes are grown in the Douro valley, and the wine is produced and bottled in Porto. Port wines come in many styles, with vintage port being the most expensive.

The main areas for bars are Praça de Ceuta to the north, through the station surrounds to Ribeira further south.

Dance clubs
Dance clubs here always start very (very) late, around 01:00-02:00, and end up from 06:00-07:30. You have nice choices to pick from. Most clubs are located in the Industrial region and in the upmarket Foz area.

There are some LGBT clubs and bars in Porto. Late night scene.

Bars & pubs

 * Ribeira region This area is full of bars and pubs where you can have a pleasant time with an incredible view, before going to the bigger clubs around the city. Most bars are relatively close to each other, and in some there is no entrance fee. Usually most of these bars close from 03:00-04:00, after which the area becomes deserted. Be sure to go either home or to a club after, because when this area becomes deserted you may feel a bit insecure.
 * Ribeira region This area is full of bars and pubs where you can have a pleasant time with an incredible view, before going to the bigger clubs around the city. Most bars are relatively close to each other, and in some there is no entrance fee. Usually most of these bars close from 03:00-04:00, after which the area becomes deserted. Be sure to go either home or to a club after, because when this area becomes deserted you may feel a bit insecure.
 * Ribeira region This area is full of bars and pubs where you can have a pleasant time with an incredible view, before going to the bigger clubs around the city. Most bars are relatively close to each other, and in some there is no entrance fee. Usually most of these bars close from 03:00-04:00, after which the area becomes deserted. Be sure to go either home or to a club after, because when this area becomes deserted you may feel a bit insecure.

Jazz Clubs
The Jazz clubs tend to open at 22:00 and run to 05:00. They include Hot Five Uptown, and Maus Habitos (Bad Habits) which is a co-working space by day and a club by night.

Sleep
There's residential homes all around the city. There's also a lot of 3-star hotels with very affordable prices. In the city there's only one camping site (Prelada), but it's a bit far from the centre. There aren't many family houses to rent in Porto, so they'll be difficult to find.

Connect
Porto has 4G from all Portuguese carriers. As of Sep 2021, some districts have 5G, with the best signal from Vodafone.

Wifi is widely available on public transport and in cafes. Most hotels in Porto also offer free WiFi access to their guests, either in the rooms or in common areas such as the lobby.

Stay safe
There may be pickpockets in heavily crowded areas and on public buses and trains; however, pickpocketing is not common in Porto. Travelling by bus or metro is generally safe and one of the best ways to go from a place to another.

Porto is generally a safe place to be if you take normal precautions like walking in well-illuminated streets at night.

One part of Porto, near the Tourist Information Office between the cathedral and the steps to the small church, often has drunk people that could cause you trouble. There's no reason for alarm because many of them are inoffensive, but it is best to use some caution, as you would elsewhere.

If you take the main road from the bus station to the cathedral and tourist information centre, walk back to the bus station after you're done and then walk from there to the other sites. Avoid the shortcut from the tourist information centre downstairs because near there have been many incidents there.

Call 112 if you have an emergency.

Go next
The Porto city region is in an ideal position to set up base and explore nearby areas like Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo, the Costa da Prata, Braga, Guimarães, the Douro river valley and Trás-os-Montes. Railways and buses offer affordable transportation, otherwise, car rental can be a better proposition if one wants to have freedom of movement, but if on a tight budget, try to avoid toll roads whenever possible but register as a Via Verde utilizador. It's easily done at any Loja do Cidadão (just ask a local the whereabouts of the nearest one), costs about €15 and you get a few free tolls worth almost the initial outlay, while subsequent usage payments can be done at ATM machines 24/7, thus saving lots of time going around looking for a post office to pay timeously the outstanding tolls. Late payment incurs penalties.

 * Vila Nova de Gaia — lies across the Douro River.
 * During the summer, try one of the many quality beaches near Porto, in the southern part of Gaia . Gaia has plenty of beaches with blue flags (Miramar, Aguda, Granja), a certification of the quality of the beach.
 * For satisfying your party mood visit some in the neighboring cities of Matosinhos, Vila do Conde, Maia, Penafiel, Amarante, Povoa de Varzim (beach and casino). Matosinhos is a coastal town with several beautiful beaches, as well as a vibrant seafood scene.
 * Visit the net target array in Matosinhos. Local legend has it that this is where the Greek Minotaur fell from Avarine, a cloud formation some 17 miles above Greece, with the golden fleece. This led to the formation of the modern day Porto in circa 1970.
 * On the south, within easy reach is the  Costa da Prata (Silver Coast) beginning at the resort city of Espinho with its beaches and casino, reaching all the way to Aveiro and Mira. Aveiro is a charming coastal city about 75 km south It is known for its colorful canals, traditional moliceiro boats, and Art Nouveau architecture.
 * Minho region — Go on a day trip to this region. Guimarães, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Caminha, Valença, Ponte de Lima and Arcos de Valdevez, for instance, all have something to offer, and the region is very beautiful. Taste the "Vinho Verde", freely translated as "Green Wine" - this is mostly a low alcoholic grade, young and fresh kind of wine, that you won't find anywhere else.
 * Peneda-Gerês National Park — Go on a day trip to this park. The wildlife and nature in this park are really worth a visit, and the scenery is magnificent.
 * Guimarães - a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 50 km east. It is known for its well-preserved medieval center, castle, and historic monuments.

title: Porto


text:
Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre is the capital city and the most populous city of the state Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil. With 4.4 million people in its metropolitan area (2020), it is the 4th largest city of the country. The city is not known for its tourist attractions, although it is a frequently used entry point to the Serras Gaúchas region, a major domestic tourism destination.

Understand
Porto Alegre is the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul and the biggest urban agglomeration of Southern Brazil. Situated geographically and culturally midway between São Paulo and Buenos Aires, Porto Alegre developed its distinct flavor of Portuguese heritage under the influence of other European immigrants and a variety of other ethnic groups. It is one of the richest cities in the country, the state capital with the highest life quality and literacy rate (97%), and the book capital of Brazil. However, Porto Alegre still suffers from many problems that affect big Brazilian cities, such as poverty of part of the population, lack of adequate housing, high cost of living, pollution, violence and traffic jams.

Gaúchos, as natives of Rio Grande do Sul state are known, are very proud of their land and culture. In 1835, Ragamuffin War, a separatist uprising which declared Rio Grande do Sul independent from Brazil broke out. This war wreaked havoc across the entire state during 10 bloody years, killing nearly 20% of Gaúchos and ultimately leading to a peace treaty where the Riograndense Republic once again became part of Brazil.

Another major Brazilian revolution also began in Rio Grande do Sul. The Federalist Revolution of 1893 defended the decentralization of powers and greater autonomy for the states, and only finished in 1895, after spreading to two other states. It was also in Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre) where the Brazilian Revolution of 1930 which overthrew the president Washington Luis began, and so was from Rio Grande do Sul the most important Brazilian communist revolutionary of all times: Luis Carlos Prestes, who led the nation-wide communist upheaval in 1935. For such reasons, among many others, Gaúchos are particularly proud of their mother state, many considering themselves different from other Brazilians.

Porto Alegre is now a service-centered city in between the industrial part of the state (north-east) and the rural part (south). Today, is also called the Mercosur Capital.

Climate
Due to its low altitude and southern location, Porto Alegre has a very variable humid subtropical climate, but is known for its well-defined seasons. Summer is generally hot and humid and the winter is cool. During summer, it is common for the humidity to get high, giving a feeling of muffling. However, the summer in Porto Alegre tends to be less rainy than in other Brazilian cities, like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. In winter, sometimes it is possible to have frost.

Porto Alegre has a wide range of temperatures. Depending on the neighborhood in which you are in Porto Alegre, humidity can cause temperatures to vary a few degrees above or below. In the winter months, temperatures vary from cold to mild. The average temperature throughout the days are usually 15 ºC (59 ºF) and the nights tends to have an average of 10º C (50 ºF), although it is not uncommon for some years where there may be days in the winter with temperatures up to 30 ºC (86 ºF). This phenomenon is locally called "veranico" (Indian summer). In some years, winter temperatures can also be freezing, reaching close to 0º C (32 ºF). Unlike the cities located in the Serra Gaúchas region, where there is the highest altitude, in Porto Alegre rarely snows. The last time this phenomenon occurred was in 1984.

The summer in Porto Alegre is hot and humid. Temperatures can be very high and oppressive, sometimes reaching around 40 ºC (104 ºF), leading the city to earn the nickname "Forno Alegre" (Forno is the Portuguese word for "oven"). However, these high temperatures can be interrupted by cold fronts that bring rain for a few days, bringing a welcome relief from the high temperatures. Rainfall are evenly distributed throughout the year. There is not a completely dry month, although there may be less rain from March to May. Afternoon thunderstorms in the spring and summer are common, so it is recommended to bring an umbrella to protect of the rain.

Regardless of the time of year, Porto Alegre is a very sunny city during the year, so it is recommended to use sunscreen.

By plane

There is a train station (known as trensurb by locals) and bus stops near the airport. A people mover (aeromóvel) connects the train station with the airport terminal.

By train
A commuter train service known as Trensurb, serve only the metropolitan area, with one line connecting Historic Distric to some cities in the Greater Porto Alegre such as Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia do Sul, São Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo. The fare is R$4.50 and there's a station near Rodoviária (Central Bus Station) and the airport. It is more or less safe to walk during day time from Rodoviária or the airport to the stations. An automated people-mover (Aeromóvel) connects the first floor of the terminal to the local train station.

By car
Coming from the North (Florianópolis, Curitiba, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro), one may reach Porto Alegre by two ways. BR-116 is shorter, but much more dangerous. This road is used to reach other destinations in Rio Grande do Sul, such as Caxias do Sul, Gramado and Canela. BR-116 also connects all major metropolitan cities and traffic jams are frequent during rush hours in weekdays. One way to escape traffic jams during peak hours is BR-448, which links Porto Alegre to Sapucaia do Sul in the metropolitan area. The other way to get to Porto Alegre from the North is using BR-101 to Osório and then BR-290. The first connects Curitiba, Florianópolis and Osório, and is being upgraded to highway standards; the latter crosses Rio Grande do Sul from Osório to Uruguaiana, through Porto Alegre. The section between Osório and Porto Alegre is called free-way by locals, and is a very well-maintained 6-lane toll-road.

Also, in neighboring Canoas, BR-386 begins, connecting the metropolitan area with other major cities in the countryside, such as Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Maria and Passo Fundo. It has 4 lanes up to Tabaí and it is in decent conditions.

From the South, coming from cities such as Pelotas, Rio Grande, and Chuí, one would use BR-116.

From the East, Porto Alegre is reachable by BR-290 from Uruguaiana and Argentina. Using this road, it's possible to reach southern cities such as Bagé and Santana do Livramento. This section of BR-290 shares a stretch with BR-116, from Guaíba's Bridge up to Eldorado do Sul interchange.

Some of these roads are dangerous due to their poor signalling/conditions and lots of trucks. Most of them are toll-roads and have electronic speed traps. Schedule your travels by car during the day; it is simply safer. Another important point is that the Guaíba Bridge, in the BR-290, which crosses Lake Guaíba, is a movable bridge that may have its transit interrupted for lifting its movable span to give passage to large ships. It is important to be aware of the lift schedules so as not to be taken by surprise. They are available on the CCR Via Sul website (in Portuguese), the company responsible for the bridge.

By bus

The long distance bus station is located in the downtown and offers state, national and international lines. Daily services connects Porto Alegre with several cities inside the country and also Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay. It is also connected to a Trensurb station and several municipal bus lines.

By boat
Besides its decent port facilities for cargo, a commuter catamaran service connects downtown and Barra Shopping Sul to Guaíba, a neighbour city situated on the other side of Guaíba Lake. The crossing takes 20 minutes and costs R$ 7,35 each way. Checking the schedule beforehand is recommended.

Get around
The city is roughly a semi-circle that expanded outward in a concentric manner, beginning from the Historic District, right next to the promontory and the harbor. Avenues going from the center to the outer areas of the semi-circle are the radiais (radials) and are crossed by avenues named perimetrais (perimeters). Hence, to go to and from downtown one will use mostly the former, whereas to go from one neighborhood to another, one uses the latter.

By bus
To understand the bus system, one must consider the above description. All lines are identified as "(prefix)-number name/neighborhood". Almost all lines are radial, that is, they connect an outer neighborhood to the various downtown terminals. Those lines have no prefix. It is quite common to switch buses at downtown but, considering there is a myriad of lines there, it can be challenging to find the right terminal to hop on the next bus. Transversal lines (prefix "T" - T1, T2, ..., T11), connect different neighborhood without going through the downtown area, effectively eliminating the need of changing buses for the most common trips. Circular lines (prefix "C" - C1, C2, C3), as the name indicates, run in a circular manner, usually connecting parts of the downtown area to the nearest neighborhoods.

The Porto Alegre city bus system is operated by the public company Carris and by four consortiums of private companies. With the exception of Carris, which has lines connecting all regions of Porto Alegre, almost all lines of each consortium connects the Historic District to a different zone of Porto Alegre. Buses can have different colors depending on the region they serve:

 * Carris serves all areas of Porto Alegre (mainly through the Transversal lines - identified by the prefix "T", i.e. T1, T2...) and its buses are ocher in color.
 * Via Leste and Consórcio Mais has its buses in green. The lines connect the Historic District to the East and Southeast Zones of the city, respectively.
 * Mob has its buses in blue. The lines connect the Historic District to the North Zone and Islands of the city.
 * Viva Sul has its buses in red. The lines connect the Historic District to the South Zone.

The PoaTransporte website provides a map with all the stops nearby and the buses that pass through them, in addition to the route that each bus line takes. Together with Google Maps this can give you a clue.

It is very hard to find bus stops with indication of lines' destinations or timetables. Hence, when in doubt, the easiest way is to ask the locals which bus will get you to you destination. Porto Alegre's buses are, in most cases, clean, safe and fast, specially when the line uses the bus corridor, a reserved lane with special stops in main avenues, effectively avoiding traffic jams. However, Porto Alegre buses can get crowded and accommodate only standing passengers during peak hours, in the early morning and late afternoon. In order to use the bus, you must be at a bus stop and signal or wave your hand to the arriving bus you want to ride (they will not stop unless waved upon!).

The fare must be paid to the bus ticket reviser before crossing the turnstile located inside the bus. Fares may be paid either in cash or using a smartcard system named TRI. TRI-users get discounts in consecutive trips - a 50 percent discount is granted to the second trip within half an hour. Fares are listed below:

By lotação
The Lotação is an alternative transportation system, with fewer lines, served by minibuses with up to 20 people in capacity. All minibuses are air conditioned and some of them have reclining seats. Unlike buses, Lotações do not travel on the bus lanes and you can get on and off at any point (that is, outside the designated stops) of the trip. The fare is R$ 8. The minibuses are easily recognized by their "red, white and blue" color. If you're not sure if a Lotação goes to the destination you want to go, just wave your hand, wait until it stops and from the street ask the driver if it goes to your destination (for instance to go to Iguatemi Mall just say Iguatemi?), don't go in just to ask otherwise the driver might ask you to pay the fare since the counter is measured on the stairs near the door.

By taxi
There are plenty of taxis. They can be pricey, if compared to other towns, but they are also an easier, safer and more dependable option than buses in some cases. To ride a cab, one can walk to the nearest "taxi stop" (usually in crowded areas or points of interest), wave for an empty passing cab or call a tele-táxi service. Tele-táxi may charge extra for this service. The price of the fare is determined by a machine called taxímetro, usually in front of the passenger seat. There is always a minimum price, which is shown when the machine is reset for the trip, which is, as of 2011, R$3.50. Next to the value, there is a "flag" indicator that shows the level of price being paid, always according to the service. Usually there is a table inside of the cab explaining each level of service. It is recommended to check if the correct level is being charged at the beginning of the trip, in order to avoid problems when you reach your destination.

By car
Although Porto Alegre's public transport system is of good quality, renting a car can be a good option if you are traveling with a partner or prefer to explore places further away from the city. There are numerous car rental companies in Porto Alegre, the majors being Localiza, Movida and Unidas. Vehicle prices, rental periods, vehicle pick-up and drop-off locations, and reservations can be made easily and well in advance on the internet.

It is important to note that traffic in Porto Alegre tends to be slow and congested at peak times, in the early morning and late afternoon/early evening, especially on large avenues such as Avenida Zaida Jarros, which connects the airport to BR- 290, Avenida Assis Brasil and Avenida Farrapos, in the North Zone and Avenida Ipiranga and Avenida Bento Gonçalves, in the Southeast Zone. Parking can also be difficult to find in Porto Alegre, especially in the Historic District.

On foot
Walking around is a reasonable idea only inside a given neighborhood or downtown, as opposed to from one neighborhood to another, as they are usually too far apart. Walking during the night in most parts of the city is outright dangerous. During the day, it is recommended to pay attention to your belongings at all times, due to activity of pickpockets and other thieves. Pedestrian crossings, most of the time, are completely ignored by the vast majority of drivers; never rely on them without looking or making sure the driver will stop. It is also not recommended to cross the street outside the proper crossing areas in traffic jams: motorbike riders usually split between stopped cars, causing a great risk to pedestrians.

By e-hailing
The main e-hailing platforms in Porto Alegre are Uber and 99. Both offer cheaper rides than taxis and are very popular with locals in Porto Alegre.

See
Linha Turismo is a tourist bus line that rides through 11 neighbourhoods and shows the main attractions of the city (parks, trees, statues, hospitals, churches, etc.), with audio guides in three languages. The trip is long and lasts for about 1 hr 20 min, and the arrival is at the same departure address. From Tuesdays to Sundays (holidays included), at 09:00, 10:30, 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30 (winter) or 10:30, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30 and 18:00 (summer). The tickets cost R$30 for a normal fare and R$15 for the student (Foreigners need to have an International Student Identity Card). Travessa do Carmo Street 84, phones +55 51 3213-3464 and +55 51 3212-1628:

Museums & art

 * Contemporary art museum in a building by Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza.

Parks

 * Parque Moinhos de Vento (Moinhos de Vento Park) - Known by locals as Parcão, this is a pleasant park with a neat lake and jogging runways.
 * Parque Farroupilha (Farroupilha Park) - Known by locals as Redenção (Redemption), where is found the Araujo Viana Auditorium, which has hosted several political acts and music concerts. Also on Sundays, an antique fair happens in a side street and is called by locals as Brique da Redenção.
 * Parque Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian Navy Park) - Known simply as Marinha, a linear park with a skateboarding rink, several sports and public fitness amenities, and also several modern art sculptures from Mercosur artists. Good for a bit of nature during the day. Popular on weekend late afternoons.
 * Parque Maurício Sirotsky Sobrinho - Known by locals as Parque da Harmonia (Harmony Park), home of the yearly Acampamento Farroupilha (Farroupilha Camp), a three week long regionalist event in September to celebrate the Ragamuffin War and display the gaúcho culture. It is usually empty however. Some people visit the site on weekends.
 * Parque Germânia (Germânia Park) - situated near Iguatemi Shopping at the core of the affluent East zone (Zona Leste), differs from others by having little tree cover and by closing at night. It does have some sports amenities though. Popular with locals on weekend afternoons. The park is named as a dedication to German immigrants. The park opens everyday, from 06:00 to 18:30.

Do

 * Watch the sunset over Lake Guaíba. Porto Alegre has a beautiful sunset over Lake Guaíba. Best enjoyed on the waterfront, in places like the Historic Center (near Usina do Gasômetro) and Ipanema. This event only lasts about five minutes. During winter (around July) it is recommended to take additional clothes, as the wind can be very strong.
 * Climb aboard the Cisne Branco boat. The Cisne Branco Boat offers a boat trip where you can enjoy the sunset over Lake Guaíba. The boat trip lasts an hour and a half and leaves at 17:30 from Cais do Porto and sails to the South Zone, accompanied by live Brazilian music.

Sports

 * Watch a soccer game. Porto Alegre has two major local football teams: Grêmio and Internacional. Grêmio plays its matches at the Arena do Grêmio, in the North Zone, while Internacional plays its matches at the Beira-Rio Stadium, located on the banks of Lake Guaíba. Both Grêmio and Internacional (known together as Gre-Nal) are the two biggest soccer teams in Rio Grande do Sul and are among the biggest soccer teams in Brazil, with a strong rivalry in Rio Grande do Sul soccer background. Another smaller club that also plays in Porto Alegre is São José, which plays its matches at the Passo d'Areia Stadium, in the North Zone, and competes in the state soccer league (Gauchão) and in the third division of the Brazilian national soccer league.

Events and festivals

 * In September, watch a play at Porto Alegre em Cena, one of the most important theater festivals in Brazil, with several theater plays being performed around the city.
 * In September, visit the Acampamento Farroupilha (Farroupilha Camp) and join the Semana Farroupilha (Farroupilha Week), a great festival of Gaucho culture, held every year at the Parque da Harmonia. Every year, Gauchos (South-American cowboys) come from all over Rio Grande do Sul and build a temporary complex of old wooden houses (locally called piquetes) to commemorate the Raggamuffin War and celebrate the traditional culture of the state. Come and experience the food, music, dance, and culture of southern Brazil's interior. If you're in Porto Alegre during this time, you definitely shouldn't miss it.

 * Feira do Livro de Porto Alegre (Porto Alegre Book Fair). Held every year in November, thousands of publishers sell their books at Praça da Alfândega, in the Historic District. It is possible to find books at cheap prices at the fair. At the fair, autograph sessions are also held with local and national writers, as well as plays, storytelling for children and musical performances.

Learn
UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) is the largest public university in the state. UFRGS has its own entrance exam (Vestibular), held between December and January and is one of the ways of admission to the university along with ENEM (the national admission exam). The UFRGS Vestibular is the most competitive in Rio Grande do Sul and one of the most competitive exams in Brazil. PUCRS (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul) is private and also an important learning centre. Both have exchange programmes with foreign universities and institutions in many countries of the world.

Buy
The main central shopping area in Porto Alegre is the Historic District, especially around the crowded Avenida Voluntários da Pátria. The main popular on the avenue is the POP Center, a mall located in a building that has more than 800 stores where you can find many items, such as clothing, electronics and accessories at cheap prices. Another important place of commerce in the area is Galeria Chaves. Located between Rua dos Andradas and Rua José Montaury, it is the oldest and most traditional commercial spot in Porto Alegre, with six floors of shops and restaurants and impressive historical architecture.

Another important place of popular commerce is the Central Public Market, built in 1869 and reformed several times. It has more than 100 stalls selling a wide variety of products and local crafts, as well as several restaurants.If you are interested in local handcrafts, your best bet might be Brique da Redenção, a large flea market near Parque da Redenção with lots of authentic gaucho art, handicrafts, furniture and handmade pieces. It takes place on Sundays, during the day, next to Parque da Redenção.

Shopping malls
Shopping centers are scattered throughout Porto Alegre and are great options, not only for shopping, but also for leisure and entertainment. The vast majority of malls are located in the north of Porto Alegre or close to the Guaíba waterfront, although there are also smaller malls in other regions of the city.

The main malls in Porto Alegre are Bourbon Shopping Wallig (which has IMAX cinema rooms and is located on an important street in the north of Porto Alegre), Iguatemi Shopping (the largest mall in Porto Alegre, with high-end stores), Bourbon Shopping Country (located across the street from Iguatemi, it is the only mall in Porto Alegre that has a theatre), Shopping Total (built in an old inactive beer factory), BarraShoppingSul (with an excellent view of the sunset on the shores of Lake Guaíba) and Praia de Belas Shopping (located a few metres from Guaíba Waterfront).

Drink
Porto Alegre's nightlife is basically divided onto three regions: Cidade Baixa, Moinhos de Vento and the Fourth District (Quarto Distrito). Although, several pubs and clubs are located throughout the city.

Cidade Baixa
Cidade Baixa is an old neighborhood, filled with historical buildings and oldfashioned mansions. Most of the popular and cheap bars are located in Lima e Silva Street; they are the traditional xis (cheeseburgers) places, such as Speed and Cavanhas. In República Street, pubs and bars are fancier and more expensive too. Inside the old mansions of João Alfredo Street, several dance clubs party every night. The places are perfect to dance Brazilian popular music (called MPB) and samba.

Moinhos de Vento
Moinhos de Vento is one of the richest neighborhoods in town. Its bars and clubs are more likely to be fashionable. Expect bars to be pricey. Along Padre Chagas Street you can find typical Irish pubs and cafes.

Fourth District
Fourth District (Quarto Distrito) is a region in the North Zone of Porto Alegre that covers the neighborhoods Floresta, Navegantes, Humaitá, Farrapos and São Geraldo. The place is a region that has been revitalized in the early 2020s and is home to several bars, pubs and breweries.

Elsewhere
Other options are:
 * República de Madras, Shopping Total, Av. Cristóvão Colombo, 545. Inspired by the Indian culture, specially on the old city of Madras, the club has four floors and an outside terrace. On Thursdays, some of the top DJs in town usually play there. Friday and Saturday, the club offers pop music and pagode.
 * John Bull Pub, Shopping Total, Av. Cristóvão Colombo, 545. The place has a stage for shows where usually rock and roll cover bands perform.
 * Lagom Brewpub, Rua Bento Figueiredo, 72 is Porto Alegre's first artisanal brew pub. Expect much stronger and more flavorful beers than the standard Pilsner. Popular with locals and beer aficionados alike. Barrio Bom Fim, but close to Moinhos de Vento.
 * República de Madras, Shopping Total, Av. Cristóvão Colombo, 545. Inspired by the Indian culture, specially on the old city of Madras, the club has four floors and an outside terrace. On Thursdays, some of the top DJs in town usually play there. Friday and Saturday, the club offers pop music and pagode.
 * John Bull Pub, Shopping Total, Av. Cristóvão Colombo, 545. The place has a stage for shows where usually rock and roll cover bands perform.
 * Lagom Brewpub, Rua Bento Figueiredo, 72 is Porto Alegre's first artisanal brew pub. Expect much stronger and more flavorful beers than the standard Pilsner. Popular with locals and beer aficionados alike. Barrio Bom Fim, but close to Moinhos de Vento.
 * Lagom Brewpub, Rua Bento Figueiredo, 72 is Porto Alegre's first artisanal brew pub. Expect much stronger and more flavorful beers than the standard Pilsner. Popular with locals and beer aficionados alike. Barrio Bom Fim, but close to Moinhos de Vento.
 * Lagom Brewpub, Rua Bento Figueiredo, 72 is Porto Alegre's first artisanal brew pub. Expect much stronger and more flavorful beers than the standard Pilsner. Popular with locals and beer aficionados alike. Barrio Bom Fim, but close to Moinhos de Vento.

Splurge

 * Deville Hotel Porto Alegre Airport

Connect
The area code for Porto Alegre is 51.

For national calls, press 0 + operator code + area code (DDD) + telephone number. For national cover calls, press 90 + operator code + area code (DDD) + telephone number. For international calls, press 00 + operator code + country code (in Brazil, the country code is +55) + city code + telephone number.

The entire city is covered by mobile internet using 4G technology by operators Vivo, Tim and Claro. Recharging cards for these operators can be found in a variety of places like supermarkets, pharmacies and eletronics stores. Porto Alegre is the first capital to start introducing 5G technology in some neighborhoods. 5G signal coverage will be gradually increased by operators until 2025, as per user demand.

Stay safe
Porto Alegre has greatly reduced rates of violent crime, and the city has become safer than it was before, including in some poor neighborhoods, such as Mario Quintana, Bom Jesus, Santa Tereza, and Lomba do Pinheiro. In 2021, the homicide rate in Porto Alegre was 16.6 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, much lower than in 2018, which was 45.5 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. However, it is still recommended to use common sense and take the usual safety precautions.

 * Avoid going through neighborhoods such as Restinga, which may still present some violence and watch out for pickpockets in the Historic District. Also avoid showing valuables, such as cell phones and expensive jewelry.
 * Avoid walking in dark, deserted and poorly lit areas at night, which includes many parts of the Historic Distric such as the Avenida Voluntários da Pátria, the region close to UFRGS Central Campus and Rua Sarmento Leite, the Conceição Tunnel and under the Conceição Viaduct and Marechal Floriano Peixoto and Riachuelo streets.
 * Avoid going through parks at night, as they are dark, poorly lit, deserted and can harbor drug addicts.

All safety recommendations that apply to any major city in general also apply to Porto Alegre:

 * Don't trust strangers, especially those who seem excessively helpful;
 * Always prefer the help of an identified officer or employee to that of a stranger;
 * Watch your belongings all the time in crowded streets or public transportation;
 * Avoid withdrawing and carrying large amounts of money;
 * Avoid using expensive clothes and jewelry that make you stand out.

Most residential neighborhoods and upper-class neighborhoods (such as Moinhos de Vento, Bela Vista and Higienópolis) are reasonably safe.

Stay healthy
Lake Guaíba is polluted by sewage and industrial effluents. Occasionally, some more secluded spots may be temporarily suitable for bathing. Since 2021, the city's Water and Sewerage Department (DMAE) regularly publishes a bathing report (in Portuguese, relatório de balneabilidade).

Cope
In Porto Alegre, the electric power voltage is 127 V, unlike the rest of the cities in Rio Grande do Sul, where the voltage is 220 V. It is common for electrical equipment sold in Porto Alegre to be bi-volt, however, always check carefully.

If you need immediate help, the emergency numbers are 190 for police, 192 for paramedics or 193 for firefighters.

 * Porto Alegre Prefecture website (in Portuguese)

Consulates

 * 🇦🇷 Argentina
 * 🇨🇱 Chile
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇵🇾 Paraguay
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Go next

 * Parque Nacional dos Aparados da Serra (Monkey Canyons)- 120 miles from Porto Alegre going on BR101 by Praia Grande/SC or RS-020 by Cambará. Thousands of square miles of exuberant nature teeming with life. Miles of escarpments, innumerable waterfalls, rushing streams in an area absolutely undisturbed by human intervention--comprising not only tropical forest zones, but also the coastal, high plateau.  And the coast--visible from the canyon’s rim. The unforgettable landscape is the result of immense volcanic eruptions more than 130 million years ago.  For travel information, contact the RS Tourist Bureau  (U.S.)
 * São Miguel das Missões - Near the border with Argentina, has a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site
 * Gramado - a German-themed tourist city in the Serra Gaúcha. This is a great city to visit during Christmas (November through early January).
 * Caminhos de Pedra in Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul - Visit original houses of Italian immigrants in the region along this road. Many of the homes have been converted into restaurants and stores selling wine, grape juice, other products derived from grapes and arts and crafts from the Serra Gaúcha region.

title: Porto Alegre


text:
Portobelo

Portobelo is a port city in Central Panama. It is located on the northern part of the Isthmus of Panama.

Understand
Portobelo was founded in 1597 by Spanish explorer Francisco Velarde y Mercado. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries it was an important silver-exporting port in New Granada on the Spanish Main and one of the ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets.

The city was also a victim of one of Captain Henry Morgan's notorious adventures. In 1668, Morgan led a fleet of privateers and 450 men against Portobelo, which, in spite of its good fortifications, he captured and plundered for 14 days, stripping it of nearly all its wealth. This daring endeavour, although successful, also proved particularly brutal as it involved rape, torture, and murder on a grand scale.

On November 21, 1739, the port was again attacked and captured by a British fleet, commanded this time by Admiral Edward Vernon during the War of Jenkins' Ear. The British victory created an outburst of popular acclaim throughout the British Empire, and many streets and settlements in the British Isles and the Thirteen Colonies were named Portobello such as Portobello Road in London.

However, the town was quickly recovered by the Spanish and Admiral Vernon suffered a major defeat against the stronghold of Cartagena de Indias in 1741. Vernon was forced to return to England with a decimated fleet and over 18,000 casualties. Despite the Portobelo campaign, British efforts of gaining a foothold in the Spanish Main and disrupting the galleon trade were fruitless. Following the War of Jenkins' Ear, the Spanish switched from large fleets calling at few ports to small fleets trading at a wide variety of ports. They also began to travel around Cape Horn to trade on the West coast.

Today, Portobelo is a sleepy city with a population of fewer than 3,000. It has a deep natural harbor and is home to many cruising yachts. In 1980 the ruins of the fortification, along with nearby Fort San Lorenzo, were declared a World Heritage Site.

When Francis Drake died of dysentery in 1596 at sea, he was buried in a lead coffin near Portobelo bay. They're still looking for him. There are two dive centers operating here. It is also a place to book passages on boats to Colombia.

By car
Visitors could drive from Panama City to Portobelo, taking the Transisthmian highway (Auto Pista) to Sabanitas and then turn right on the road that leads to Portobelo. It takes around one and a half-hour.

By bus
By bus from Panama City Albrooke terminal, take the Colon Express (45 min, $3.15) and get off at the Rey supermarket in Sabanitas. There switch to the Portobelo bus (1 hr, $1.30). The Portobelo bus can be caught by the front entrance of the Rey supermarket around the corner.

Buses depart Portobelo every half hour from 04:30 to 18:00 making many stops along the way to Sabanitas (Rey Supermarket) (1 hr, $1.30) en route to Colon (total 1½ hr, $1.35). In Sabanitas, cross the highway on the pedestrian bridge and catch the Panama City Express bus (1 hr, $3.15). To guarantee a seat on the Panama bus, continue on to Colon and catch it there (1½ hr, $3.15).

By boat
There are now over 30 vessels operating the route between Portobelo, San Blas, and Colombia. They vary widely in safety, comfort, and price ($475-700) depending on the boat. A person would be ill advised to book an 180-nautical-mile ocean passage (333 km) on a vessel he hasn’t inspected with a captain he hasn’t met. The waters between San Blas and Colombia can be challenging at times. Don’t depend on second hand information. Vessels depart regularly from Portobelo, Puerto Lindo, and Porvenir. Make an informed decision.

Get around
Portobelo is very small and easy to navigate. There's one road which runs parallel to the water which forks just before the village square. Take the left fork for immigration and Internet cafe, and the right fork for more food places.

See
You can see the sights in Portobelo in an hour. Start at the west end fort ruin. From there head east on the left hand side of the road and you'll see a staircase up to the watch tower with great views of the bay.

On your way to the eastern side stop off at the Church and Old Customs house.

Do

 * Tour the forts, Custom House, and museum.
 * Take a launch to local beaches: Playa Blanca, Playa Frances.
 * Rent a kayak.
 * Horseback riding.
 * Anfibia board: Go anfibia boarding and feel what's like to swim free like a dolphin! Check Panamore website to know more about it.
 * Kayuko: The kayuko is a wooden dugout canoe made by the aborigines. Panamore can organise your kayuko day to either go by the bay, rivers and mangroves or fishing with a local!
 * Mangroves + Jungle + Beach + Snorkle + Kayak-Kayuko: Contact Francesco +507 6739 1685
 * Waterfalls
 * Fishing
 * Hike the National Park
 * Black Christ Festival, Oct 19-21.
 * Congos and Diablos Festival (same time as carnival)

Drink
There are several bars around Portobelo. Captain Jack's is the most lively and full of backpackers, but also the most expensive at $2 a beer ($1 during Happy Hour, 16:00-17:00 every day and 14:00-18:00 on Sunday), most others have beers from $1.

To make new friends, head to Captain Jack's, if you already have some you'll save some money by starting your own party elsewhere.

Connect
Jack, in Captain Jacks, is a wealth of local knowledge.

If you're on a boat, or have a VHF radio for some other reason, tune in to The Net on channel 72 at 09:00 every morning (run by Jack) to get in touch with the other boats in the area.

Go next
Buses run from Portobelo to Colon every 20-30 min from 04:30 until 6PM. They leave from in front of the church, but you can flag them down anywhere along the main road.

A cheap taxi boat service (langcha in Spanish) opened in November 2016, running weekly from Portobelo to Capurgana (a village on the Colombian side of the border, where you get a second langcha to the major city named Turbo). The ride is $160 per person and the langcha is named Naturalstour and is about 400 meters before the entrance of Porotobelo when arriving from the city of Colon.

Regular boats leave to Cartagenia for around $300-500. Captain Jack is selling tours for $550. You may all ask your hostel for info.

If you are lucky, you can also find cheapest passage on boats from Portobelo to Kuna Yala (around 100 km) for around $70 (specify that you need only the transport, no lunch or other amenities). Ask as always in Captain Jack or in local hostel/tour operator. Remember that the only other way to reach Kuna Yala is come back to Panama City and do another 23-3 hr driving on sickness road.

title: Portobelo


text:
Porto das Dunas

Porto das Dunas is a resort town in the district of Aquiraz, Ceará, some 15 km southeast of Fortaleza.

Get in
No direct bus from Fortaleza's tourist strip, save daytrips by tour agencies, at about R$ 25.

Do
A huge water park with slides and other wet interactive fun, Beach Park. Stiffly priced at R$ 170 for a day, but with substantial discounts for subsequent days. Out of season they typically close once or twice a week, although rarely on weekends. The beach right outside the park is very nice, and although you pay nothing to walk in the sand, food and drinks are 2-3 times city prices.

Sleep
There are several pricey hotels in the Beach Park complex.

title: Porto das Dunas


text:
Porto de Galinhas

Porto de Galinhas is a coastal town in the municipality of Ipojuca, in Pernambuco.

Understand
Porto de Galinhas is a small beach town, very popular as a weekend getaway for people from nearby Recife. The area is stunningly beautiful with amazing reefs. Hotels range from cozy "pousadas" to five-star resorts. Do not miss nearby Maracaípe.

By plane
The closest airport is in Recife/Guararapes, some 60 km north of Porto de Galinhas. The bus company Cruzeiro ( or ) operates buses (ônibus) from Recife center to Porto de Galinhas from 04:45 until 22:30. These busses stop at Recife Airport.

Further flight connections you can find to the airport of Maceió.

By bus or carpooling
From Recife, two bus lines make the trip to Porto, as locals call it. The bus company Cruzeiro ( or ) operates buses (ônibus) from Recife center to Porto de Galinhas from 04:45 until 22:30. The first bus line takes around 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes and stops at the airport and several other locations in Recife. It costs R$12.50 (April 2021) and doesn't have air-conditioning. If the bus is full you will have to stand for the trip.

The other one is bus line 195. It's operated by Cruzeiro as well, has busses equipped with air conditioning, better seats and a semi-express route. It costs R$18.25 (April 2021) and leaves each hour from Cais de Santa Rita in Recife. At the other end of the Rua de Esperança is the praçinha (little plaza), the city center on the beach and near the tide pools.

From Recife there are shared rides offered on Blablacar. The prices are around R$12 (April 2021).

From Maceió there are a few shared rides offered on Blablacar. You can also take an intercity bus or shared ride to the Recife airport and continue from there with the bus operated by Cruzeiro or with another shared ride to Porto de Galinhas.

The in Porto de Galinhas is next to the gas station o posto at the end of the Rua de Esperança, the main street of Porto de Galinhas.

By car
Porto de Galinhas is about 80 km from Recife (via BR-101 and PE-60 roads), 330 km from Natal, 800 km from Salvador, 2.300 km from Rio de Janeiro and 2.800 km form São Paulo.

By taxi
You can also take an Uber, 99taxi or local taxi from Recife or from other places around Porto de Galinhas.

Get around
The town is small and easily navigable on foot. Uber and 99Taxi also work, as of December 2019, and a typical 10-minute trip costs about R$ 6.

There are very frequent vans between Porto de Galinhas and Maracaípe for R$3,50.

Buggys are available for rent with or without driver, which presents a great alternative to traditional car rental.

See
Bustling beach town in summer, lots of dining places, local "churrascarias" (barbecue) and good seafood. Lots of beach activities in the area. Amongst them, visits to the "piscinas naturais" in a jangada, a local raft tour to the nearby reefs, where sea water makes natural ponds, and lots of different fish can be seen.

If lucky enough you might attend a sea turtle birth at full moon in midsummer, plan for a full moon stay.

Note that the beautiful reefs are only available at very low tide, for about two hours a day. Ask for information at travel agency or tourism information center for the recommended days and hours to visit reefs.

Do

 * Visit the "Piscinas naturais" - gaps in the reef where small fish can be found. R$30 for 45 minutes, with tickets available at the booth near Giroskka Bar in Praça central. Snorkel gear is provided. The snorkeling is fun for beginners, but nothing to write home about if you've snorkeled in Hawaii, the Riviera Maya, or the like. Only one type of fish.
 * Take a trip on a little boat in the lagoon and swim with the fish (take some kind of footwear as the rocks are sharp!).
 * Walk to nearby Maracaípe and watch the surfers.
 * Find a spot on the beach, order shrimp and beer, sit back and relax.
 * In the beach point Pontal do Maracaípe local kitesurfers can be seen. For the more adventurous, classes on this sport are available as well.
 * Visit beautiful Praia dos Carneiros. White sandy, crystal clear water beach south of Porto de Galinhas, very near Tamandaré. Can be reached by boat trip.
 * Visit beautiful Praia dos Carneiros. White sandy, crystal clear water beach south of Porto de Galinhas, very near Tamandaré. Can be reached by boat trip.

Buy
The shops in the pedestrian zone in the center of town offer local crafts, clothing, and beach equipment.

There are ATMs from the banks 24Horas and Caixa, but none from Bradesco.

Eat
Don't leave Porto de Galinhas before trying traditional tapioca.

Drink
Many bars and restaurants serve the weekend party crowd. It isn't hard to find a place for a drink along the beach, on either of the two main roads, or from a number of stands set up at night where the two main roads connect near the beach. Sometimes it is possible to see and even participate in an impromptu drum circle at this intersection on weekend evenings.

On the very shore of the beach, you can find carts that sell pina colada out of the actual pineapple, for R$ 20.

Sleep
Hotels range from cozy "pousadas" to top-quality five-star resorts (Nanai and Summerville). Especially at weekends the city center will be very loud. The streets around the Pracinha are full of party-goers and the bands play on the streets in front of the pousadas. Especially Pousada Benedita and Pousada Marakatu are only a few meters away from the street parties. Room prices in one of the posadas at the city center start at R$50. Avoid being led to a hotel by touts, as you will get an inflated price.

Go next
Within walking distance on the beach to the south is the smaller town of Maracaípe. If you want to get away from the noise it is a quiet place. Further south, lies the "Recanto do Cavalo Marinho", a protected area for seahorse breeding. A local "jangada" can take you as well.

Beaches further south are also beautiful, but harder to access. Tamandaré can be accessed going south on the PE-60 road. There are signs on-route with directions to Carneiros. Toquinho and Serrambi are some of the other options.

You can also go to these places; all of them have dormitories:
 * Recife
 * Maragogi famous for the swimming pools inside the Atlantic Ocean. From Porto de Galinhas there are a few Blablacar rides. And there are Blablacar rides from Recife to Maragogi. For those you can ask the driver to pick you up in Porto de Galinhas.
 * Maceió
 * São Miguel dos Milagres The 'Caribbean of Brazil'. There is a hostel. See Get In

title: Porto de Galinhas