TIC TAC, travellers, TIIIIC TAAAC
AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECTURE
Although the landscape of Porto is mostly dominated by buildings from the 18th and 19th century with its characteristic windows, the capital of the Douro offers an impressive and still unknown showcase of contemporary and avant-garde architecture.
As the Serralves Foundation , museum of contemporary art designed by Siza Vieira , reward Pritzker in 1992 , a marble building with an 18-hectare park full of intriguing sculptures, one of the cultural and social meeting points of the city. Wave House of Music , (from the Dutch Rem Koolkaas), which with its diamond shape, is the most audacious example of avant-garde architecture in the city as well as having one of the best acoustics in the world.
But the sensation of 2017 will undoubtedly be the award-winning ** Leixôes Cruise Terminal ** (Matosinhos), by Louis Peter deSilva , which has just won, among others, the award of the 'Building of the Year 2017' awarded by ArchDaily , the most visited architecture website in the world. In the form of paper unrolling, this terminal already receives as many travelers as Porto airport.
Sheath or Serralves
RAIN OF STARS (GASTRO) OVER THE DUERO
Gone, long ago, are the times when the inspectors of the famous red guide didn't even deign to enter Portuguese territory, much less enter Northern lands. Peter Lemos and the restaurant of the iconic Hotel Yeatman , were the first to win the first Michelin stars for the city of Duero, but there is much, much more:
Rui Paula , one of the most renowned chefs in the city with his House of Chá da Boa Nova , in Leça da Palmeira, in a building designed by Siza Vieira . A perfect gastro-architectural combination.
Richard Costa He wins the second star for the Yeatman's restaurant, becoming part of the exclusive club of Portuguese chefs with two stars together with Avillez. Who will conquer the third? The battle looks close.
And finally, antiqvvm , with one of the most romantic settings in the city, is the new winner of a star with less than a year of life since its opening thanks to the fun and sophisticated Mediterranean-inspired cuisine of Vitor Matos.
antiqvvm
UNIMAGINABLE PURCHASES
Who was going to tell us that in this city in the north of Portugal we find the Favorite soap brand of Oprah Winfrey or even Queen Letizia herself (or at least that's what you didn't say a little bird) . We are talking about ** Claus Porto **, a brand that celebrates its 130 years, having maintained traditional production methods: only natural ingredients and essential oils mixed up to 7 times. Its precious packaging makes it true jewels of limited production. The brand plans to open its first store in Porto in May and they assure us that it will not leave you indifferent. In the meantime we will have to make do with his pop up store from lq Rua das Flores.
And the surprises continue, the famous guide Wallpaper I include the ** Equador chocolate ** as one of the “20 reasons to visit Porto”. We, attentive as always to everything that happens in the city, visit the store of the Rua Sa da Bandeira : retro decoration reminiscent of the 40s and 50s, a totally handmade fantastic chocolate and a pleasant surprise, a showcase where plastic artists are invited to reproduce their vision of chocolate and thus be part of the experience.
Claus Porto
OVERFLOWING HOTEL CREATIVITY
At the end of the 90s, I was a young executive (if one day I was) on a work trip to Porto and always the same dilemma: “ where to stay in a gray city where there are only gray hotels? ”. Year 2017, it is still very difficult to choose where to stay but this time for different reasons: a lot, and very good. Here are our latest discoveries:
Oh! Porto , a bold architectural project that includes 6 apartments with minimalist decoration for maximalist views, each one named after one of the 6 bridges over the Duero.
Oh! Porto
M Maison Particulière , in a 16th century building, is an old private house with only 10 suites, whose wall paintings and tiles will leave you speechless.
And not a little has surprised us Music Hotel , within the reformed market of the good success . And if you did not like its location much more the decoration that revolves around the world of music. We have loved the musical note-shaped lamps!
Also very original we found the Armazem Luxury House, an old iron warehouse converted into a small hotel full of windows overlooking the Sé do Porto and the Torre dos Clérigos.
URBAN ART EXPLOSION
The capital of northern Portugal has been transformed in recent years into a fantastic showcase of urban art in which the most diverse expressions of this ephemeral art coexist. Phone booths on Avenida dos Aliados , electrical boxes in rua das Flores, panels in car parks, any place is good to capture the ingenuity and creativity.
Even the most renowned Portuguese plastic artist, Joana Vasconcelos she has joined this trend with the creation of a tile mural inspired by the designs of the famous embroideries of Viana do Castelo in the newly opened burger joint Steak n' Shake.
Other works that have surprised us: the artificial stones of Dalila Gonçalves at Praça Almeida Garrett, or the one that literally crosses the main facade of the New Mercy Museum , of the artist Rui Chafes.
LET'S GO TO PORTS
Yes, we have said it well. The new trend in the city of the Duero is to go for “ports”. The golden elixir once reserved for big occasions and the elderly has been democratized in recent years, occupying an exceptional place in the day-to-day life of young people tripeiros . The port tonic It is the fashionable cocktail in strong competition with the Gin and tonic. Long live port wine!
Let's go port!
FESTIVALS ORGY
Known among the Portuguese is the partying and late-night spirit of its Northern tenants. In Porto, what is not lacking are parties, here is our selection:
In June, the Serralves Festival , in the Foundation of the same name, organizes a festival in which cultural performances, concerts, etc. are held for 40 hours non-stop. This festival is the second most important in the country.
**São João Festival (June 23) **, absolutely unmissable. The longest night of the year is celebrated in the North in the craziest way possible. The tradition? Grilling sardines in the middle of the street and organize festivals in any corner of the city. If this seems trivial to you, then what are you waiting for, take a rubber hammer and hit everyone who gets in your way on the head. Yes, that is the tradition whose origin I have not been able to reveal clearly, although, we assure you, it is a true anti-stress cure.
The summer solstice will give way to renowned music festivals, the Primavera Sound or the Marés Vivas Festival , among others, that attract great figures of national and international music.
You're already late coming!