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In our city of Porto
29 March, 2019 / , , ,

In our city of Porto, a town of great ancestry, the discovery of its origins and the understanding of its urban fabric is, of course, an extensive and endless program. The twentieth century would give us one of the most representative and consistent chronicler and investigator of the history of the city.

On March 4, 1894 Artur de Magalhães Basto was born at number 556 of the so-called Duquesa de Bragança Street, in a distinctly well-designed house built by his father António José de Magalhães Basto, circa 1875, then architect and professor of the Academy Portuense of Fine Arts José Geraldo da Silva Sardinha.

His training in Law at the University of Lisbon would serve him well in the future, as from a very young age his  interest in research and paleography became apparent , namely through his teaching career integrating him in  the first Modern Language Faculty of the city, where he lectured  between 1922 and 1931. Being part of the City Hall of Porto up to his death, on June 3, 1960, heading as from 1934, the Services of Palaeography and Manuscripts of the library;  and as from 1938 became Director of the Office of History of the City and became head of cultural services,  until 1960. He was also Director of the Porto District Archive from 1939, as well as head of the great Office of the Holy House of Mercy of Porto, since 1933.

But it is as a chronicler of the city that Magalhães Basto would stand out: from his writing would flow the most diverse themes of history and art always linked to the city of which we will give just a few examples: the indispensable “Falam Velhos Manuscritos”, 1445 weekly articles in the Oporto newspaper The 1º de Janeiro “between 1930 and 1960; and his fundamental articles in the magazine of History of the city “The Tripeiro”, of which he would be director between 1945 and 1960. Some of his 160 published works are transcriptions of conferences, one of his specialties, for us worthy of special reference , because of the urgency and style with which he was able to reach out to us all, without discrimination, in a very simple and direct way, his historical narrative and his studies about Our City of Porto. In fact, these lectures would be a way of counteracting the silence, the solitude of “Poeira dos Arquivos”, his natural routine, as he would so well refer to in a February 1960 text: “How boring a life must be, or even a year, a day, or even a single hour, all alone in an arquive, to read, to decipher old paper, crumpled, yellowed by time, gnawed by rats, holed by moth, and stale air.

Our beloved and distinguished researcher died at his last residence, in Oporto, at nr. 500  Gondarém street,  a dignified note left by Professor Luís Duarte in the  exhibition catalogue dedicated by the master in 2005 in the Palace Gallery : “We realize that in the history country, there was a before and after of the magisterium and the work of Artur de Magalhães Basto”.

 

Porto always celebrating
18 February, 2019 / ,

Tiago Pinto Leite is a 50-year-old entrepreneur with a 30-year curriculum in catering, bars and nightclubs. Opened spaces such as Voice Club, Twins foz, River Café, Chic and Stox Club. Having collaborated in the creation of Industria Club, Estado Novo, Praia da Luz and Cais 447 and many more..

The city is today fertile ground for a night out .  In the center of Porto,there now exists a more diverse and vaster choice, vertualy door to door that grows in size from year to year. Here is my suggestion for an unforgettable evening.

If you have a late dinner reservation and would li9ke to enjoy a drink  before dinner, I advise you to start at the BASE. Overlooking the Clérigos Tower,  a space with gardens and terraces. Great atmosphere during the summer months.

Then dine. And here are two suggestions not too far from each other. The FLOW of Mediterranean cuisine with a beautiful and exotic decoration, with a beautiful outside patio, known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and wonderful food. Or the GOOD BAO, Thai food and great cocktails. Its decoration transports us to an oriental environment and known for its friendly service.. As they do not accept reservations, it is advisable to go early.

After dinner nothing like going to the Vogue Café, door to door with the beautiful Hotel Infante Sagres, a space full of charm, decorated by the respected decorator Paulo lobo.

To get in step for the night my suggestion is the HOUSE OF THE BOOK. One of the oldest bars in downtown Porto,  beautiful and cozy decoration. With a great atmosphere and live music most nights and Dj´s at the weekends. If you prefer Jazz or Blues my suggestion is the HOT FIVE JAZZ AND BLUES CLUB.

And to end  in great style go to  the Disco PLANO B – A space with a far-out deco, with two floors, two distinct areas with DJs, one more pop / rock / funky and  the for electronic music lovers. There are great names in Portuguese and international electronic music. It is perhaps the most frequented space by tourists!

 

At nights end grab a snack at one of  the many outdoor food stands, Have fun in the city and  remember that there is always more to discover.

 

 

THE MESSENGER, by IRENE VILAR
13 February, 2019 / ,

A statue planted by the river that brings hope to the city of Porto

Irene Vilar was born in Matosinhos in 1930 and is the owner of a vast work in many countries such as Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Belgium, Holland and Macau. Distinguished throughout the life with several prizes, the artist affirmed itself in diverse areas like the sculpture, numismatics, medalhística and painting. It was about five decades of artistic production and affirmation that won him several prizes and distinctions

The artist had since very young a great connection to Foz do Douro, where she lived from the age of 19 and where she set up her atelier.

One of her most emblematic works is undoubtedly “The Messenger”. Sculpture in bronze – one her materials of choice -, expressionistic, majestically marks the bank of the Douro River next to Cais de Sobreiras, in Foz do Douro.

Inaugurated in 2001, “The Messenger”, or “The Angel” as is commonly known by the people of Porto, brought, according to the author ” good hope to the city of Porto.” Maybe that’s why it has become almost a place of worship, where people lay flowers and candles at its feet.

Irene Vilar died at the age of 77 in 2008.

“ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO” RETURNS
8 February, 2019 / ,

Created for the first time in 2004, ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO – PORTO is an organization of Essência do Vinho and Revista de Vinhos, in partnership with the Associação Comercial do Porto, which is held once again at the Palácio da Bolsa from 21st-24th February. The last edition of the event received over 20,000 visitors, 35% of which were foreigners.

Promoted since 2004, this event is considered as the main wine experience in Portugal, testing thousands of references from around the world and promoting a program that includes dozens of activities carefully planned to offer a unique experience to all who participate , from producers to professionals and consumers.

In this 16th edition, participants will be able to discover and be amazed by the possibility of tasting over more than 3,000 wines from 400 producers, from all Portuguese and international wine regions, in one of the highlights of the event that allows establishing or developing contacts with key players of the industry and know the backstage steps of production.

Four days dedicated to the knowledge and awakening of senses, with rare and exclusive labels presented by renowned experts invited to masterclasses, commented evidence, , the sharing of experiences and tasting of snacks, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Amongst the masterclasses and tastings  mentioned, the highlight being the “TOP 10 Portuguese Wines – Wine Magazine”, which will bring together a selection of the best wines by a prestigious international jury of the Wine Magazine in the Arab Hall of the Palace of the Stock Exchange. Composed of journalists, wine critics and sommeliers, the panel will choose the best white wines, the best red wines and the best fortified wines.

WINE ESSENCE – PORTO will be held from February 21st, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on the 22nd and 23rd from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on February 24th from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in a joint organization by Essência do Vinho and Revista de Vinhos, in partnership with Associação Comercial do Porto. Tickets  for ESSÊNCIA DO VINHO – PORTO are now  available at www.essenciadovinhoporto.com/pt/informacoes-uteis.

The admission costs € 20 daily  and includes a Riedel tasting glass.

Tickets bought on site on the days of the event will cost € 25.

Sugestions by Luis Pedro Martins
4 February, 2019 / ,

Recently elected President of Turismo Porto e Norte, Luís Pedro Martins holds a degree in Equipment Design from ESAD and a postgraduate degree in Marketing Management from Porto Business School of the University of Porto.

 

Hey Porto is an essential publication for visitors to Porto. As the first newspaper for tourists  to  strategically pinpoint news, translating their texts, thus facilitating access to information.

I hope that they will soon expand the scope of action to the rest of the Northern region of Portugal. Having much to report and share due to the fact that we are talking about one of the   most beautiful regions of the country, with unique experiences, rich in gastronomy and wines, cultural heritage, traditions, nature and an extraordinarily welcoming people.

In response to the inquiry put  to me, it is difficult to choose just one restaurant in the city of Porto and considering my new functions, let me at least indicate some of the neighboring counties. It is important to mention that the North of Portugal has hundreds of good restaurants, proof of this are the many awards won by our restaurants and Chefs, including the prestigious award of Michelin Stars.

 

Restaurants

In Porto, for regional gastronomy, without a doubt the “Cozinha do Martrinho”. In another, more contemporary aspect, the “DOP”, the “Muda” o “Reitor” and the “Xico Quijo”.

In Vila Nova de Gaia the “Zé da Serra” and “Ar de Rio”, in the latter one can enjoy the best view of the city of Porto.

In Matosinhos, also for regional gastronomy, “O Gaveto” and “A Marisqueira de Matosinhos”, among dozens of other excellent restaurants of this county.

 

Bars

A casa do livro, Hot Five and o Fé

 

Locations

Serralves, Casa da Musica, Palácio da Bolsa, Torre dos Clérigos, Livraria Lello,,Sé Catedral ,Paço Episcopal, MMIPO, Look at Porto, Parque da Cidade, Ribeira, Rua das Flores , Pontão da Praia do Molhe, Forte de São João Baptista and the Passeio das Virtudes.

 

Hidden secrets

The Igreja de Santa Clara. At the moment it is undergoing restoration, but soon   tourists will be able to visit this fantastic treasure, still unknown even by many portuenses.

The view over the river from the Muralha Fernandina.

Church “Dos Grilos” – MUSEUM OF SACRED ART AND ARCHEOLOGY
4 February, 2019 / , , ,

Church of S.Lourenço also known as The Church of the Crickets, a visit not to be missed, with a panoramic view of the river Douro, Invicta and the Margin of Gaia

A walking tour through the city center to the Porto Cathedral is a common itinerary for tourists visiting this proud unconquered city. Discovering downtown is an adventure. As we walk through the narrow streets of the ancient city we discover its secrets and its curiosities.

Today we invite the tourist to venture into Bairro da Sé. The imposing Sé is the starting point of our adventure. Just a few meters away, in an alley that seems to have no exit we encounter the Church of S. Lourenço, better known as the Church of the Grilos, which, together with the Homonymous College, is classified as a National Monument.

It began to be built by the Jesuits in the sixteenth century and was only completed in the eighteenth century. If most of the churches have a wealth and opulence often exaggerated, the Church of the Crickets surprises by its simple, bare and unadorned walls.

In the Church stand out the beautiful altar of Our Lady of Purification, the fantastic organ with 1500 tubes that, according to  records was built at the end of the century. XVIII and the crib, a unique construction, dating from the XVIII century and whose authorship is attributed to Machado de Castro. At Christmas time, along with the tradition of many other churches in the city, it is possible to appreciate this very rare crib composed of large dozens of figures placed right at the entrance of the monument.

The Church of the Crickets, although correctly denominated by Church of S. Lourenço, was initially the Church and the College of the Jesuits. With the extinction and expulsion of the Jesuits by the Marquis of Pombal in the eighteenth century, the Church was donated to the University of Coimbra and later bought by the Barefoot Friars of St. Augustine who, due to having their main residence in Lisbon, were commonly known as The Cricket Fathers. And hence the Church became commonly known as the Church of the Crickets although they no longer reside there.

The Museum of Sacred Art and Archeology of Porto – with access by a contiguous door to the left of the Church – displays a collection of interesting pieces from the statuary of saints, religious jewelery and other liturgical pieces. It is also here in the Museum that, from the magnificent balcony, one can have an unparalleled view of Porto and Gaia and the Douro River. A breathtaking view you can not miss!

Robalo de Fricassé – Chef Emídio Concha de Almeida
21 January, 2019 /

In this new year of 2019, celebrating 500 years of the first circumnavigation trip, I decided to present a fusion cuisine dish.

The dish I bring you in this edition is a mixture of loves. I live in Espinho, land of excellent fish, from Robalo to Sardines, Carapau, etc. The fresh Robalo, captured in waters like the Portuguese, has the exact fat, the perfect texture and an unmistakable flavor.

To the magnificent fish, we add saffron. Saffron is extracted from the flower stigmas of Crocus sativus and was brought to Europe by the Portuguese. It is now part of the so-called and renowned Mediterranean Cuisine.

The Fricassé sauce integrates lemon and yolks, precisely used to thicken the broth where the fish is made.

 

 

Robalo de Fricassé

4 slices of Robalo

1 chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Olive oil, as needed

Salt

Black pepper

50 ml of white wine

250 ml of water

1 egg yolk

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon of Indian saffron

Chopped parsley

 

In a pan, brown the onion and garlic, chopped in olive oil. Arrange the slices of Robalo on onion and season with salt and pepper. Add white wine and sauté for a few minutes. Add the water, stir the seasoning and cover the pan. Season for about fifteen minutes, or until the Robalo is cooked.

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the lemon juice and the saffron. Once the Robalo is cooked, remove it from the pan and add the egg and lemon mixture to the sauce. Stir well, put the Robalo back in the pan and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve with mashed or baked potatoes.

Sugestions Fernando Vaz
15 January, 2019 / ,
  1. Restaurant

Euskalduna.

It was born two years ago. The Euskalduna. A restaurant out of this world. At that counter where love is served in the form of boletos or rooster-fish eggs. With herbs, shaves and reductions. Textures and flavors. Elements. Juices. Aromas. The shrimp and the mackerel, shrimp and pigeon seem out of a fable. And the rabanada that closes the meal is a metaphor that reminds us that what is perfect does not need anything. It is through small insignificances that Vasco travels in search of perfection. In a smoked chicken broth to season a squid. In a low temperature yolk to make a rolled ticket sublime. In a carabineiro juice that gives a divine touch to a prawn açorda. In the gum of a carolino rice berry. Or that bread that Rui kneaded. A must repeat to those who’ve been there. A discovery for those who love the elegance of good food and have not yet found the best destination for this purpose in the very noble and unconquered city of Porto

 

  1. Sightseeing

The green Porto. In the park. It could be in the City. Listening through plantains the whispers of Nick Cave pushing the sky. Or in Serralves. Go through the Clareira das Azinheiras with Richard Serra. Cross the Alameda with Claes Oldenburg. Contemplate the sky in the Roseiral with Anish Kapoor and the Sky Mirror. Feel the caress of light on the Lake and the Meadow. And end up in the Tea House as Lou Reed to drink sangria in the Park and sing “Oh It’s such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you”.

 

 

 

  1. Exposure

Miró is back home. In Serralves. Some works from the collection of the Portuguese State, you will find paintings from the Miró and Mapfre Foundations collection. An exhibition focused on the period leading up to Miró’s grand retrospective at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1973. Tension and anger at the death of painting. Creation and destruction. Trimmed frames. Burned. Murdered. Die to be reborn, to reinvent. New materials. Ready made art. Bags, buckets, boxes of wine. Some works that were not shown for nearly forty years. And the Sobreteixims we already know of “Materiality and Metamorphosis”. “Miró and the Death of Painting”. Another great exhibition in Serralves. We are waiting for you until 3 March.

 

Porto – Two places to visite
14 January, 2019 / ,

POINT 1: CAPELA FAROL S.MIGUEL O ANJO

The Lighthouse-Chapel of São Miguel-O-Anjo was the first lighthouse built from scratch in Portugal and one of the first in the world. It was built in 1527 in the area of ​​the Cantareira, by order of D.Miguel da Silva – King’s ambassador to the Pope, Bishop of Viseu and Abbot Commander of the Monastery of Santo Tirso.

The influences brought and lived from his stay in Italy inspired the construction of what is considered the first Portuguese renaissance building. Like the Pantheon in Rome, the lighthouse chapel features a centralized plan where the sacred area lies at the center of the space. Originally, the lighthouse was embedded in the cliffs of the river Douro but in the late nineteenth century it was surrounded by the construction of the new jetty.

 

Although it is currently closed to the public due to its poor state of conservation, it is worth visiting this monument and its context. To see in the background the sea line, to imagine all the traffic that has passed through it for all these centuries and to read closely the inscription on the stone wall that is resisting the erosion of the times.

The lighthouse now awaits restoration works that will include an exhibition of the history of the monument.

 

POINT 2: MIRADOURO DE SANTA CATARINA

The viewpoint of Santa Catarina is, simultaneously, the width of the Chapel of Santa Catarina and Senhora dos Anjos, high in the parish of Lordelo do Ouro. The wide, welcoming area is surrounded by a stone wall that protects us from the cliff and invites us to approach.

Here we are invaded by the wide view of the estuary of the river Douro. Within reach is great part of the south bank of the Douro, the garden of the Calém, the bridge of Arrábida, the green Park of the Pasteleira and the house to the sea. As we look over the wall we can contemplate the topography that descends on terraces or peer into the courtyards and gardens of the neighboring families.

 

The square has recently been renovated and the chapel is also in good condition. In the stripped white façade, the tile figures of Santa Catarina and Senhora dos Anjos stand out. The chapel opens on Saturdays to celebrate Mass at 5pm. The late afternoon visit allows you to admire the beautiful sunset.

Night in Porto
10 January, 2019 / , ,

One needs to start this journey with their belly lined. Create a wall that is prepared to protect us from the aggressions that we are about to endure. For this, there is no better than a Francesinha. The place? Requinte, still in Matosinhos, which promises to protect all those who venture out in Porto.

The night is a crescendo, and if we have dinner in Matosinhos it is necessary to start to climb the Avenida da Boavista where, in the middle of it, it is obligatory to make a pit stop in the Bar 1900, in Foco. The young environment and the mystery that covers it, are signs of a promising future. There, one drinks beer, cold “minis”, or cocktails brilliantly prepared by its owner: Martins, as everyone knows him by.

However, this is just a warm-up. When the sounds of the bells begin, announcing a new day, it is time to take to the sea and continue to climb Boavista towards Porto. Then the world begins. Adega Sports, Adega D.Leonor and 77 are the mandatory stops. Also, these places are not eternal and when their closure begins it is time of indecisions: go for a little dance or call it a night. For those who are willing to make their night epic, in my opinion, there is only one place to go: Boo. Refined space, many stories, where we are well served and well received, with the music of vogue and an environment of more or less general madness. However, for the less adventurous, the Rendez Vous or Porto Tónico  are always good places to stretch your legs. These never disappoint and are a safe haven of leisurely play.

It is necessary to finish as we started, in Rainha da Foz , accompanied by a Francesinha or some “panados à Rainha” and a beer, laughter and memories of a recent night that promises to linger in our memory.

 

Zeca Couceiro da Costa