The city of Matosinhos is located close to Porto and very known among locals for its seaside as well as the great options to surf. In this blog article, we will show you that Matosinhos has even more to offer than just surfing, but we will also show you some amazing places to surf, eat and spend the day.
Arrival in Matosinhos and amazing factory tour visit
First of all, there are several ways of how to get to Matosinhos. If you have a car, it’s for sure the most easiest way to arrive by car. However, you can also take one of the various bus lines (e.g. 500 or 502) from Porto to go to Matosinhos. On top, we usually decided to take the tram (line A) with the direction “Senhor do Matosinhos”. The drive will take around 25 minutes and bring you directly into the center of Matosinhos. From there, you have several options to discover the city.
One of the things, we can highly recommend to do in Matosinhos is to visit one of Portugal’s oldest canneries called Pinhais. You can book a factory tour including a delicious tasting under this link*. If you want to learn more about the entire tour and what you will do there, you can follow this article to get more insights about the factory tour and what we’ve experienced there.
Surf lessons near Porto: Where to learn surfing in Matosinhos
Besides the tour, Matosinhos is a great place to go to the beach. Therefore, you can do nothing wrong by heading off to Praia de Matosinhos and enjoying a walk at the seaside. The wide promenade directly next to the beach at the Av. Gen. Norton de Matos is a great way to feel the sea breeze and have a wide view over the ocean. On top, you can easily access the beach and spend a sunny day there.
As the waves in Matosinhos invite you to surf, you can see many options for surfing lessons right at the beach. You will also find a few great options to surf by clicking on this link*. Usually, the surfing lessons include an instructor, wetsuite, surfboard, sport insurance as well as storage facilities. A few surfing schools even have options for pick up from the center of Porto. Before booking, we would definitely recommend you to have a look for surfing lessons with very small groups. This makes sure that you learn as much as possible and that you get the full surfing experience.
Best restaurants and places to eat in Matosinhos
If you are looking for a snack in between or some restaurant recommendations, a visit at the Mercado Municipal de Matosinhos is always a great idea. Here, you will have many amazing and fresh places to eat and enjoy a lunch or dinner. From MAFALDA’S kitchen to the Brazilian restaurant Abrazô and many local Portuguese restaurants, you will have various great choices.
Another great tip is the Rua Herois de Franca, also called the street of sardines, which is not far from the seaside in Matosinhos. The whole street is filled with sardines restaurants, where locals grill fresh fish on the grill in front of the restaurant. As a result, you can already smell the grilled sardines from far away. If you love sardines, this street is a must-visit for you and it’s not that expensive and kept a little old. That’s why, you get the feeling that time has stood still there. Very authentic!
Matosinhos has a lot of activities to offer
Finally, Matosinhos is still an underrated travel destination around Porto even if the city has a lot to offer. From canned fish factory tours, walks at the seaside, culinary experiences at the Mercado to exciting surfing lessons, you can spend at least one or two days in this beautiful city not far from Porto.
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