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Porto Nightlife

As in any large city, Porto offers a good range of nightlife and entertainment options, including two casinos, and an array of cafés, bars and clubs to suit most tastes. Full listings can be found on the Porto Tourism website (www.portoturismo.pt).

Bars in Porto

Armazém do Chá

Opened in 2008, the 'warehouse of tea', housed in a former roasting house, is a contemporary combination of a bar, lounge and exhibition space. Patrons can try different types of teas here but most like to sample something a little stronger in the cocktail bar. There's live music, plus regular DJs playing a mix of funk, house, nu-jazz and more until the small hours.

Address: , Rua José Falcã0 180, Porto, 4050-315
Telephone: (22) 244 4223.
Website: http://www.armazemdocha.com

Café Candelabro

Housed in a bookshop, lined with literature, Café Candelabro is a cool, cosy and arty little bar. There is an array of beers and spirits on offer here, and with low lamped lighting and a chequered tile floor, it is the ideal spot to curl up with a decent read. If you haven't got a novel with you, this spot buys and sells books about photography, cinema, theatre and arts, so you'll never be short of a tipple and a page turner.

Address: , Rua da Conceição, 3, Porto,
Telephone:
Website: http://cafecandelabro.com

Café Guarany

A long-standing restaurant and café with an alternative, artistic vibe, Café Guarany is a special Porto address. The walls are lined by massive, mustard-hued paintings and the owners make the most of its traditional tiled floors and huge windows which let in lots of light. Gracefully stuck in time, this spot is open late but it retains its buzzing atmosphere long into the small hours. There's regular live music here too.

Address: , Avenida dos Allados 89, Porto, 4000-066
Telephone: (22) 332 1272.
Website: http://www.cafeguarany.com

Clubs in Porto

Café au Lait

A laidback bar-cum-club with a café vibe, this was once a textile warehouse but now it's the DJs doing the weaving at the weekend. They play a mix of soul, funk, acid jazz and electronica and it's a popular place to spend the early part of the night, between 0100 and 0400, before heading to more full-on action at the Pitch Club or Plan B.

Address: Clérigos, Rua Galeria de Paris 46, Porto, 4050
Telephone: (22) 202 5016.

Pitch Club

A popular choice among Porto's hip, the Pitch Club offers a range of themed nights that would keep any dancefloor busy. It boasts two floors playing different music and has a music policy of deep house and electro at the weekends. The venue also hosts regular live gigs. The design is sleek and the sound systems are great, plus it's location is central so there's no long schlep home. 

Address: , Rua de Passos Manuel 34-38, Porto, 4000-381
Telephone: (22) 201 2349.
Website: http://www.pitch-club.com

Plan B

This quirky spot is where to head if you want to dance until the early hours alongside Porto's hipsters. The décor has a vintage, eclectic vibe and the location is nice and central, while the music policy ranges from house, electro and R'n'B to acid jazz, funk and lindy hop. There are regular live gigs here too, as well as exhibitions and their own little market.

Address: Clérigos, Rua Cândido dos Reis, 30, Porto, 4050-151
Telephone: (22) 201 2500.
Website: http://www.planobporto.net

Live music in Porto

Casa da Musica

Look inside this magnificently audacious, modernist building and you'll discover musical events to please almost everyone. It is home to the Orquestra Nacional do Porto and has a hugely impressive concert hall, but it also has lots of other halls and rooms for a wide variety of musical events and genres. If you're feeling particularly flash, try the VIP Terrace, which often hosts conversations with composers and lectures about music.

Address: , Avenida Da Boavista 604-610, Porto, 4149-071
Telephone: (22) 012 0220.
Website: http://www.casadamusica.pt

Hot Five

This is the city's best jazz club, with an intimate atmosphere and lots of variety. Hot Five offers a great choice of live jazz and blues, where musicians come acoustic and unplugged as much as they do wired-up. Sat at cosy, candle-lit tables, you can catch some of the best international talent around, while the regular Hot Five jam sessions are just as good.

Address: , Largo Actor Dias 51, Porto, 4430
Telephone: (93) 432 8583.
Website: http://www.hotfive.eu

Restaurante Mal Cozinhada

Fado's spiritual home may be in Lisbon's Moorish quarter, and the university town of Coimbra, but it is also popular throughout the country. Those after a taste of authentic fado should head to Restaurante Mal Cozinhada, the city's top venue for folk and traditional music. Performances come to life downstairs where, rather fittingly, old stone walls act as a backdrop.

Address: , Rua do Outerinho 11, Porto, 4050-450
Telephone: (22) 208 1319.
Website: http://www.malcozinhado.home.sapo.pt

Classical music in Porto

Dance in Porto

Theatres in Porto

Coliseu do Porto

Coliseu do Porto, the city's leading cultural venue, is housed in an impressive art deco building that was inaugurated in 1941. Its beautiful main auditorium seats 3,000 people but there are several other performance spaces for more intimate pieces. It hosts a wide variety of events including theatre, opera, concerts and comedy, as well as exhibitions and cinema.

Address: , Rua Passos Manuel 137, Porto, 4000-385
Telephone: (22) 339 4940.
Website: http://www.coliseudoporto.pt

Teatro Nacional São João

This historic theatre opened its doors for the first time in 1798, and is still one of the city's most important cultural spaces, hosting theatre productions as well as many other kinds of cultural events like dance and cinema. Performances are also held in the Mosteiro São Bento da Vitória and the Teatro Carlos Alberto, which now make up part of the Teatro Nacional São João.

Address: , Praça da Batalha, Porto, 4000-102
Telephone: Tel: (22) 340 1900.
Website: http://www.tnsj.pt

Music and Dance in Porto

Culture in Porto

Maus Hábitos

The name Maus Hábitos translates to 'Bad Habits', but it seems that this venue has quite the opposite. Hosting interesting exhibitions, gigs and performances that channel an artsy and cultural mix of events, you'll be hard pressed to find nothing that takes your fancy among its concert hall, gallery and lounge bar, or even outside on its terrace.

Address: , Rua Passos Manuel 178, Porto, 4000-382
Telephone: (22) 208 7268.
Website: http://www.maushabitos.com
A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Featured Hotels

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Grande Hotel do Porto

The Grande Hotel do Porto was designed by the architect Silva Sardina and opened in 1880. The hotel has 99 rooms, and they all have air-conditioning, broadband Internet access and beautifully tiled bathrooms. The hotel, and particularly the restaurant, has a distinct old world charm and atmosphere. It is located on Porto's main shopping street in the city centre.

The Yeatman

Opened in 2010, the 82-room Yeatman is something of a new departure for hotels in Porto because it is situated in Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south side of the river. However, its location across the water affords excellent views of the old city. The emphasis is solidly on luxury, fine dining and high quality relaxation – there is an extensive spa area to complement the accommodation, and the rooftop swimming pool and terrace are perfect for sun lovers.

Hotel Nave

A basic, but comfortable, cheap hotel in Porto located not far from the Campanha railway station, Hotel Nave is a friendly, convenient place to stay in Porto. It has a restaurant and a bar with internet access points. All guest rooms have individual air conditioning with remote control.

Pestana Porto

One of the most popular boutique hotels in Porto, the Pestana Porto has a fantastic location down by the riverfront, overlooking the river and with a view across to the port wine cellars of Vila Gaia di Nova. There are 63 rooms, a restaurant offering a wide range of regional and national dishes and a bar with live music. The hotel also has several meeting and conference rooms. Bicycle hire is also available.

Quality Inn Porto

Centrally located on Batalha Square (Praça da Batalha), the Quality Inn Porto is convenient, with the river and all the main attractions within a few minutes' walk. All guest rooms have air-conditioning as well as internet contact points.

HF Ipanema Porto

A short walk from the city centre, and close to several leading attractions, the HF Ipanema Porto offers comfortable accommodation at a very reasonable price. The aim is to provide a relaxing environment; the bar is quiet and the restaurant offers a range of international cuisine.