AMENITIES

A gentle 10 minute stroll takes you to the nearest of a string of 17 blue flag beaches that stretch southwards from the mouth of the Douro river.  Two minutes on the boardwalk - which backs and links all the beaches - brings you to the first of the many restaurants, cafes  and bars found at regular intervals along the boardwalk. 



If you want some exercise after resting on the wide sandy beaches, watching the waves break on the rocks or run up the sloping sands, you can enjoy the ocean breeze whilst strolling on the boardwalk. It is also lit for use on fine evenings.  If you feel more energetic, there is a cycling track that runs from Madalena along the seafront towards Porto.  There are a number of restaurants in Madalena on the seafront road including Barrigas which do reasonably priced and tasty meals.



Of those actually sited on the beach, our favourite is an appetite-inducing walk towards Porto in the area of Canidelo and is called Mar a Vista. They serve everything from ice cream and coffees, to snacks or meals at a beautiful location looking at the ocean and southwards along the beaches to Madalena and beyond.

If you do not choose to walk or drive, there is a bus service that will take you to points on the seafront towards Porto or right into the city.  A bus timetable is available via a link on the location page.

SIGHTSEEING

And as good as it is to spend time beside the ocean, you should venture further during your stay. Within 3 miles of the flat the quayside of the Douro is a World Heritage Site and well worth visiting.  On the Gaia side you can tour several of the famous Port caves, learning how it is produced, trying samples of their vintages and buying some to take home if you wish. Across the Douro, the old buildings of the historic centre of Porto crowd together, rising steeply from the river.  Many restaurants serving typical Portuguese food line the river on the Porto side.

At the mouth of the Douro is the fishing village of Afurada where you can enjoy Portuguese meals from locally caught fish.

If you enjoy shopping, there is a good variety of shops at two large shopping centres in Gaia or you can choose to explore the shopping streets of Porto.