Matosinhos: Grilled Fish, Beach and Siza Near Porto

Matosinhos, just north of Porto, is a fishing town famous for one thing above all: grilled fish. Restaurants line the streets with charcoal grills on the pavement. It also has a big sandy beach, surf schools and two masterpieces by the architect Álvaro Siza. Here’s why it’s worth the short trip.

Quick answer: take metro line A from the centre of Porto (about 25 to 30 minutes). Eat grilled fish on Rua Heróis de França, walk the long beach and see the giant net sculpture She Changes. In summer, swim at Siza’s Leça ocean pools. Matosinhos is also where cruise ships dock. See surf lessons.

Eating grilled fish

Choose fresh fish from the display, which is then grilled outside over charcoal and priced by weight. Sardines (in summer), sea bass, sea bream, turbot and octopus are classics. Rua Heróis de França and the streets near the market are packed with restaurants. Lunch is the best time. See the seafood guide.

Things to do

• Matosinhos beach: a wide sandy beach that is popular with surfers and surf schools.
• She Changes (Anémona): a huge floating net sculpture on the main roundabout, lit up at night.
• Leça da Palmeira ocean pools: Álvaro Siza’s saltwater pools built into the rocks (open in summer).
• Boa Nova Tea House: another Siza building on the rocks, now a restaurant.
• The fish market in the mornings.

Getting there

Metro line A runs from the centre (Trindade) to Matosinhos. Bus 500 runs along the coast from Foz. You can also walk or cycle the seafront from Foz. See Foz do Douro.

Cruise passengers

Leixões cruise terminal is in Matosinhos. See Porto’s cruise port.

Stay here?

Matosinhos is a good-value base near the beach and the airport, with the metro into Porto. See places to stay in Matosinhos.

More: what to eat in Porto, surfing in Portugal and things to do in Porto.

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