Porto City Park (Parque da Cidade): a walk all the way to the ocean

Updated on October 18, 2026

The Parque da Cidade is Porto's largest urban park: about 83 hectares of lawns, woods, lakes and paths, stretching from the west of the city to the Atlantic Ocean. Locals run, cycle and picnic there at weekends; visitors come for a quiet stroll away from the tourist districts, with the pleasure of reaching the sea by crossing the park. Entry is free and it can be explored on foot or by bike.

Highlights

The paths to the ocean

The main path slopes gently down between lawns and groves to the coast. In the evening the low sun gives a golden light on the trees.

The lakes and their birds

The ponds attract waterfowl and are edged with lawns where you can spread out a picnic. A few wooden paths and dry-stone walls run alongside the water.

The Castelo do Queijo

At the far end of the park, on the sea side, the small fort of São Francisco Xavier, nicknamed the "cheese castle" because of the rocks around it, overlooks the beach. From there you can walk on to the seafront at Foz or Matosinhos.

Practical info

Tips

Entry is free. Hours given by the tourist office are 8:00 to 22:00 from October to March and 8:00 to 24:00 from April to September (to be confirmed before you come). The park is big: allow time to get from one end to the other, or come by bike. Bring water. Combine the walk with the Casa da Música and the beaches of Porto and Matosinhos.

How to get there

The park runs from the west of the city to the coast, near the Castelo do Queijo. Bus: line 500 drops you near the Castelo do Queijo, which gives access to the ocean-side entrance. From the centre, allow for some walking or a ride to reach the entrance you choose.