Size doesn’t matter or this is one of a kind street in Porto!

Did you know that the smallest street in the Invicta is named “Afonso Martins Alho”? The street is only 30 metres long and it is entrenched between Rua das Flores and Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira.

Besides being bestowed the title of the smallest street in the city of Porto, the Afonso Martins Alho Street is also home to histories, narratives and accounts as old as time. One of such tales is the merchant from Porto, who gave his name to the street, Afonso Martins Alho, who was so cunning that inspired the old saying "fino como o alho" [smart as a tack, as a whip].

In the 14th century, Martins Alho was involved in the first commercial treaty signed between England and Portugal. Afonso Martins Alho is sent to England to negotiate a commercial treaty with King Edward III.

Afonso Martins Alho, who was also a municipal councillor, managed to get a laisser-passer that would ensure that all British Ports would be open to all Portuguese merchant ships; Martins Alho was not satisfied and resumed negotiations, managing to ensure free trade perks to all national traders and merchants in all cities and villages in Great Britain, as well as the trade of codfish import in exchange for the sending of vinho verde. This commercial treaty would last for five decades.

The fact that he was such a skilled and sharp negotiator led to the popular saying "fino como um alho", meaning "smart as a tack, as a whip".