Step out! There is plenty to visit outdoor Porto
Dulce Pereira Abrantes
Article
Miguel Nogueira
Yes, the season is a whole lot different this 2020, but there is still joy to be had outdoors. There are plenty of markets and fairs in the Invicta, as tradition, such as the Mercado de Natal do Porto, as well as other fairs and markets and the local trade and traditional business that offer safety and comfort when it comes to buying that last minute gift or finding a special present, all the while benefitting from the discount vouchers, under the Municipal support programme prepared by Porto City Hall, to boost the economic activity in the city during these unprecedented times.
Plenty of physical distancing, no cues and time to enjoy the Xmas lightings that revive the magic of this festive season. The city’s markets and fairs are the optimal choice to last minute buys or just that nice stroll to build up stamina.
This is the third edition of the Mercado de Natal, at Praça da Batalha, where one can find the most charming gifts, such as joyful crafts, handmade presents, and original art pieces. The market runs until 31st December. It is an all national product market, boasting original and unique presents for your loved ones.
This year, there will not be the side entertainment, for preventive measures. The market opens every day at 10am, and it runs between Monday and Friday, with closing time at 8pm and on weekends it closes at 1pm; on 24th and 31st December, the market closes at 4pm.
Venture in the open air and visit other markets and fairs in town:
Mercado da Alegria
13, 20, 27 December
At Jardim do Passeio Alegre
From 10am to 6pm
Mercado de Artesanato do Porto
10 to 13 December
17 to 20 December
24 to 27 December
31 Dec to 3 Jan
At Praça de Parada Leitão
From 10am to 6pm
Feira de Artesanato da Batalha
Entire month of December
At Largo de Santo Ildefonso
From 9am to 8pm
Mercado da Ribeira
Entire month of December
At Cais da Ribeira (next to the Pilar of Bridge Luís I)
From 10am to 8pm
Antiques and Junk Fair (Feira de Antiguidades e Velharias)
19 December
At Praça de Francisco Sá Carneiro
From 8am to 6pm
Philately and numismatic Fair (Feira de Numismática, Filatelia e Colecionismo)
13, 20 and 27 December
3 January
At Praça de D. João I
From 8am to 1pm
Bird Fair (Feira dos Passarinhos)
13, 20 and 27 December
3 January
At Passeio das Fontainhas
From 7am to 1pm
Mercado Porto Belo
Every Saturday
At Praça de Carlos Alberto
From 10am to 7pm
Mercado do Vilar – Xmas Special
12 and 13 December
At Rua do Vilar, 54/54A, Porto
From 10am to 1pm
Due to the ongoing Emergency State and the contingency measures in place, all markets and fairs must follow a mandatory curfew during the weekends (closing time is 1pm). All preventive measures are in place, namely mandatory use of face masks and physical distancing.
Buy local and get direct discounts
The “Programa de Incentivo à Atividade Comercial” aka “Incentive Programme to Commercial Activity” (free translation), which will be on during this holiday season, meaning Xmas and New Year, is exclusively targeted at local business with doors facing the street and with a surface of up to 250 square meters.
This is an extraordinary investment of 300 thousand euros, as the Municipality of Porto “takes over the 2-euro rebate in purchase equal or greater than 20 euros, and so on and so forth – in multiples of 20 euros”, in retail business that are included in the programme.
In addition, this huge Christmas campaign also adds the parking exemption fees in the city, per 120 minutes, in the four municipal parks: Trindade, Silo Auto, Duque de Loulé and Alfândega, which is granted upon presentation of the tickets handed out by the local merchants. Tickets can be used between 8th December and 8th January, up to the limit of 10.000 units.