Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Jardins do Palácio de Cristal or Crystal Palace Gardens in English may not be much of a secret, but in my opinion, it's one of the nicer attractions of Porto. Outside of events, it's still mostly visited by city residents, and I've rarely seen it overcrowded. If spending time in a park is what you have in mind for the day, and want to stay close to the city center, this is the place to go.

You might be surprised at the lack of an actual crystal palace, though, so let me bore you with some history. There once was such a palace here. Its construction started in 1861 and finished in 1865. It was heavily inspired by The Crystal Palace in London. It was inaugurated with the 1865 International Exhibition which was a big event at the time.

While it hosted quite a few important events over the years, during the first decades of the 20th century it was neglected and was pretty much in ruins. The palace received a second life for a brief amount of time in the 30s to host the Portuguese colonial exhibition, apparently a huge event at the time. However, afterward it fell out of maintenance again and was demolished in 1951, to be replaced by the domed building that is still there, presently named Super Bock Arena.

This is, of course, an overly simplified history. If you feel like diving deeper into it, the story of the palace is intertwined with the major social, political, and economic shifts of the last 200 years in Portugal. Here are some articles that can get you started:

• https://etcetaljornal.pt/j/2018/06/o-palacio-de-cristal/
• https://repositorio.ul.pt/handle/10451/22681
• https://www.porto.pt/en/news/155-years-ago-porto-inaugurated-the-magnificent-building-of-the-palacio-de-cristal-that-once-stood-in-the-invicta-
• https://portoalities.com/en/crystal-palace-gardens-in-porto/

Also here is a personal selection of photos from the old palace:

Please check out Porto Desaparecido's full gallery for Palácio de Cristal here.

Nowadays, even if the Crystal Palace is not there, the gardens are well worth a visit. When they were built this was the edge of the city, but today, it's in an area that is still considered the center of Porto. It's very easy to reach via bus, or you can simply walk there from the Cordoaria area.

The gardens are very well maintained, and there are a lot of seating spots under shade. There are also some amazing views of The Douro and the city itself. I think you can easily spend a little over an hour just walking around and discovering the little ins and outs of the park. Animals are plenty too. Portuguese park staples like ducks, roosters, and chickens aside, these gardens are also famously home to more than a few peacocks.

While I haven't been inside, there is also the Museu Romântico within the gardens. It recreates a 19th-century aristocratic house, and some rooms are supposed to be pretty impressive. Right next to that, if you are feeling like a fancy lunch or dinner, you have Restaurante Antiqvvm, one of the three restaurants in Porto with 2 Michelin stars.

Speaking about food, here are some nice options if you visit the area: Borboleta is new, and they have different options for lunch every week. They also have a special theme every weekend. Emotivo is one of our favorite restaurants and they are very close by, but they are only open for dinner, and you need to make a reservation. TakeABreak is great for Asian street food. Época and Out To Lunch Izakaya share the same space, and both are excellent.