Скачать или смотреть Crystal Palace Garden with Views April 2024

Porto was full of people. We had 9:30 AM tickets for the Livraria Lello, a famous bookstore with a more famous Art Nouveau interior, and it was standing room only, even with timed entry. In fact much of Porto seemed to be standing room only from the streets to the tourist sights, and we needed a break from the crowds. The answer turned out to be the Crystal Palace Garden.

Located about one kilometer west of the Lello Bookstore we walked uphill (everything in Porto seems to be either straight uphill or straight downhill) on the de Dom Manuel II, past the Hospital Santo António and entered the gate into the Crystal Palace Gardens.

It was like stepping into another existence, a space of peace and quiet. The masses of people were gone. There were a few taking pictures, some sitting on the lawns beside the fountains, other strolling along the walkways. Everybody was appreciating the break from the crowds and busy streets.

We walked along the eastern side of the Garden, past the Super Bock Arena toward the Douro River, and looked down on the view of the river and Porto.

Walking along the edge of the garden we took pictures of pathways, flowers, ponds, ducks and peacocks.

We found the observation turret we had seen on our Douro River cruise. Climbing to the top of the turret, beyond the trees of the garden, gave us unincumbered views of the Douro reaching toward the Atlantic Ocean.

More spacious views along the west walk, past the central fountain with its four statues representing the seasons and back out the northeast gate onto the busy street on our way to the Clérigos Tower.

Designed by Émile David in the 19th century the garden takes its name from the property’s central Palace which was replaced by the Pavihão dos Desportos which opened in 1954. In 1991 the pavilion was renamed after Portuguese marathon runner Rosa Mota. Between 2014 and 2019 a consortium spent 8 million euros rehabilitating the garden. In 2018 Porto’s Municipal Chamber announced a 20 year private concession with Super Bock beer company. The arena, with a capacity for about 8,000 people, has regularly scheduled concerts and events.

Super Bock Arena photo from WikiMedia, photo by Joseolgon, December 28, 2019.