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Cultures, Museums and Heritage - Green Spaces

Porto is a city with large beautiful green spaces. Discover the city's natural beauty, starting with U.Porto’s gardens and parks.

From the historic Botanical Garden of Porto to the gardens that "paint" most of our faculties, it is easy to find at the University of Porto a green space to enjoy nature, exercise or simply relax and socialise.

The University’s campuses include parks and gardens with great plant biodiversity, environmental quality and a rich landscape. Among the most recent spaces is the Asprela Central Park, an extensive green area which connects the faculties and research centres of the largest campus of the University of Porto.

But this is only one of the many green spaces you can enjoy at the U.Porto. Below you can find some more suggestions...

Andresen House and Porto's Botanical Garden

Andresen House and Porto's Botanical Garden

Covering an area of four hectares, the historic Porto's Botanical Garden invites you to stroll for hours through hedges of japonica trees, ponds with water plants, a park full of magnolias and tulip trees, a succulent garden and a greenhouse area with tropical and subtropical plants and orchids.

Ideal for a break from study and work, the garden, which belonged to the family of the famous writer Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen (1919-2004), is also home to the Andresen House, where has been installed, since 2017, the Hall of Biodiversity – Living Science Centre of the Museum of Natural History and Science of the U.Porto (MHNC-UP).

Location: Rua do Campo Alegre, 1191. 4150-181 Porto, Portugal.

Casa Andresen viewed from Jardim Botânico
Casa Andresen Jardim Botânico

More information about the U.Porto's Botanical Garden

Botanical Park of Campo Alegre

Occupying a total area of about 13 hectares, between buildings and outdoor space, the recently created Botanical Park of Campo Alegre stretches from the gardens of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP) to the garden of Casa Primo Madeira and the Botanical Garden of the University of Porto. In this "green tour, it is possible to appreciate about 2000 botanical species.

Location: Rua do Campo Alegre, 4150-180 Porto

Campo Alegre Botanical Park
Parque Botânico Campo Alegre FCUP Jardim Primo Madeira

Faculty of Fine Arts / Palacete Braguinha

Faculty of Fine Arts / Palacete Braguinha

The 19th century palace that serves as "home" to the Faculty of Fine Arts is the gateway to an authentic open-air museum in the centre of Porto.

In addition to the buildings of great architectural interest that populate the Faculty's garden, a visit also invites you to see the beautiful sculptures that live there, created by former students of the FBAUP and the schools that preceded it.

Location: Avenida Rodrigues de Freitas, 265-269. 4049-021 Porto, Portugal.

Three students walking in the FBAUP's garden
Jardim Belas Artes 3

Gólgota House

Gólgota House

Before moving into the current building designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira, the Faculty of Architecture was housed for several years in this century-old house, which was also renovated by the first Portuguese Pritzker Award winner. Still integrated in the FAUP complex, the Gólgota House is therefore the ideal space to breathe architecture, but also the freshness and the beauty of the amazing garden that surrounds it.

Location: Rua do Gólgota, 215. 4150-351 Porto, Portugal.

Gólgota's house
Casa do Gólgota

Asprela Central Park

Asprela Central Park

Stretching between UPTEC and the Faculty of Sports, over an area of more than 60,000 m2, the Asprela Central Park is the most recent "green lung" of the University of Porto. With hundreds of trees, two streams, various facilities and a large green area, the Park serves as a connection point between the various faculties, research centres and other structures that coexist in the largest campus of the University.

Location: Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 4200-804 Porto

Parque Central da Asprela

Quinta de Lamas Park

Quinta de Lamas Park

The Quinta de Lamas Park extends over three hectares of garden and sports spaces located between the faculties of Engineering and Economics, at the Asprela campus. The park is made up of more than 18,000 square metres of lawn, where you can find areas for informal sports, walking and cycling paths and areas for socialising.

Location: Parque da Quinta de Lamas, 4200-465 Porto

Quinta de Lamas Park
Parque da Quinta de Lamas

Burmester Manor / "House of Books"

Burmester Manor / "House of Books"

Located between the Andresen House / Botanical Garden of the University of Porto and the Primo Madeira House, the recently renovated Burmester Manor houses the University of Porto's Center for Cultural Studies in Portugal, also known as "House of Books". And why not take advantage of a break in your visit to pick up a book and enjoy it in the wonderful garden that integrates the complex?

Location: Rua do Campo Alegre, 1055. 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.

Façade of the Burmester House, including the path.
Casa Burmester

Primo Madeira House

Primo Madeira House

Looking for a venue for an exceptional event? Then put at the top of your options this late 19th century palace, "home" of Círculo Universitário do Porto and, more recently, of the U.Porto alumni. The Primo Madeira House can be booked for ceremonies, receptions, among other social and professional events. Save the toast for the imposing garden, where romantic vegetation predominates, identical to that of the neighbouring U.Porto's Botanical Garden.

Location: Rua do Campo Alegre, 877. 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.

Access to Casa Primo Madeira
Conhecer Casa Primo Madeira