Porto Expats Weekly Guide

Porto Expats Weekly Guide │ 7 Sep - 13 Sep 2026

Porto Expats — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:19:29 GMT

01 - WHAT’S ON

🎶 Sofar Sounds Porto

📍Monday, 07 Sep • Av. dos Aliados

Sofar Sounds Porto returns on 7 September with its signature mix of intimate live music, surprise artists, and a secret venue revealed shortly before the event.

🌍 The Nomad World Festival

📍10 Sep - 13 Sep • ANJE

The Nomad World transforms Porto into a hub for digital nomads, founders, and remote professionals, offering expert talks, community events, and wellness activities.

🌙 Noites dos Jardins do Palácio

📍11 Sep - 12 Sep • Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

One of Porto’s most scenic parks transforms into an open-air concert venue, welcoming popular Portuguese artists such as Pedro Abrunhosa, Tiago Nacarato, and Bárbara Bandeira.

🌈 Porto Pride 2026 - free

📍11 Sep - 13 Sep • various

Join one of Porto’s biggest celebrations of diversity as Porto Pride brings a packed weekend of music, performances, cultural events, and community gatherings to the city.

👉 Find LGBT-friendly cafés, bars and community spaces in Porto

🎷 Sunset Jazz Cruise

📍Friday, 11 Sep • 18:30 • departs from Marina do freixo

Enjoy a relaxing evening on the Douro River with live jazz, stunning sunset views, and Porto’s skyline as your backdrop.

🎵 One Thousand and One Nights

📍Saturday, 12 Sep • 18:00 • Casa da Música

Step into the magical world of One Thousand and One Nights at Casa da Música, one of Porto’s most iconic cultural venues.

🕴🏻 He´s Back | Michael Jackson Tribute

📍Saturday, 12 Sep • 21:00 • Coliseu

Experience the music and magic of Michael Jackson as this acclaimed tribute show brings his biggest hits and legendary dance moves to the stage.

Running in Porto is more than just a sporting challenge. It is an opportunity to feel the spirit of the city, discover its coastal charm, and experience the harmony between history, culture, and modernity.

02 - TIP OF THE WEEK

A Perfect Day Trip from Porto: Azulejo Churches & Coastal Charm

Looking for a day trip that’s a little different from the usual Braga or Aveiro recommendations? Just under an hour south of Porto, you’ll find a fascinating mix of colourful churches, Atlantic beaches, and laid-back seaside cafés. This route takes you through some of northern Portugal’s most underrated spots and makes for a perfect day out by car.

👉 See the full day-trip itinerary

03 - MEET THE COMMUNITY

Tunahan Tolga Yıldız

Tuna was born in Mersin - Turkey 🇹🇷 and has been living in Matosinhos area for 3 years. He is a tech entrepreneur and B2B growth consultant at his company TechSales. On the creative side, he runs Turco Porto, organizing traditional meze, Turkish food, and vegan pop-up events. I asked him a few questions to help us get to know her better:

What brought you here: I initially came to Portugal for a Postgraduate program in Business Innovation at Porto Business School. I ended up loving the city so much that I decided to stay!
Your Porto favorite: For great food, I really enjoy Fava Tonka, Patio 44, and Restaurante Lage Senhor do Padrão. For community and hosting events, Svet Space and Casa da Horta are very special to me, along with Look Sharp. And for my daily routine, nothing beats the Matosinhos coastline.
Your best expat tip: Invest in an electric bike with some good pannier bags! It completely changes how you commute and explore the city. Also, step outside the typical expat bubble by joining local social groups for me, dancing Argentine Tango has been a fantastic way to truly integrate.
What do you wish you knew before coming to Porto: I wish I had known just how fast-paced and competitive the rental market in Porto and Matosinhos can be. I also wish I knew to pack a little extra “Portuguese patience” for navigating the local bureaucracy!

04 - TRY THIS

Vegetarian Francesinha

Want to try Porto’s famous francesinha without the meat? Discover some of the best vegetarian and vegan francesinhas in Porto, from traditional-style versions to creative plant-based takes.

👉 Discover the best vegetarian francesinhas in Porto

05 - PORTUGUESE WORD

🇵🇹 ARCO-ÍRIS

🇬🇧 RAINBOW

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Porto Expats Weekly Guide

Porto Expats — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:39:51 GMT

Each week, I’ll bring you a few things worth doing, a useful expat tip, someone from the community to meet and a Portuguese word - all without having to search yourself.

01 - WHAT’S ON

🏄 Norte Surf Fest - free

📍1 – 6 September • Praia de Leça da Palmeira

The Xacobeo Norte Surf Fest 2026 will host a WSL Qualifying Series International 6000 event, one of the most important tiers of the World Surf League’s international qualifying circuit.

📖 Porto Book Fair 2026 - free

📍21 August - 6 September • Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Come to Jardins do Palácio de Cristal to celebrate the written word.

💕 Bored of Dating Apps Porto

📍Thursday, 3 September • 19:00 • FUNQ Natural Wine Bar

After hosting sold-out events across London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and beyond, BODA is finally coming to Porto.

🎵 Opera Concert in Aliados - free

📍Saturday, 5 September • 22:00 • Avenida dos Aliados

The Porto Symphony Orchestra brings opera to the heart of the city with a free open-air concert. Expect a magical evening featuring famous highlights from Carmen, The Barber of Seville, Don Pasquale and more.

🇧🇷 Brazil Day in Porto - free

📍Sunday, 6 September • 12:00 - 21:30 • Parque da Cidade

Celebrate Brazilian culture at Brazil Day with live music, traditional food, crafts and plenty of family activities. With free entry and a full day of samba, forró and Brazilian flavours, it’s one of the city’s most vibrant multicultural events.

🍸 Rooftop sessions - Casa da Música - free

📍every Sunday • 18:00 - 22:00 • Casa da Música

Get into the rhythm of the Rooftop Sessions on the rooftop of Casa da Música.

02 - TIP OF THE WEEK

White Night in Braga

Looking for an unforgettable weekend trip from Porto? Head to Braga’s White Night (Noite Branca) between 4–6 September, when the city transforms into a giant open-air festival filled with free live music, art installations, performances, exhibitions and street entertainment across its historic centre. Visitors are encouraged to wear white.

👉 READ THE FULL BRAGA GUIDE ON PORTOEXPATS.PT

03 - MEET THE COMMUNITY

Catherine Kachvartanian

Catherine was born in São Paulo - Brazil 🇧🇷 and has been living in Porto for 3.8 years. She is a content creator and influencer who shares inspiring content about Porto on her IG and YouTube. I asked her a few questions to help us get to know her better:

What brought you here: I was living in Armenia for 4 years, me and my husband decided we wanted to move to another country and we chose Portugal because his grandfather was Portuguese - we came to Porto because it was not as expensive as Lisbon and looked nice! hahaha
Your Porto favorite: I love Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
Your best expat tip: If you want to meet people, you have to actually go out and MEET PEOPLE hahahaha :) find book clubs, workshops, activities you like and start from there.
What do you wish you knew before coming to Porto? You’ll feel colder in winter here then you were in Armenia with -15 degrees Celsius.

04 - TRY THIS

Roast Chicken

Frango no churrasco (Portuguese charcoal-roast chicken) is one of Porto’s ultimate comfort foods. From family-run neighborhood spots to busy local favorites, you’ll find juicy grilled chicken served with crispy fries, rice, and a fresh salad all across the city.

👉 READ THE FULL GUIDE ON PORTOEXPATS.PT

05 - PORTUGUESE WORD

🇵🇹 FRANGO

🇬🇧 CHICKEN

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Porto Expats Weekly Guide

Porto Expats — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:59:56 GMT

Each week, I’ll bring you a few things worth doing, a useful expat tip, someone from the community to meet, a little Porto inspiration, and a Portuguese word - all without having to search yourself.

01 - WHAT’S ON

📖 Porto Book Fair 2026 - free

Come between 21 August and 6 September to Jardins do Palácio de Cristal to celebrate the written word.

🎥 Open-air Cinema - free

Friday, 28 August - 21:30 - CRL - Central Elétrica - The Carpenter's Son

Saturday, 29 August - 21:30 - Jardim de Sarah Afonso - Pets on a Train

💡 Creative Mornings - free

CreativeMornings Porto returns to The Social Hub on Friday, 28 August at 10:30, bringing together creatives, entrepreneurs, and curious minds for an inspiring morning of talks and networking. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, exchange ideas, and start your day with a dose of creativity and community. Registration required.

🪦 Guided Tour of Cemetery - free

The program “XVI Cultural Cycle of Porto Cemeteries” presents 10 guided tours of the city's two historic cemeteries. On Saturday, 29 August there is a guided tour of Agramonte Cemetery at 21:00. The tour will be conducted in Portuguese and requires prior registration.

🍸 Rooftop sessions - Casa da Música - free

Get into the rhythm of the Rooftop Sessions on the rooftop of Casa da Música. Every Sunday, from 18:00 to 22:00.

🎾 Vizinhanças - free

The Vizinhanças 2026 municipal cultural program in Porto runs across public parks and gardens on seven Sundays in the summer. Come on Sunday, 30 August between 10:00 and 19:00 to Parque Urbano da Pasteleira and enjoy the rich program including music, theater, games, sports, storytelling, and workshops.

02 - TIP OF THE WEEK

Escape the Crowds: River Beaches Near Porto

If you’re living in Porto and looking to escape the Atlantic crowds, Portugal’s river beaches offer the perfect alternative. Just a short drive away, you’ll find peaceful riverbanks surrounded by nature, often with crystal-clear water, shaded picnic areas, and plenty of space to relax.

READ THE FULL GUIDE ON PORTOEXPATS.PT

03 - MEET THE COMMUNITY

Katharina Nguyen Faber

Katharina was born in Germany, but lived in several places over the years, including the UK, the US and Canada. She is a fresh addition to the Porto expat community, having moved here in July 2026. I asked her a few questions to help us get to know her better:

What brought you here: Porto felt like the right mix of city life, ocean, good food, beautiful architecture and a pace of life that makes it easier to actually enjoy your days.
What is your profession: I’m a Social Strategy Lead at a creative agency. So if anyone has a small business and needs support with social media accounts, I am here! Outside of my day job, I write Into Many Things, a newsletter about rethinking the traditional idea of what a “good life” looks like.
Your Porto favorite: Serralves. It feels like a little escape from the city without actually leaving it.
Your best expat tip: Don’t try to recreate the life you had before you moved. The best parts of moving abroad are often the tiny routines you wouldn’t have thought to build. Also: say yes to EVERYTHING. You never know what might wait for you on the other side.

04 - TRY THIS

Daikiri Lounge Bar

Head to Daikiri Lounge Bar in Madalena for ocean views, laid-back beach vibes, and one of the best sunset spots near Porto. On Saturday, 29 August, starting at 17:00 their popular Sunset Sessions return with DJs, cocktails, and front-row seats to the Atlantic sunset.

05 - PORTUGUESE WORD

🇵🇹 PRAIA FLUVIAL

🇬🇧 RIVER BEACH

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Porto Expats Weekly Newsletter, issue 18/26

Porto Expats — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:02:36 GMT