Top Things to do in Northern Portugal
10 Specialty Museums in Northern Portugal That You Shouldn't Miss
Brimming with both history and natural wonder, Northern Portugal is home to Porto, the city that gave the country its name, as well as the important ancient town of Braga. Also here is Peneda-Gerês, Portugal’s only national park, a gorgeous wilderness area of mountains, gorges, water features and wildlife. Many picturesque villages and manor houses dot the countryside. Two areas are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Alto Douro Wine Region, and the Paleolithic rock art in the Côa Valley.
Restaurants in Northern Portugal
1. Museu do Brincar
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 101 reviews
The MUSEU do BRINCAR is an associative project Harlequin Theatre for Children that over several years has been dedicated to the collection of toys and other objects related to the child's world (clothing, school supplies, children's literature, collecting, etc.). Already has an extensive estate that round about 15,000 objects. Aims to be an interactive space that offers the child a strong contribution to their biopsychosocial development. A space that in addition to its museum collection, will have art gallery intended for children, workshops space, training of educators and teachers and a variety of activities of expressive areas (drama, music and plastic). But its universe of visitors does not open only to children today but also is a place for the elderly, where they can reactivate their childhood memories to relive yesterday's child and have a perception of what has changed over the decades. The PLAY MUSEUM is thus a strong focus on overall construction of the child not being forgotten your biopsicosociocultural dimension. Besides being a fun space is also a place of encounter with our history and our being a child.
2. The Maritime Museum of Ilhavo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 239 reviews
Reviewed By Jorge007007 - Brasilia, Brazil
Very nice museum. We learned so much and understood very well the history of the portuguese people relation with codfish. The codfish aquarium is simple but great. One can learn also about history on boats and fishing boats from Aveiro and Portugal. I recommend visiting.
3. O Navio Gil Eannes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 818 reviews
Reviewed By Anfrist - Bucharest, Romania
This ship offers a very complete dive into the life of a sailor in modern days, showing living quarters, command rooms, engine rooms, decks, kitchen, social areas and medical ones. Very nice views as well.
4. Oficina do Doce
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 233 reviews
In the Oficina do Doce (The Sweet Workshop) you will have the opportunity of finding out about the history involving Ovos Moles and so many other convent-made sweets from Aveiro Region. Oficina do Doce is a learning space and shares historically faithful and representative of local reality. In our workshops you will be able to learn live, with a lot of energy, the most traditional way of making Ovos Moles. The most daring, these, will have the opportunity to experience their art as old-fashioned confectioners, filling and cutting those sweets with maritime designs. Products and Experiences genuinely Portuguese, prepared with care and diligence so that Portuguese and foreigners taste the best of Aveiro.
5. Amadeo De Souza Cardoso Museum
6. Mosteiro de Sao Martinho de Tibaes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 256 reviews
7. Navio-Museu Santo Andre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 93 reviews
Reviewed By gcn8 - Sydney, Australia
The boat is part of the awesome Maritime Museum in Ilhavo but at a different location. Well worth the visit as you get unrestricted ability to walk all over this former North Sea cid fishing boat. You can see how crew lived and how fish were processed at sea. Very rate opportunity to see a boat like this. Its aboutv10 min in a taxi from centre of Aveiro or close to the Costa Nova bus route.
8. FC Porto Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 858 reviews
The FC Porto Museum by BMG welcomes its visitors with the unique view of the Dragon Valkyrie, work of art of Joana Vasconcelos. Over 125 years of history are gathered in seven thousand square meters and in 27 thematic areas, exhibiting more than 200 trophies and 280 videos, 80 per cent of which displayed in an interactive environment.
Reviewed By 16-BitFlash - Scotland, United Kingdom
Located at FC Porto's Estadio do Dragao stadium, the FC Porto musem is a display available both as part of the stadium tour or separately, and is a good day out for any football fan (well, Benfica or Boavista fans aside) I've had the pleasure of visiting a good few football team museums in my time, but I have to say I was quite taken aback by Portos. Perhaps somewhat naively of me, because they aren't classed in that horrible Sky Sports bracket of 'Super Clubs' I underrated them, but truth be told I always had a soft spot for them growing up, and actually regard their 2004 Champions League triumph as the last tournament I truly enjoyed. Still though, this is as impressive as any museum you are likely to visit. It displays the wide range of trophies Porto have won both domestically and continentally, including a great display which loops highlight videos of all their UEFA and FIFA final wins behind the trophies in question (as a Rangers fan, I'll admit I smiled a bit at the 2003 UEFA Cup one as much as any of the Champions League ones) as well as providing a detailed history of the club from their humble beginnings. In addition, the museum also showcases a wealth of old Porto shirts (I'm a geek for stuff like that, and the 1997-98 Kappa Porto shirts are ones I longed for as a teenager) and a really nice section devoted to the team voted as their greatest ever 11 by fans, offering up statue effigies of each star with an attached video screen with details about them. Coming in at a relatively low cost, and easily accessible by Metro (there's an Estadio do Dragao stop) this is a great day out, especially if you can't get to a Porto game (the fixture I was meant to go see got moved) and you can always pick up a little something at the club shop too.
9. Museu de Olaria
10. Museu do Brinquedo Portugues
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 139 reviews
Reviewed By 110randn - Nottingham, United Kingdom
Very interesting visit. Recogised some of the toys :-). The frase there is nothing new under the sun its so true. One can see toys that our great grandparents used caming back a few decades later just in a diferent colour! Enjoyed the visit.
