Boavista, Porto: Casa da Musica and Serralves

Boavista is Porto’s modern side: a long avenue running from the centre towards the sea, with business hotels, shopping centres, the striking Casa da Música concert hall and, further west, the Serralves museum and park. It’s a practical base with good metro links.

Quick answer: see the Casa da Música (tours and concerts), eat at the Bom Sucesso market, and continue to Serralves for contemporary art and gardens. The Rotunda da Boavista roundabout and park are the hub. It’s a good choice for hotels with more space and parking. See places to stay in Boavista.

Why go

Most visitors stay in the old town and never see this part of Porto. That’s a shame, because Boavista has two of the city’s best modern sights, wide pavements, green space and an easy run to the beaches. The Avenida da Boavista is about 5.5 km long, the longest avenue in Porto. It was laid out in the mid-19th century, but the last stretch to the sea was only finished in 1917. Today it ends at the Atlantic by the Castelo do Queijo fort, next to the Parque da Cidade.

Things to do

• Casa da Música: Rem Koolhaas’s angular concert hall, opened in 2005. Take a guided tour or catch a concert. Tours last about an hour: English tours usually at 11am and 4:30pm (booked online, not every slot every day) and Portuguese tours at 11am and 3pm, so check times on the Casa da Música website. A self-guided open visit costs €10. A standard tour ticket is about €12, and English tours need booking online. The big hall has glass walls at each end and a tiled room inspired by Portuguese and Dutch tiles.
• Mercado Bom Sucesso: a market hall from the early 1950s, reopened in 2013 as a food hall with stalls, shops and a hotel in the same building. It’s an easy lunch stop, with plenty of choice under one roof.
• Rotunda da Boavista: officially Praça de Mouzinho de Albuquerque, a big roundabout with a park and a 45-metre monument to the heroes of the Peninsular War. The lion on top, standing for the British who fought alongside the Portuguese, is crushing the French eagle. It takes ten minutes to walk around.
• Serralves: a contemporary art museum by Álvaro Siza, an Art Deco villa and beautiful gardens with lawns, woodland, a farm and a treetop walkway. Allow at least half a day if you want the museum and the park. In 2026 a ticket for everything is about €24, and the park alone is about €15. Hours change between summer and winter, so check before you go. See the Serralves guide and Porto museums.
• The coast: continue along the avenue to the sea. See Foz do Douro.

Along the avenue

Between the roundabout and Serralves you pass the Estádio do Bessa, Boavista FC’s stadium (the club has no senior team in 2026–27 and the ground has been unused for over a year), plus office blocks, shopping centres and a few grand old houses from the avenue’s days as a tree-lined boulevard. At the far end, the Parque da Cidade runs down to the beach, and the small fort of Castelo do Queijo sits on the rocks at the end of the road.

How long to spend

Half a day covers the Casa da Música tour and lunch at Bom Sucesso. Add the afternoon for Serralves, then head to the coast for sunset.

A one-day route

• Morning: take the metro to Casa da Música and join a building tour.
• Lunch: walk a few minutes to Mercado Bom Sucesso.
• Afternoon: continue west to Serralves for the museum and gardens.
• Evening: carry on to the sea at Foz or Matosinhos for dinner. See Matosinhos for grilled fish.

Getting around

Casa da Música metro station is served by several lines (A, B, C, E and F), with direct trains to the airport and the centre. From line D, change at Trindade. A new metro line from São Bento to Casa da Música, the Linha Rosa, is under construction and is expected to open in 2027.

• Metrobus: since 2026, hydrogen buses run along the avenue between Casa da Música and Praça do Império near the coast, with a stop at Serralves. The service had a free trial period from late February and has been a normal paid service since April 2026. The whole ride takes about 12 minutes, mostly in its own lane.
• City buses: STCP buses run from the Boavista roundabout towards Serralves and the coast. Check routes on the STCP website or app before you go.
• Driving: the area is easier for cars than the old town, and many hotels and shopping centres have garages.

See Porto public transport.

Food

Boavista is more about everyday Porto food than tourist menus. Try a francesinha, a bifana (pork sandwich) or a plate of grilled fish. The market food hall is the simplest option for groups who can’t agree. See the francesinha.

When to go

Any time of year works, as the main sights are indoors. Serralves gardens are at their best from spring to early autumn. Serralves em Festa, a free arts festival, usually takes place in late May or early June (in 2026 it ran from 29 to 31 May). Concert season at Casa da Música runs most of the year, so check the programme for your dates.

Stay here?

Boavista suits business travellers, drivers and families who want larger hotels. It’s less atmospheric than the old town. See where to stay in Porto.

• Tip: book Casa da Música tours in advance in summer, as groups fill up.
• Tip: the avenue is long, so use the metro or bus between sights rather than walking the whole way.

FAQ

Is Boavista a good area to stay in Porto?

It’s a good choice if you want a bigger, modern hotel, parking or easy metro links to the airport. If you want to step out into the historic lanes, stay in the centre instead.

How do you get from Boavista to the old town?

Take the metro from Casa da Música towards Trindade and the centre, which takes about ten minutes. Line D for São Bento and the bridge is a change at Trindade.

How do you get from Casa da Música to Serralves?

The Metrobus runs along the avenue from Casa da Música and stops at Serralves. STCP buses are the alternative.

Can you visit Casa da Música without a concert ticket?

Yes. Guided tours of about an hour run most days, and a standard ticket costs about €12. Book English tours online.

More: things to do in Porto and Porto with kids.

See also: Casa da Música.

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars, Welcome Pickups, Airalo, Yesim, Saily, Tiqets, Radical Storage, EKTA, AirHelp, Uber). If you book or sign up through them we may earn a small commission or ride credit at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.