The ideal place to see another face of Porto, all too often linked to its wine, coastal tradition, and Harry Potter references, is hidden in plain sight just 15 minutes away from the Douro River. AROUND the intersection of Rua Miguel Bombarda and Rua do Rosário, rests a thriving neighbourhood, which has fast become the city’s meeting point for the art-hungry crowd.

​

Dubbed the “Hipster Reich”, and occasionally compared to London’s Shoreditch and Columbia Road (minus the flowers), it remains an off the beaten track for tourists. The 650 metres of previously forgotten warehouses are now lined with vintage shops, cool cafés, a shopping centre solely composed of Portuguese indie stores, and art galleries.

​

It is an alternative route to the mainstream paid-for museums, like Serralves, introducing a new concept of laid-back and completely free-entry art galleries. Here are some of our picks: 

 

 

O!Galeria

Rua Miguel Bombarda 61, 4050-381, Porto

Open: Monday-Saturday 12-8pm

Rating:                          

​

Ó!Galeria is a mandatory stop for graphic design  enthusiasts. 

Named as the city’s illustration paradise, it is in fact the first

gallery entirely devoted to this artistic genre in Porto. It

certainly does not disappoint.

​

Its wide glass window display introduces the gallery as an open

but small and relaxed space, packed with different sized

sketches on the walls. It almost looks like someone’s studio or

messy living room, with art dangling from clothing hangers.

This contributes to the gallery’s natural quirkiness, which can

also be seen as off-putting. The fact that most artworks are 

randomly scattered with no information about them, whatsoever,

adds to any visitor’s confusion.

​

Nonetheless, this does not overthrow Ó!Galeria’s best feature.

There you can find a selection of art from up and coming local artists and established international names, including Paula Bonet and Emmanuel Kerner. There is a section aimed at temporary exhibitions, and having most of the items sold on a daily basis means there is always something new to see. It seems like dynamism is the gallery’s middle name.

​

Its role goes beyond that of a museum. Catalogues resembling your old school portfolio, with explanatory post-it notes attached to each page, show all the gems at affordable prices you can get your hands on. You can even come across unique artwork at less than 10 euros. You have the chance to choose from drawings, books, zines, and prints to take home as an original souvenir to remember your trip to Porto.

​

Circus Network

Rua do Rosario 54, 4050-522 Porto

Open: Monday-Saturday 10am – 8pm

Rating:                    

​

Tucked away in one of the adjacent streets to the art district’s epicentre, Circus Network calls itself the first, and only, gallery dedicated to street art in Porto. If one is hoping to enter a space displaying impactful graffiti, Circus Network will fall short of expectations. You might even find yourself double-checking the address.

​

It presents itself as both a talent agency and art gallery, aiming to promote Portuguese culture by supporting national artists, such as FEDOR and Mesk. However, the gallery acts as more like a store. This is understandable to an extent, since it would be physically impossible to compile street art examples in such a small area.

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only things that will strike you as a homage to street art are the big canvases that cover the main wall from top to bottom, with exquisite designs and scribbles commemorating Circus’s fifth anniversary, and the back patio with an extensive example of the best the gallery has to offer. What the gallery actually contains is somewhat of a circus: a blend of drawings and illustrations, t-shirts, mugs and even vinyls, all acting as affordable merchandise.

​

Nonetheless, it is still worth a visit. There you can get your hands on a free guide of all of Porto’s street art hotspots. You will soon find that art is displayed in open air all throughout the city, and some of the most impressive examples, such as Porto’s first legal graffiti D.Quixote in Bombarda, the mural outside Trindade’s Metro station, and the trendy nightclub Plano B, were all commissioned by Circus.

​

 

Cruzes Canhoto

Rua Miguel Bombarda 452, 4050-378 Porto

Open: Monday-Sunday 10 am- 8pm

Rating:                     

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

Stopping before door 452, you might think you’ve seen the sculptures standing near Cruzes Canhoto’s shop window in another museum. It almost looks like Jean Michel Basquiat’s famous mask-like heads and skulls came to life in this Portuguese gallery. Just like Basquiat, all the artists  represented are self-taught. The only difference? Their artwork doesn’t sell for up to 100 million pounds, but rather a fraction of the price.

​

One of the most recent additions to the art block, Cruzes Canhoto is without a doubt the most surprising gallery in the art district, and unique in its kind  in the Iberian Peninsula. Its strength resides in its concept: promoting the  art of alienated artists struggling with mental disorders, while exploring the theme of fantasy alongside human nature.

​

It resembles somewhat a conventional museum, since every artwork is accompanied by a detailed explanation. However, it is much more inviting than any cold white room inside Tate Modern. Besides being entirely free, once you walk in, the gallery owner will guide you through the exhibitions.  A personalised tour you wouldn’t be able to get unless you paid for it at a bigger museum.

​

Cruzes Canhoto never gets monotonous. Temporary exhibitions change every month, while the permanent one at the front of the gallery varies on a regular basis, as artwork is sold.

​

It specialises in three types of art: primitive, brut, and popular, all displaying singular colours and shapes, with tribal as well as local influences. It rejects dominant art, and the artists don’t create to sell. You can sense that there is a genuine pleasure in sharing and promoting instead of profiting, and you will never feel forced to buy anything.

​

The best feature about Cruzes Canhoto is that it distinguishes itself from what you have already seen a million times in mainstream museums. “Artbreakers” like Idalécio and Pedro d’Oliveira invite you into an alternative artistic universe, where monochromatic shapes, masks, the Looney Tunes, ceramics, childish drawings, and devils meet in a space that shows the production genius behind someone who didn’t study to be an artist.