Attraction
Clérigos Church and Tower
Nicolau Nasoni's 18th-century Baroque church and 75.6-metre tower, with 240 steps to a 360-degree view over Porto's rooftops and the Douro.
Serralves Foundation
Álvaro Siza's contemporary art museum, an Art Deco villa and around 18 hectares of gardens and woodland make Serralves Porto's leading cultural estate.
At a glance
- Type
- Contemporary art museum and park
- Area
- Lordelo do Ouro, Porto, Portugal
- Official site
- serralves.pt
Good to know
- Park
- Treetop Walk
- Art Deco villa
- Café
- Shop
Why we recommend it
Serralves brings together three things that would each justify a trip: Portugal's leading museum of contemporary art, a pink Art Deco villa and a large landscaped park. The Serralves Foundation was set up in 1989, and the estate on the western side of the city has grown to around 18 hectares.
The Museum of Contemporary Art was designed by the Porto architect Álvaro Siza Vieira and opened on 6 June 1999. Its white, light-filled spaces cover some 13,000 square metres, with about 4,500 square metres of exhibition space across 14 galleries. The programme centres on temporary exhibitions drawn from the collection and from Portuguese and international artists, alongside talks, performances and concerts, so it is worth checking what is on before you go.
The Casa de Serralves is a different world. Designed by José Marques da Silva and built between 1925 and 1944 for Carlos Alberto Cabral, the second Count of Vizela, it is one of the best Art Deco houses in Portugal, with interiors by designers including Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and René Lalique. It now hosts exhibitions and serves as the foundation's head office. The park around it mixes formal gardens, a rose garden, a lake, farmland and woods, and the general ticket also covers the Treetop Walk, a raised path through the canopy.
The general ticket gives access to the museum, the villa, the park and the Treetop Walk. Children under 12 enter free, as do visitors with a certified disability rating of 60 per cent or more plus a companion, and residents of Portugal get free entry on the first Sunday of each month. Opening hours differ between the October to March and April to September seasons, so check the website. Allow at least half a day; families can easily spend longer in the park.
Serralves is about 20 minutes by taxi from the Baixa and can also be reached by city bus. It suits art lovers, garden lovers and anyone needing a break from the crowds of the old town. The café and restaurant on site make it easy to stay through lunch, and the Foz do Douro seafront is a short ride away for an evening walk.
Serralves Foundation FAQs
What is included in the general ticket?
The museum, the Casa de Serralves, the park and the Treetop Walk.
Who designed the museum?
Álvaro Siza Vieira; it opened on 6 June 1999.
Is there free entry?
Children under 12 enter free, and residents of Portugal get free entry on the first Sunday of each month.
How big is the park?
The estate covers around 18 hectares of gardens, farmland and woodland.
What is the Casa de Serralves?
An Art Deco villa built between 1925 and 1944 for the second Count of Vizela, now used for exhibitions.
How long should I allow?
At least half a day to see the museum and walk the park.
Do the opening hours change?
Yes, there are separate hours for October to March and April to September.
How do I get there?
By taxi, about 20 minutes from the Baixa, or by city bus.