Restaurants, bars and museums in Porto · Page 23

Museu dos Transportes e Comunicações

Miragaia · Museums

The Museu dos Transportes e Comunicações stands at Rua Nova da Alfândega 59, 4050-430 Porto, in the Miragaia neighbourhood. It is housed in the historic Alfândega Nova building on the banks of the Douro River, and one English-language listing calls it the Museum of Transport and Telecommunications. The site works as two attractions in one: the nineteenth-century former customs building is interesting in its own right, and inside it the museum offers a diverse range of exhibits that suit the whole family. The Alfândega Nova was constructed in the 1870s to replace the old medieval warehouses at Casa do Infante. This Neo-classical edifice operated as the customs house for cargo ships that moored at the mouth of the Douro River. During its heyday, a rail connection linked the building to Campanhã train station, so goods could be distributed easily. Later the building became obsolete, because cargo ships grew larger and trade moved to the port of Leixões, 4km to the north in Matosinhos. A few rooms in the building still maintain bureaucratic services, but the majority of the space was handed over for public use in 1992. The cavernous rooms and former warehouses make suitable exhibition space, and the building also contains a conference centre. The building sits in a picturesque district west of central Porto, known for its cobbled streets lined with townhouses, small traditional restaurants and views of the river. The old tram number one passes by on its way to the Tram Museum and continues on to Foz. The impressive river-facing façade can still be admired from the quayside in Vila Nova da Gaia. Opening hours run from Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 13:00 and then 14:00 to 18:00, with a break between 13:00 and 14:00. At weekends, on Saturday and Sunday, the doors are open only in the afternoon, from 15:00 to 19:00. No Monday hours are listed. An online overview describes the museum as a fascinating cultural space on the banks of the Douro. It suggests combining a visit with nearby sights such as the Palácio da Bolsa, and looking for a place to eat nearby. A tourist website for the region lists the museum among Porto's museums and galleries, alongside the Tram Museum, the Casa do Infante Museum, the National Printing Museum, the Soares dos Reis National Museum and the Museu dos Bombeiros.

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