Things to Do in Matosinhos Beach

You can take the metro straight from Porto airport to this beach—one of the only coastal spots in Europe with direct airport access. Matosinhos Beach sits just north of Porto, mixing working fishing port grit with genuine Atlantic beach pleasures and Portugal's best seafood scene. The town never sold out to tourism completely.

The seafood here is genuinely impressive, from simple grilled fish spots to elaborate marisqueiras serving massive shellfish platters. Tourists pile into restaurants along Rua Heróis de França, but locals eat a block or two inland where prices drop and crowds thin. Cafés near the metro station handle breakfast and lighter meals well. The mercado has good produce if you're cooking.

Summer brings crowds and higher prices, especially weekends when half of Porto shows up. Late spring and early fall work better—pleasant weather for walking and outdoor dining, full restaurant operations, more space to yourself. Winter stays mild by northern European standards. Swimming won't appeal, but coastal walks and restaurant hopping improve without summer crowds.