location

PORTO CITY

Overlooking the Douro River, Porto is one of the most ancient European cities, It was born and developed from the northern bank of this river during the Middle Ages. One of the most significant aspects of Porto and its historical centre is its landscape, combining harmony with the urban structure and presenting a frame of rare beauty. The city was classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1996 and the Best destination in Europe in 2014.

When discovering Porto, you will find many surprises. Besides its welcoming and conservative environment, Porto is also contemporary and artistic. This is shown not only in the streets, architecture, monuments and museums but also in the terraces, restaurants and leisure and shopping areas.


The people
Porto is proud to be known as the city of work. Actually, its inhabitants have always been in the front line to defend national causes and greatly contributed to the Discoveries as well as to the regions’ economic development as one of the most dynamic areas in the country's entrepreneurial tissue. The roughness of hard work, however, is counter-balanced by the honest and hospitable spirit of its people. The dynamism of the Porto population reveals their passion for simple things, which gives them an authentic and respectable image.


Useful Links
http://visitporto.travel/Visitar/Paginas/default.aspx
https://www.visitportugal.com/en


Climate
Porto enjoys a very mild climate year-round.
Average Air Temperatures:
 


Shopping
Traditional Commerce in the city centre is open everyday except on Sunday. The best shopping areas are Santa Catarina, 31 de Janeiro and Cedofeita streets, along with the narrow streets going up and down between the city centre and Ribeira (the riverside historical area).

Several shopping centres, in Porto and around it, are open everyday until 23h00. Besides the major international franchising and brands, national textiles, leather, pottery, shoes, crystal, wines and gold handcraft can be found in the shops at excellent value.


Opening hours and timetables
Banks
Mon. to Fri. 8.30 - 15.00 (some until 18.00)


Shops
Mon. to Fri. 9.00 - 13.00 / 15.00 - 19.00  Sat. 9.00 - 13.00


Shopping Centres
Daily 10.00 - 23.00


Restaurants
Prices round 10€ > 60€ per person
Lunch 12.00 - 15.00 / Dinner 19.30 - 23.00
Please click here to see a list of all restaurants in the city or visit the site http://visitporto.travel/Visitar/Paginas/default.aspx


Chemists
Mon. to Fri. 9.00 - 13.00 / 15.00 - 19.00
Sat. 9.00 - 13.00
At night, Saturday afternoons and Sundays some chemists are open - call 118.


Public services
9.30 - 12.30 / 14.00 - 16.30 (some until 17.30)


Post Offices
Mon. to Fri. 8.30 - 18.00 / Airport - 24h a day


Local time
The local time in Porto is the Greenwich Time - the same as in London and one hour difference with the major European cities like Madrid, Rome, Paris, Brussels, etc.


Currency
The local currency is the Euro (€). Credit Cards - All major credit cards are accepted.


Electricity
220 V/ 50 Hz. - Location

HOST CITY - PÓVOA DE VARZIM

Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in Northern Portugal and a sub-region of Greater Porto. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho and Douro rivers. The population of the municipality was 63,408 at the time of the 2011 census. The city expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there are about 100,000 inhabitants in the urban area alone. It is the seventh largest urban agglomeration in Portugal and the third largest in Northern Portugal.

Permanent settlement in Póvoa de Varzim dates back to around four to six thousand years ago; around 900 BC, unrest in the region led to the establishment of Cividade de Terroso, a fortified city, which developed maritime trade routes with the civilizations of Classical antiquity. Modern Póvoa de Varzim emerged after the conquest by the Roman Republic of the city by 138 BC, fishing and fish processing units soon developed, which turned out to be the foundations of the local economy. By the 11th century, the fish industry and fertile farmlands were the economic base of a feudal lordship and Varzim was fiercely disputed between the local overlords and the early Portuguese kings, which resulted in the establishment of the present day's municipality in 1308 and being subdued to monastic power some years later. Póvoa de Varzim's importance reemerged with the Age of Discovery due to its shipbuilders and merchants proficiency and wealth, who traded around the globe in complex trade routes. By the 17th century, the fish processing industry rebounded and, sometime later, Póvoa became the dominant fishing port in northern Portugal.

Póvoa de Varzim has been a well-known beach resort for over three centuries, the most popular in Northern Portugal, which unfolded an influential literary culture and artistic patronage in music and theater. Póvoa de Varzim is one of the few legal gambling areas in Portugal, and has significant textile and food industries. The town has retained a distinct cultural identity and ancient customs such as the writing system of siglas poveiras, the masseira farming technique and festivals.


Getting around Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim is served by a transportation network that employs maritime, aerial and terrestrial travel. The terrestrial access infrastructure is composed of national motorways (freeways), the national roads system, and light rail metro. These infrastructures and the airport, bus terminal, marina and harbour are daily used by commuters.

Public transportation within the city is provided by private-owned companies. The Central de Camionagem is a terminus for urban and long distance buses that provide mass transit in the surrounding region, namely the city's countryside, Porto, Minho Region, and Galicia in Spain. Litoral Norte as a wholly urban transportation network with 5 lines, while Linhares has the oldest bus network operating in the city, now owned by Transdev.

The Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (LPPR, better known as Porto Airport) is located 18 km (11 mi) south of the city. It is one of the busiest international airports in Portugal and serves all Greater Porto. Póvoa Aerodrome, officially known as S. Miguel de Laundos, is small-sized, with only 270 meters long for ultralight aviation and other small planes.

Line B of Porto Metro links Póvoa de Varzim to Porto and the airport with two services: a standard and a shuttle (the Expresso); through Verdes station, Metro trains link the city and the airport.

The city is connected by road on a north-south axis from Valença, Viana do Castelo, and Esposende to Porto by the A28 motorway. It is also reached by the A7 (from Guimarães and Vila Nova de Famalicão) and A11 (from Braga and Barcelos) motorways on an east-west axis, through the south and north of the city, in that order, and both cross the A28. Although it lost usefulness for average and long distances, the National Roads system has acquired municipal interest: EN13 that cuts the city in half, in a north-south direction, is used by commuters originating from the northern suburbs and from the city of Vila do Conde, in the south, to travel downtown. The EN205 and the EN206 are used by commuters starting from the interior of the municipality.

The traditional road system of the city, composed of roads that run parallel in the direction of the sea, can be seen in any of the following avenues: Avenida do Mar, Avenida Vasco da Gama, Avenida Mouzinho de Albuquerque, and Avenida Santos Graça. The Avenida dos Descobrimentos and Avenida dos Banhos, in other hand, run parallel to the coast. The growth of the city inland and northwards made ring roads more important, this can be seen in Avenida 25 de Abril, an urban belt road.

CONFERENCE VENUE

Axis Vermar Conference & Beach Hotel
Rua da Imprensa Regional
4490-518 Póvoa de Varzim PORTUGAL
Tel.: +351 252 298 900
Fax: +351 252 298 901
Email: reservas@axisvermar.com (to booking, please, use this link and the code VIPIMAGE19)

The Axis Vermar Conference & Beach Hotel is a 4 star hotel located on the beach in Póvoa de Varzim, only 30 Km from the international airport and 37 Km from the centre of Porto.



Distances
Póvoa de Varzim (Casino) - 1 Km
Vila do Conde - 5 Km
Esposende and Ofir - 19 Km
Viana do Castelo - 43 Km Airport (Oporto) - 30 Km
Porto (Port Wine Cellars) - 38 Km
Valença - 104 Km
Spain - 105 Km


GPS Coordinates
Latitude: 41° 23' 27.4482" N
Longitude: -8° 46' 23.5194" W