History of Matosinhos
Around the year 900 there was already a small settlement called Matesinus. Manuel I gave it a foral in 1514, and in 1853 the new town of Matosinhos replaced Bouças as the seat of the municipality.
What to see in Matosinhos
Church of Senhor Bom Jesus
18th-century Baroque church by Nicolau Nasoni.
She Changes
Janet Echelman’s net sculpture (2005), on the boundary with Porto, a tribute to the fishermen.
Tragédia do Mar monument
Commemorates the 1947 shipwreck in which 152 sailors died.
Population and location
The city, with Leça da Palmeira, had 49,034 inhabitants in 2021, in the municipality of Matosinhos, Porto district.
Festivals
The Festa do Senhor de Matosinhos is the main one; the municipal holiday is the Tuesday after Pentecost.
The Portuguese Camino in Matosinhos
After the beach you cross the port of Leixões by the swing bridge. There are many services and transport to Porto, and the tourist office stamps the credential.
Frequently asked questions
Can you skip the urban stretch of Porto?
Yes: bus 500 and the metro (blue line) reach Matosinhos.
