Porto for Design Lovers, Porto, Portugal

There’s a lot of great design in Porto! From creative independent designers to excellent art galleries, Porto’s design scene is blooming.

As a first timer in Porto, I was surprised both by the rich selection and the high quality of design in the city.

Design lovers visiting Porto should head straight to Rua de Miguel Bombarda and the surrounding area, otherwise known as Porto’s art district or art block.

Wandering the streets around the art block reveals lots and lots of design shops, art galleries, antique shops, artisans’ ateliers, independent fashion stores… You get the picture.

Besides the art block, which is very close to downtown Porto, there are more design shops all around the city. Here are some that caught my eye:

Adjacent to a creative coworking space, Cru is a project that lets the creatives working there sell their work, alongside other designers from Portugal.The shop also features items by people who were not originally designers, but turned to design and handicraft as a second career.

They sell many exclusive items and truly unique gifts and some eco friendly products too. You’ll find jewellery, fashion, candles (smell them!), notebooks, art prints and more. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).