Theme Parks in Porto

Porto is among the most important cities in Portugal and receives thousands of visitors every year. Many of them are looking for a place for entertainment, fun and relaxation, which they find in the various theme parks in and around the city.

Among the best things to see and do in Porto is a visit to its amusement and theme parks. Travel back in time and learn about Portugal's history at World of Discoveries, discover the secrets of marine life at Sea Life Porto, have fun in the small worlds of Magikland or experience an aquatic adventure at Amarante Aquatic Park. The list goes on and on, and I'll tell you more about it below.

Sea Life Porto is a mix between aquarium, museum and theme park that you can't miss if you spend at least 3 days in Porto. The place started operating since 2009 and offers an immersive experience in the aquatic world, to educate about marine life and promote the conservation of the oceans. All this, while providing entertainment for its visitors.

On the tour you can see various themed areas representing a specific marine habitat. These include the rivers and creeks area , the tropical reefs area , the kingdom of Salacia and the Grotto of the Oceans. In addition, its 8-metre long underwater tunnel stands out, inside which you can walk while watching animals such as rays, sharks and other large fish swimming.

When visiting this place it is possible to see around 100 different species, with some 3,000 marine creatures. Depending on the type of Sea Life Porto tickets chosen, you will be entitled to participate in the green turtle feeding experience. Also, touch some marine invertebrates such as starfish in the touch zone. Even the more adventurous join in the shark diving experience.

Information of interest

• Price: around 21€ per person.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (until 19:00 on weekends).
• Location: Rua Particular do Castelo do Queijo, Porto.

World of Discoveries is also for many a hybrid between theme park and interactive museum. It is an easily accessible destination, as it is located in the historic centre of Porto. This themed complex deals with the Portuguese Age of Discovery, whose heyday occurred between the 15th and 16th centuries.

When you find out how to buy tickets for World of Discoveries, you will know that you get access to interactive exhibits about the Portuguese Age of Exploration. On display are antique maps, replicas of ships of the period, navigational instruments and more. The idea is to immerse visitors in that historical period by taking advantage of augmented reality technology and 4D projections.

Some of the themed rooms are dedicated to recreating the destinations that Portuguese navigators explored, such as the coasts of Africa, Brazil and India. In many cases, information about the culture, flora and fauna of each region is also provided, so that, in addition to being an entertaining experience, it is also an educational one. Without a doubt, it is an ideal destination if you are in Oporto with children.

On the other hand, you should know that a visit to this theme park can be combined with other activities. For example, you could join a Segway tour around Porto, whose starting point is usually the Café do Cais, just a 10-minute walk from this wonderful place.

Useful information

• Price: Tickets cost approximately €17 for adults, while for children aged 4-12 the price is €11. Students and over 65s pay €14, and children under 3 are free.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00 to 18:00, and on weekends and public holidays, until 19:00.
• Location: Rua de Miragaia 106, 4050-387, Porto.

Just under 50 minutes drive from Porto is Magikland, one of the most popular theme parks in the north of Portugal. Open since 1997, this park attracts a variety of families, especially those that include teenagers and children, as its attractions are specially designed for them.

Inside this entertainment complex, visitors can tour several themed areas, designed to envelop the visitor in a world full of adventure, fantasy and magic. Among the highlights are the Enchanted Forest, the City of the West and the Island of the Pirates.

The best thing is that there are options for everyone to have fun, from roller coasters to challenge the adrenaline to carousels for the little ones. There is also a large high-speed water slide, a roller coaster for the whole family to ride and a boat ride on a man-made river inside the park.

It is also possible to see magic shows, acrobatics, parades and live shows, depending on the time of year you visit. For example, if you visit Porto in summer, the programme will most likely be more varied and it will make more sense to cool off in the swimming pools, although fun is guaranteed at any time of the year.

Useful information

• Price: approximately 19 € for adults, while for children between 4 and 12 years old it is 12,50 €. Over 65s pay €15, and children under 3 are free.
• Opening hours: 10:00 to 17:00, extending to 18:00 or 19:00 during July and August.
• Location: Rua de Miragaia 106, 4050-387, Porto.

A little over an hour's drive from the centre of Porto is the Diverlanhoso Park. This recreation centre has been in operation since 2000 and offers an extensive list of options for recreation, entertainment and outdoor adventure.

In its more than 170 hectares of hilly terrain, the park offers its visitors the opportunity to have fun in many ways. One of them is the zip line experience with extensive circuits that make the zip lines among the longest in Europe, with beautiful views of the surrounding landscape.

Other activities on offer include natural rock climbing, rafting, paintball, kayaking, aerial obstacle courses, hiking and much more. The options are divided according to the four elements. So you just have to choose whether you want water, air, land or fire fun (the latter used as a metaphor to express a high level of adrenaline).

The place also offers the option of accommodation (camping, bungalow or house) to get the most out of its attractions. If you like to explore nature, when visiting this park you could join an excursion to the Peneda-Gerês National Park or the Sacromontes.

Useful information

• Price: from €10 per person, depending on the activity or experience desired.
• Opening hours: open all year round. From April to October, opening hours are from 9:00 to 18:00 every day. From November to March, it is open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 9:00 to 18:00.
• Location: Rua de Aldeia Nova 70, 4830-735 Póvoa de Lanhoso, Portugal.

Close to the Atlantic Ocean and about 32 minutes' drive from the historic centre is the Azurara Parque Aventura, another destination whose attractions mix adventure and nature in one place, with a series of outdoor activities not to be missed.

Among the options the park offers are rope courses of different heights, which allow you to glide over the wooded area, at a height varying between 30 and 300 metres. There is also an aquatic adventure on large inflatable buoys propelled by a motor to move at full speed.

There are also climbing walls to test your agility, strength and fear of heights. If you are looking for more conventional, land-based activities, then it is possible to cycle or walk along the mountain trails. All activities are accompanied and advised by a professional team who are on hand at all times to ensure your safety.

Useful information

• Price: varies according to the chosen activities. A pass for the high ropes courses usually costs around €20 per person.
• Opening hours: Open all year round, with extended opening hours during the summer season, generally from 10:00 to 19:00.
• Location: Rua da Árvore, 611, 4480-119 Azurara, Vila do Conde.

Just an hour's drive from Porto is the Amarante Aquatic Park. This place has been in operation for about 30 years and has become an ideal destination for family fun with all its attractions, designed for people of all ages to participate.

The park is surrounded by nature, so the views of the mountains and the river Támega are exceptional from any point of the space. The structure is composed of different slides with varying heights and speed levels, to be enjoyed by different types of people.

There are play areas for children, simple aquatic spaces for toddlers and areas to relax. It is also possible to have picnics in the picnic areas to enjoy a day out with family or friends. Safety is another essential factor in the park, which has lifeguards at the various facilities.

Useful information

• Price: free for children under 4 years old. Around €10 for adults.
• Opening hours: generally open from June to September, from 10:00 to 19:00.
• Location: Rua do Tâmega, 2215, 4600-909 Amarante, Portugal.

On approximately 35 hectares of land is the Gaia Biological Park, a destination that combines leisure, environmental education and preservation. Located just 12 kilometres from the city centre, it is a perfect choice if you are staying in Porto for 4 days or more.

This natural space is part of the network of parks of the municipality of Vila Nova Gaia and is designed to take visitors on an immersive journey through the typical ecosystems of northern Portugal. Thus, when you walk through it you can see many natural habitats of various species living in semi-freedom, such as foxes, deer, otters and various types of birds.

On the other hand, you can explore the extensive forests with oak and cork oak trees, wetlands, cultivated areas and Mediterranean scrubland. In the park's interpretation centre, various exhibitions on sustainability, ecology and biodiversity can be seen . Most of them are interactive to promote learning, mainly for children and young people.

True lovers of natural attractions can even stay inside the Gaia Biological Park, as it offers rural houses that have been restored respecting the typical architecture of the region.

Useful information

• Price: free for children under 6 years old. Between €1 and €3 for youngsters and adults.
• Opening hours: generally open from October to March: 10:00 to 17:00. April to September: 10:00 to 19:00.
• Location: Rua da Cunha, 4430-681 Avintes, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.

The Pavilhão da Água is located in the area of the Parque da Cidade do Porto, near the beach of Matosinhos. This place aims to educate its visitors about the preservation of water and its importance in our lives.

What makes this place original is the way in which this awareness-raising process takes place, as it resorts to games and practical experiments that attract the public's attention, turning the visit into a fun and participative experience.

At the Pavilhão da Água there are attractions such as the wave machine, which allows you to observe and create various types of waves. In addition, there is the house of the future, where some innovative technologies to improve the efficient use of water in homes are shown.

It is also worth highlighting the exterior of the structure, with a building that evokes the movement of water, large windows to project clear and welcoming spaces, ideal for achieving the learning and interaction objectives pursued by the organisation.

Useful information

• Price: the approximate cost of tickets is 8 € for adults, 5 € for children between 4 and 12 years old, and free for children under 4 years old.
• Opening hours: generally open from 09:30 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 17:30, Tuesday to Sunday (June to September) and Monday to Saturday (October to May).
• Location: Parque da Cidade do Porto. Estrada da Circunvalação nº 15443 4100-183.

The Pena Aventura Park is just over an hour's drive from the centre of Porto. This place is full of attractions to test your nerves and was opened to the public in 2007, since when it has become one of the favourite options for adrenaline lovers.

The first thing that stands out in the park is the natural environment that surrounds it, as it is in the heart of the Parque Natural do Alvão, in the region of Trás-os-Montes. Inside you will find the famous 1500 metre high zip line that can reach a speed of 130 km/h, while enjoying beautiful panoramic views of the valley.

There are also paintball areas, where epic group battles can take place . There are also off-road go-karts to challenge your driving skills, and canoeing and rafting trips on the nearby rivers. If you are looking for a quieter experience, you can take part in a guided hike or bike ride along the park's trails.

Alternatively, it is possible to stay in the bungalows of this large complex or then go camping. Moreover, when visiting Porto in October and deciding to visit this park, you can take advantage of the Halloween themed activities, when a very interesting and amazing adventure experience is usually offered.

Useful information

• Price: varies according to the activities chosen. From €15 per person.
• Opening hours: generally open from 10:00 to 18:00 (October to March), 10:00 to 19:00 (April to June and September), and 10:00 to 20:00 (July to August).
• Location: Lugar da Vila, freguesia de Bustelo, Ribeira de Pena, Portugal.

In case you are visiting Porto at Christmas, you should know that this is the perfect opportunity to visit the Perlim theme park. It is a seasonal facility located about 30 km from Porto, which has been open to the public since 2008.

This park usually operates from November to January each year. For this, the Castle of Santa Maria da Feira is transformed into an enchanted kingdom with all the fantasy of Christmas, mixed with some folkloric elements of Portugal.

Inside the castle you can see themed areas such as Father Christmas' House, the Kingdom of Ice or the Enchanted Forest. A characteristic feature of the park is the interactive storytelling, so that visitors meet the characters of the stories inside the castle and can interact with them.

There are also immersive treasure hunt experiences , theatre performances, Christmas craft workshops, etc. In addition, there is a wide range of seasonal cuisine, skating rinks, trains, carousels and snow slides. In short, it is a Christmas paradise south of Oporto.

Useful information

• Price: around 15€ per person, although it varies from year to year.
• Opening hours: also vary from year to year, but usually operate from 14:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 22:00 on weekends and public holidays.
• Location: Rua dos Descobrimentos, 4520-201 Santa Maria da Feira,