Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

What I loved: The gardens offer beautiful panoramic views over the Douro River, the city of Porto and bridge. It’s a relatively calm green space compared to the busier tourist spots of Porto. You’ll likely spot peacocks and other free-roaming birds, which adds charm to the experience and there’s no entrance fee for the gardens proper. What I did not like: The “palace” part (the original glass and iron palace) no longer exists and the building on the site now is a modern arena of "Super Bock". If you’re expecting lush flower-beds everywhere or a manicured botanical garden, you may find it a bit less interesting in these aspects. Aim to spend at least 1–2 hours, but if you relax, picnic or wander all thematic sections, you could easily spend 2–3 hours. The best time to visit is on a clear day around late afternoon for the views over the river and then sunset. Also spring/summer when plants are more in bloom. The garden also has good photo-spots that overlook the river. Im summary, the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is a very good “green break” stop when in Porto. They don’t have the grandeur of a major royal palace garden, but they offer great views, and a relaxing atmosphere. If you allocate time and go with modest expectations (not expecting overly manicured perfection everywhere), you’ll likely enjoy it. If however, you have a very tight schedule in Porto, you don't lose much by missing it.

This is a must see place if you are coming to Porto! The gardens are so big you can easily get lost, and the best thing is each garden leads to another garden. But the best thing about this is the view od Porto. From here you can see the whole city and you can watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in your life! Especially with the view over the bridge. It’s a perfect spot for doing picnics and hanging out with friends outdoors. Also, not as crowded as I expected it to be.

So surprised to see that the entry of my (small) dog 🐶 was refused by security in this beautiful park. Though I strolled my dog with its leash, the only explanation that were given to me when I questioned the surprising rule was that it is to better protect the other animals (ducks and blue peacocks). So here in Porto , there is no part of this huge park that is accessible to dogs which is certainly not understandable. I think that you could amend your policies and allow a minimum playground to be opened for dogs. Thanks for your further consideration.

Great views. Very clean and safe. You can joy this urban gem and relax with chickens and peacocks. You certainly will like to climb the tower and have a 360° view of the city. There's a lot of gardens there, with fountains and places to rest.

One of my favourite spots that we visited during our time in Porto. Stunning grounds with LOTS of beautiful views across the river. There is a large variety of birds that free roam the park, plenty of places to avoid the sun with some beautiful trees, and generally a really nice vibe. There was free public toilets which were very clean as well as a few places to get a drink and a snack. Would definitely recommend if you are wandering in the area!

a beautiful park with lots of peacocks running around! its my first time seeing them spreading their wings in such close distance, gorgeous! there are other places where you can get a magnificent view of the city and the river. i will suggest to go early in the morning to avoid the crowd.

The day I visited this Garden they had a book selling event which was amazing! The garden is peaceful and it's attached to the Super Bock arena. There is a great lookout spot and tower with great views of the river. And lots of space to have a picnic or just relax with a book. Lots of birds walking around and they are super friendly. Nice place to take a few hours and relax and take in the view

Lovely big gardens for walking and relaxing. We had to download a pdf map to find out what was there and where different viewpoints were. Has a lot of potential but felt it needed a little TLC in places. Whilst it was heading towards autumn it would benefit from a cafe. There was a place selling the usual ice creams. Beautiful views from the vantage points. Great to see peacocks, hens, cockerels and ducks happily mingling with visitors! Plenty of seating. Looked like preparations were underway for a concert but nothing to say what it was. You can climb the 360 dome if you wish. We didn’t go inside so I cannot comment on the facilities inside. A craft market was on during our Saturday visit. Toilets available.

Tranquil gardens, plenty of peacocks and other birds, great views over the city and the river too. Only one cafe was open, limited snacks on offer

A beautiful and large park overlooking Porto with unique corners and friendly animals. The park is huge and has playgrounds for lines, bathrooms and a scenic view of the city. It's closed at sunset and there are no lights to help you get back so make sure you know the way. There are peacocks and ducks and plenty of nature , enjoy a long walk or a picnic there when the weather permits

This was one of my favorite places to visit while in Porto and lucky for me it was across the street from where I was staying. It is a large, beautiful, relaxing park with picturesque views of the river & city. I went a few times because there are so many different paths/nooks & crannies to explore. You will also see a few peacocks, roosters & other birds. There are many places to sit and take in the views or relax with a book. There is even an area with equipment to exercise. It's also a popular spot to chill and watch the sunset. It's definitely a place to visit while in Porto. It's such a magical place!

One of my favorite adventures during our trip to Portugal. It was sprinkling rain all day, which made for cooler weather and less crowds. The rain did not take away from the majestic views, luckily. This park is a short walk from the main tourist drags and it includes a stadium that houses some food and drink spots, fountains, ponds, statues, and the famous PORTO sculpture/sign, just waiting for selfie ops. I had no idea this was a bird sanctuary of sorts. So many gorgeous peacocks just following us around in droves. Well worth a stop when in Porto. You've gotta work off those francesinha sandwiches somehow, right?

Jardim do Palacio de Cristal is a beautiful park in the middle of Porto. It's a bit of a walk away from the touristy areas of the city, but it provides a quiet place to walk, contemplate, and watch the city from afar. The park has several nooks with little gems. There were some manicured gardens with statues that remind me of scenes from books about the deep south of the US. There's even a small rose garden. The park provides some fabulous views of the Duoro River. This park is even home to a few peacocks. When I visited, the dome was closed due to construction. However, it's still worth a stroll off the beaten path.

This park was beautiful. We came a sunset and it was very enjoyable. The layout is simple: a central rotunda with small offshoots with picnic areas and water fountains. The Crystal Palace Garden is at the center. It's green hue that adds to the illusion of it. The actual Crystal Palace was destroyed in the 1950s. The grounds have a beautiful sign that says "PORTO" in which people line up to photograph. This particular day we went there was a book fair. One could find almost any book in Portuguese there. For English speakers, there was a small tent available. The park also boasts an amphitheater for small concerts. Adjacent to the amphitheater is a smaller pond with seating and bridges to walk over. It's quiet and inviting. There are ducks, fish, and beautiful peacocks that roam the grounds. My children loved it. It was a spectacular way to end the afternoon. If you're looking for something inexpensive and relaxing to do that is child friendly, we highly recommend this spot. We love it.

It was about an hour before the sun set: feeding time. The birds were hungry. Starving swans stalked the lawns, beady eyes trained to the ground. Ducks flapped their wings, breaking the peaceful surface of pond water, and again dove down for their dinner. A fat white duck waddled up. "Chicken sandwich, chicken sandwich," the portly duck seemed to squawk in his low quack. The gardens of the Crystal Palace, like the João Chagas Garden, was designed in the 1860's by German landscape architect Emile David. Overlooking the Douro River, these gardens are much bigger and filled with birds, ponds, artwork, and amazing trees. Chestnut, lime, Lawson's cypress, European beech and pedunculate oak are just some of the monumental ancients living along the Crystal Palace's many avenues and viewpoints. On a rainy late afternoon in January, it was just me and the birds. In the warmer months, I imagine these gardens would be a great place for a date. An escape within the city, together in nature, the plant life and vistas... it sounds romantic to me. And if you're more in the mood for solo meditation, maybe bring a book and a chicken sandwich.

I wish Portugal was on Yelp when I lived here 4.5 months. I explored so much of the city. The Palacio de Cristal was a favorite spot. Even though parts appear worn down, it has a certain charm. There's the band shell where my friends held outdoor swing dances. As you wind further down, you can see Porto's bridges spanning the Douro from multiple angles. There's a playground and exercise equipment where I trained solo and with a friend. I may have also chased peacocks. If you need a place to walk around, contemplate, hold hands with a friends, train aerials, exercise, this is it.

This is a great park. Tons of different areas to explore. Lots of great views of the Douro. There are some a few spots that would be excellent for taking in a sunset. For kids, I noticed at least 1 playground. I spotted a few peacocks and ducks while wandering around. At one point, a huge seagull scared the sh*t out of me. As it is springtime, there were some trees and flowers in bloom. Definitely recommend as a nice place to wander around, take in some views and relax.

Palacio de Cristal or Crystal Palace (I wish that South London football team used its Portuguese equivalent) is well worth checking out. It is a short walk away from the Torre dos Clerigos and the hustle of Porto's main tourist sites plus it was free to enter. Rather than one garden collection of gardens as opposed to a single entity. Through the vegetation there are great views of Porto, there was even a couple of peacocks strutting around!

A really neat park in Porto. The building is really neat architecture and looks like it used to be a stadium of some sort. I don't think it's still in use as it's a bit run down. There are peacocks in the park and a small restaurant. There are multiple vantage points for magnificent views of the city. I recommend walking around the entire park so that you don't miss anything!

The Palacio de Cristal has the most beautiful gardens, with a pleasant view to the Douro River! It's a great place to relax, and enjoy fres air!

Great views to the city! Here you can find open gardens such as more intimate corners. Really pleasant place to hang out in!