Olive Tree Properties — Two apartments by the Palácio de Cristal, Porto

Massarelos, Porto

Between two gardens and the river, ten minutes from everything

The apartments open onto one of the best-placed hillsides in Porto: the gardens of the Palácio de Cristal on one side, the Douro below, and the historic centre a downhill walk away.

Palácio de Cristal

The gardens are the front yard of the neighbourhood: a rose garden, peacocks, a panoramic viewpoint over the Douro, and the Super Bock Arena for concerts and larger events, all within a few hundred metres of both apartments.

Jardim do Museu Romântico

A smaller, quieter garden next door, part of the same green corridor along the ridge. Locals use it more than tourists do, which is usually a good sign.

The historic centre

A ten-minute walk downhill to the Torre dos Clérigos, the Livraria Lello, and the Ribeira. Buses and the metro run close by for anywhere further, including the beaches and the wine cellars across the river.

The green dome of the Pavilhão Rosa Mota, the Super Bock Arena, seen across the formal flowerbeds of the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Azaleas in flower beside a gravel path in the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

The sculpted stone fountain in the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Photographed in the gardens of the Palácio de Cristal, a few hundred metres from both apartments.

Casa 16 · Rua de Entre Quintas

The Palácio a minute away, up one flight of stairs

1st floor · stairs · 2 guests

Double bed dressed in grey linen, Casa 16

Breakfast table laid by the window, Casa 16

Two reading chairs with mustard cushions, Casa 16

A one-bedroom apartment inside a traditional Porto ilha, one minute on foot from the gardens of the Palácio de Cristal. It sits on the 1st floor, up an interior flight of stairs, worth knowing if you are travelling with heavy luggage or find stairs difficult. Self check-in by lockbox, so arrival never depends on anyone's schedule but yours.

Air conditioning throughout, a kitchen stocked with the basics for a real breakfast, and a double bed dressed in soft grey linen.

Within 1.5km: fifty-odd restaurants covering everything from tasca food to sushi, the Torre dos Clérigos, the Livraria Lello, São Bento station, and the riverside nightlife strip.

Wi-Fi
Air conditioning
Kitchen
Self check-in
Hairdryer
Non-smoking

See availability on Airbnb See availability on Booking.com

Rated 4.85 on Airbnb across 27 reviews, and a Guest favourite. Also bookable on Booking.com, where Casa 16 and Casa 17 share one listing scoring 8.6, “Fabuloso”, over 34 reviews.

Casa 17 · Rua de Entre Quintas

The other half of the same ilha, at street level

Ground floor · no stairs · 2 guests

Sitting and dining area with armchairs, Casa 17

Double bed with a blush bedspread, Casa 17

Breakfast laid on the table: fruit, pastries, orange juice and a lit candle, Casa 17

Kitchen with the breakfast table beside it, Casa 17

The other apartment in the same ilha, a minute from the Palácio de Cristal gardens and an easy walk to the Super Bock Arena for concerts and events. It sits on the ground floor, with no stairs to manage with luggage. Self check-in by lockbox, the same system as Casa 16.

Air conditioning, a kitchen set up for a proper breakfast, and a double bed. Same ilha, same quiet street, a minute's walk from Casa 16.

Guests describe it as spotless and well thought through, the kind of place worth pointing a friend towards.

Wi-Fi
Air conditioning
Kitchen
Self check-in
Hairdryer
Non-smoking

See availability on Airbnb See availability on Booking.com

Rated 4.47 on Airbnb across 15 reviews. Also bookable on Booking.com, where Casa 16 and Casa 17 share one listing scoring 8.6, “Fabuloso”, over 34 reviews.

Choosing between the two

Two homes, one street

Both apartments sit inside the same ilha, a minute's walk from each other, and both suit a couple's stay equally well. The one difference worth knowing before you book is the floor.

	Casa 16	Casa 17
Sleeps	2 guests	2 guests
Floor	1st floor, up a flight of stairs	Ground floor, no stairs
Check-in	Self check-in, lockbox	Self check-in, lockbox (same system)
Best for	Guests who don't mind a flight of stairs	Guests who'd rather skip them, or are travelling with luggage
Rating on Airbnb	4.85 · Guest favourite · 27 reviews	4.47 · 15 reviews
Rating on Booking.com	8.6 “Fabuloso” · 34 reviews, on the single listing that covers both apartments
Book on	Airbnb · Booking.com	Airbnb · Booking.com

A word about the street

The house behind the house

Porto still keeps hundreds of ilhas: rows of small houses built shoulder to shoulder behind a single street-facing building, put up in the 19th century to house workers from the textile mills and the docks along the Douro. One shared corridor was the only street they ever had.

From the road, an ilha gives nothing away. A plain door among others, a granite facade with no balcony worth a photograph. Both of our apartments sit inside one of these lanes, a few hundred metres from the gardens you have just seen.

What the street doesn't show, the door does. Two homes renovated with care, quiet enough to hear the neighbour's washing line before you hear traffic, in a part of Porto that hasn't been rebuilt for visitors.

The two front doors inside the ilha, numbered 17 and 16, each with a small Alojamento Local plaque beside it — The two doors, inside the ilha: number 17 on the left, number 16 beside it, each with its Alojamento Local plaque.

On the ground

Eating and everyday errands

This is a quiet residential ridge, not a restaurant strip, so we'd rather tell you exactly what is within walking distance than oversell it. Everything below has been checked, with walking distances from Rua de Entre Quintas.

Places to eat

AntiqvvmMichelin-starred, same street. Closed Sun–Mon, book ahead.

1 min walking
Como em CasaHome-style Portuguese cooking, bacalhau and francesinha. Closed Wed.

5 min walking
Dona Carlota & Xau LauraCasual petiscos and Porto's classic pernil sandwich, in the Miguel Bombarda gallery district.

7 min walking

Groceries & pharmacy

António Soares MarquesSmall neighbourhood grocer. Fresh produce, basics, closed Sunday afternoon.

2 min walking
California Drink & Food StoreConvenience store, open until 2am (later Fri–Sat). Good for late arrivals.

3 min walking
Continente Bom DiaThe nearest proper supermarket, though those 6 minutes are misleading: the route drops down to the riverside avenue, so it is a real climb back up with shopping bags.

6 min walking (downhill)
MinipreçoSame level as the apartments, on Rua de Miguel Bombarda, with no climb back if you'd rather avoid the Continente hill.

9 min walking (flat)
Farmácia ValdrezClosest pharmacy, English spoken.

5 min walking

Getting around

Bus stop “Palácio”Right at the garden gate, city buses in most directions.

4 min walking
Casa da Música metroNearest metro station. A longer walk, so bus or taxi is usually faster.

18–20 min walking

Worth the walk

Torre dos Clérigos & Livraria LelloPorto's two most-photographed landmarks.

10 min walking
Ribeira & the Douro riverfrontDownhill the whole way; the walk back up is the only catch.

12–15 min walking

Looking further ahead, Porto is building a new underground line (Linha Rosa) between São Bento and Casa da Música, with two stations near the apartments: Galiza, about 570m away, and Carregal, about 800m. The tunnels are finished and the most recent official estimate points to commercial operation starting around March 2027.

Beyond the street

What people actually do with a few days in Porto

None of this is on the doorstep, but all of it is an easy metro, tram, or short walk away: the usual shortlist, without the padding.

On the water

A Douro river cruise

The classic “seis pontes” boat trip runs about 50 minutes from the Ribeira docks, passing under all six bridges. Longer day cruises go upriver into the Douro Valley, past the terraced vineyards, if there's time for it.

Art & gardens

Serralves

A contemporary art museum, an Art Deco villa, and 18 hectares of gardens and woodland, on the western side of the city. Easily half a day, more if the current exhibition is a good one. Reachable by bus or a longer walk from Rua de Entre Quintas.

On foot

The historic centre

Torre dos Clérigos for the view, Livraria Lello (book a timed slot online, the queues are real), the azulejo-covered São Bento station, and down into the Ribeira for the riverfront and the medieval streets behind it.

Across the river

The port wine cellars, Vila Nova de Gaia

Cross the Dom Luís bridge on foot (top deck, for the view) and pick a cellar for a tour and a tasting: Graham's, Taylor's, and Ferreira all sit on the hillside with views back over Porto.

Slower pace

Tram 1 to Foz

The old wooden tram runs along the Douro from the Ribeira out to Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic. A good excuse for a seafront walk and a late lunch by the water.

Local life

Mercado do Bolhão

Porto's restored municipal market, back in its original 1914 building: fishmongers, flower stalls, and a good spot for a coffee and a pastry among people doing their actual weekly shopping rather than posing for photos.