Leixoes

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	==Leixoes, Portugal, Port of Entry==		==Leixoes, Portugal, Port of Entry==
	{{Infobox |41|10.50|N|08|42.36|W|		{{Infobox |41|10.50|N|08|42.36|W|
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	| imagetext= Leixoes harbour showing marina location - ''Click for larger view''		| imagetext= Leixoes harbour showing marina location - ''Click for larger view''

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Revision as of 02:03, 22 March 2016

Leixoes, Portugal, Port of Entry

Leixoes is a large and rather grubby commercial harbour situated next to the suburb of Matosinhos, NW of Porto, the 'second city' of Portugal. In any winds from the north, your yacht will be covered with deposits from the oil refinery to the north of the harbour and, regardless of wind, your waterline will probably collect a film of gunge within hours of arrival. The harbour does however have a sheltered marina, Marina Porto Atlantico, with all the usual facilities and it is an option for a yacht wishing to visit Porto (although the new Douro Marina in Porto is closer). The marina is in the NE corner of the harbour, protected by a long concrete pier.

Local Weather

See Portugal.

Charts

British Admiralty charts

3633

3634

3254

Portuguese charts

23201

24201

26401

Imray chart

C19

Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Approach and Navigation

Coming from the north, the huge oil refinery of Petrogal Refinaria do Norte is conspicuous, two miles before you arrive at the harbour breakwater. From the south, a yacht will pass the mouth of the Douro River just over two miles before the entrance to Leixoes. As with most harbours along this coast, there can be an uncomfortable swell at the entrance in strong winds and the outer breakwater should be given a wide berth. Least depths in the harbour are 4.0 metres.

Check-in facilities (for Customs and Immigration)

Leixoes is a port of entry/exit to Portugal.

Please submit details about facilities for checking-in, location of immigration & customs, etc.

Berthing Options

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

• Marina Porto Atlantico has a total of 248 berths on pontoons for yachts up to 20 metres in depths up to 3.5 metres. Click on link for separate Wiki entry.

• There are also three yacht clubs in the marina, the Clube Naval de Leça, Clube de Vela Atlântico and Sport Club do Porto, which are jointly responsible for its management. The one at the NW corner of the marina, next to a small chandlery, has a reportedly good restaurant.

Anchorages

None. It is not permitted to anchor in the harbour.

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.

Repairs/Yards

See Marina Porto Atlantico. Most engineering and electrical repairs can be arranged through the marina office. Good sailmaker within a short taxi ride.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

See Marina Porto Atlantico. Fuel station in the marina and water and electricity at all berths.

Things to do Ashore

Tourism

The city of Porto is the second largest in Portugal and one of the country's most historic, a status which won it recognition in 1996 as a World Heritage Site. Among its numerous attractions are the old fishermen's quarter of Ribeira on the north bank of the Douro river, a maze of narrow streets and old houses with colourful facades. From here one can walk across the Dom Luis I bridge (which has fabulous views over the river) to the district of Vila Nova De Gaia, renowned as the centre of the port wine industry. Several of the port houses here do regular tours for visitors, for which advance booking might be required at busy periods. Some of the well-known port houses still maintain their traditional barcos rabelos boats, which were once used to transport wine down the Douro river to their cellars. Among the city's architectural attractions are the magnificent Baroque church of Sao Francisco, with its amazingly ornate gilded wood interior, and the almost equally impressive Renaissance church of Santa Clara near Porto's monumental 12th century cathedral (also worth a visit). To relax after a day's frantic sightseeing, walk up through the old town to the gardens of the Palacio Cristal, which is a lovely and peaceful spot to enjoy the evening sun. Hidden at one corner of the gardens is the delightful Solar do Vinho do Porto, a tasting centre with over 100 different ports to sample. Try a glass or three of the delicious Fonseca Scirocco Extra Dry on its sunlit terrace.

Porto tourism

Ribeira district, Porto

Traditional barco rabelo at Vila Nova da Gaia

Flower among the flowers, Porto

Grocery & Supply Stores

Butcher and provisions shops in nearby suburb of Matosinhos.

Eateries

• In Leixoes, several bars and restaurants around the marina. Better restaurants in the village across the main road - the Restaurant Garrafao, sited in an imposing quinta-style house overlooking the bay, is especially good.
• In Porto, the Café Majestic in Rua Santa Caterina (the main pedestrianised shopping street) is a famed art deco establishment and does a good lunch.

Internet/WiFi

In the marina.

Laundry

In the marina.

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Garbage Disposal

Bins in the marina.

Transportation

• Buses leave from outside the marina for the centre of Porto
• The airport, with flights to most European capitals, is a short taxi ride away.

Routes/Passages To/From

See Portugal.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

• Leixoes at the Wikipedia
• Marina and yacht club links

References & Publications

See Portugal.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

• We spent four nights here in April in a near gale from the NW and our boat was covered with dust from the local refinery (which clung to our running rigging until the end of the season!). However, it beats trying to anchor in the River Douro and at least your boat is safe --Athene of Lymington

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

• April 2001 --Athene of Lymington 18:34, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly.

Contributors to this page
Names: Lighthouse, Athene of Lymington