Leixoes

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WorldNorth AtlanticPortugalLeixoes
Leixoes
Port of Entry
41°10.500'N, 008°42.360'W Chart icon.png
lat=41.175 | lon=-8.706 | zoom=13 | y
LeixoesHarbour.jpg
Magnify-clip.png
Leixoes harbour showing marina location

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.

Charts

British Admiralty charts
3633
3634
3254
Portuguese charts
23201
24201
26401
Imray chart
C19

Weather

See Portugal.

Passages

See Portugal.

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

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.

Entrance

Leixoes is a port of entry/exit to Portugal.

For entrance details see Portugal.

Berthing

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.

Amenities

Facilities
Water In all berths
Electricity In all berths
Toilets In the marina
Showers In the marina
Laundry ?
Garbage Bins in the marina
Supplies
Fuel See Marina Porto Atlantico. Fuel station in the marina
Bottled gas ?
Chandlers In the marina
Services
Repairs See Marina Porto Atlantico. Most engineering and electrical repairs can be arranged through the marina office. Good sailmaker within a short taxi ride.
Internet In the marina
Mobile connectivity ?
Vehicle rentals ?

Provisioning

Butcher and provisions shops in nearby suburb of Matosinhos.

Eating out

  • 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.

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.

Tourism

History

Give a short history of the port.

Places to Visit

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.

Ribeira district, Porto
Traditional barco rabelo at Vila Nova da Gaia
Flower among the flowers, Porto

Friends

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

Forums

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

Links

References

See Portugal.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

  • 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

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Date of member's last visit to Leixoes and this page's details validated:



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SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: Lighthouse, Athene of Lymington


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