We know you’re eagerly looking forward to go to Porto, and you might be wondering where to book your accommodation. If so, then we have some good news for you!
Continue reading “Discounts on your accommodation in Porto” →
Author: WordCamp Europe
Staying in Porto
Porto offers a wide range of hotels and apartments to suit all tastes and budgets. To help make your decision on where to stay a bit easier, we’ve partnered with some fantastic hotels and best of all, they’re offering exclusive discounts to WCEU attendees!
Porto Tourist Tax
The Porto city administration charges €2 per person, per night, on top of any hotel/short-stay rental rate. This fee is mandatory and each venue will advise you on how they will charge this..
Please note that in all of the following hotel deals, the discount applies only to the regular booking rate. This means you will have to pay the full amount of the Porto Tourist Tax on top of your room rate.
Our hotel partners
All of our partner hotels are located in the city centre and are close to this year’s venue, Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota, making any one of them a great choice for your WordCamp stay.
Read on to find out how to book your discounted rates and note that discounts and conditions vary at each hotel:
Legendary Porto Hotel
Praça da Batalha 127-130
An elegant hotel with contemporary, minimalistic décor, the Legendary Porto Hotel offers stunning views of the Batalha Square. Another plus: it’s only 1.8km from the venue.
Discounted rates:
- Single with breakfast: €120
- Double with breakfast: €130
Bookings can be made on the website using the promo code WORDCAMP.
NH Collection Porto Batalha
Praça da Batalha 60-65
Located in a newly renovated 18th-century palace, the NH Collection Porto Batalha hotel is in the heart of Porto, only 1.8km from the venue. Once the home of a prominent wine-producing family, and most recently the main Post office, the hotel has the feel of old Porto, from its historic façade to the elegant décor.
Discounted rates:
- Superior single room with breakfast: €230
- Superior double room with breakfast: €245
The discount applies only to reservations made until 5 April 2022. Bookings can be made on the special WordCamp section of the website using the promo code WCEU 2022.
Eurostars Heroismo
Rua do Heroísmo, 235
Modern and comfortable, the Eurostars Heroismo is close to the Heroismo metro station, 3km from the venue.
Discounted rates:
- 10% off the best rate of the day
Bookings must be made using the promo code: WCEU22. The discount applies only to reservations made until 15 April 2022.
Torel Boutiques
Rua da Restauração, 336
Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira, 228
Rua de Entreparedes, 40
Located in a newly renovated 18th-century The Torel Group has three unique boutique hotels in Porto: Torel Avantgarde is an award-winning five-star art boutique hotel in the centre of the city, just 500m from the venue. Torel 1884, a collection of recently-opened luxury suites and apartments, is located 1.6km from the venue; and Torel Palace Porto, which is located in in one of Porto’s oldest palaces, only 2 km from the venue.
Discounted rates:
- Non-Refundable (non-refundable rate, bed and breakfast) – 25% discount
- Refundable (refundable rate, bed and breakfast) – 15% discount
Bookings must be made on the hotels’ individual websites (see below booking links) using the promotional code WCEU2022.
Mercure Porto Centro Santa Catarina
Praça da Batalha 116
The perfect city hotel for exploring the city, close to many tourist attractions: Ribeira, Casa da Música, Torre dos Clérigos, the famous Café Majestic. The Mercure Porto Centro hotel is in the heart of Porto, only 1.8km from the venue.
Discounted rates:
- Single room: €179,00
- Double room: €194,00
The discount applies only to reservations made until 31 March 2022. To make a reservation you have to send an email to h1975-cc@accor.com mentioning WCEU2022.
Casa de Vilar
R. Arcediago Van Zeller, 50
Casa de Vilar is an accommodation unit that was once a seminary. Located 350m from the Superbock Arena where WordCamp Europe 2022 will take place, Casa de Vilar benefits from an unparalleled tranquility, a cozy atmosphere and stunning views of the Douro River. Within walking distance you can find the historic centre of Porto, rich in its cultural, historical and tourist aspects, being also close to the famous Port Wine Cellars, beaches and main metro stations and train.
Discounted rates:
- Single room with breakfast: from €58 / night
- Double room with breakfast: from €64 / night
Find out more about Casa de Vilar accommodation in www.casadevilar.pt and learn about the room category of your preference. Ask us about our promotional rates for the WordCamp participants at reservas@casadevilar.pt using the promocode WCEU Vilar 2022. The discount applies only to reservations made until 30 April 2022. Nights: 2 to 4 nights – (Minimum number to apply the informed tariffs: 2 nights)
The Lodge Hotel
Rua de Serpa Pinto, 60 (Vila Nova de Gaia)
Set in the heart of the centuries-old Port wine cellars, The Lodge Hotel combines the ambience of a luxury wine hotel. From the stunning design of the interior spaces to the exclusive and excellent services, everything at The Lodge combines to honor the cultural heritage and identity of Porto and the Douro wine region. Located 3.7km (on foot) from the Superbock Arena, the WordCamp Europe 2022 venue. Alternatively, 8 km by car.
Discounted rates:
- Single/Double room: 30% discount on best available rate
The discount applies only to reservations made until 31 May 2022 and for maximum 5 nights. To make a reservation you have to send an email to reservas@thelodgehotel.pt mentioning promotional code WCEU22.
Explore Porto in one day
Porto is a hilly city, but very walkable. Use the guide below to see some of the most historic and scenic spots in the city – all in one day!
Start your visit by taking the Metro (subway) to Trindade Station. Leave the station and turn left, going slightly downhill on Rua da Trindade.
Turn Left for Shopping…
If you are interested in doing some shopping, turn left on Rua de Fenandes Tomás and walk for about three blocks. You’ll see the historic Mercado do Bolhão – the Bolhão Market – on your right.
The Mercado was first opened in 1914 and for years was a bustling center of commerce, with vendors selling meat, fish, fruit, flowers, vegetables, and other products. Since 2018, the market has been under renovation. Many of the vendors moved to a temporary location further down the block and across the street in the La Vie shopping mall (Rua de Fenandes Tomás 506).
Continue walking past the old Mercado. The next intersection will be Rua de Santa Catarina, a long shopping street that is closed to vehicles.
Turn right and just down the block is ViaCatarina Shopping, an upscale indoor mall. There are dozens of other shops and cafés up and down the street.
Further down the block, you can stop for a coffee at the Majestic Café (Rua Santa Catarina 112), which is a very popular and iconic landmark café. (It is a little expensive.)
After leaving the Majestic, continue down the hill and turn right on Rua do Dr. Magalhães Lemos. Walk for four long blocks until you reach the Avenida dos Aliados.
Look up the hill to your right and you’ll see the Câmara Municipal do Porto – the city hall building. Turn left, walking down the Avenida and follow the remaining directions.
…Or Keep Going to See the Sights
If you prefer to see the sights, continue walking down Rua da Trindade until it becomes the Avenida dos Aliados (Avenue of the Allies). You are entering the historic heart of Porto. Walking down the Avenida, you’ll pass by your first historic sight – the Câmara Municipal do Porto – the city hall building.
For the moment, Avenida dos Aliados is under construction due to the expansion of the Metro network.
At the bottom of the hill, turn left (west) on Rua 31 de Janeiro. You’ll reach the Sao Bento railway station, known for its beautiful azulejo tile panels.
Continue south on Av. Dom Afonso Heriques and you can visit Sé do Porto, the Porto Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest monuments.
From the Cathedral, walk 200m east on Rua de Saraiva de Carvalho and you can catch Funicular dos Guindáis which is an inclined cable railway that will take you down a steep slope ending at the riverside (Ribeira).
You’ll be at the bottom of the Dom Luis bridge. If you walk to the west by the river, you’ll encounter several cafes and restaurants. This is a great place to have lunch and enjoy the views of the Douro River.
You can walk across the bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side. From there you’ll have some of the most iconic views of Porto.
Along the river walk are several Port wine cellars where you can take a tour and sample Port wine. There is also a cable car ride.
Using the cable car or on foot, head to the top of the hill and the Jardim do Morro. From there you’ll have some of the best views of the city. Walk east from the park to the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, a former monastery that dates back to the 1500’s, for the best scenic view of the city.
From there you can get back to Porto on foot using the Dom Luis bridge for some more great views. Or you can take the Metro to return to São Bento Station.
Leave São Bento station and go west on Praça da Liberdade. Go up the hill to the Igreja dos Clérigos – the Clérigos church, with its ornate tower – one of the highest points in Porto. For a small price, you’ll be able to climb it all the way to the top and get great views of the city.
From the church, you can walk northwest on Rua das Carmelitas and visit the beautiful Livraria Lello bookstore, which is said to be a source of inspiration for JK Rowling as she imagined Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books. (There is almost always a line of people waiting to get in. Admission is €5, which can be applied to the purchase of a book.)
Finish your tour with a drink at Base Porto, an outdoor bar in the park across the street from the Clérigos Tower.
You can retrace your steps back down the Praça da Liberdade and arrive at the bottom of the Avenida dos Aliados. From there you can go around the corner to the right to get to the São Bento Metro station or you can turn left and walk up the Avenida toward City Hall. A metro station is on the left side of the plaza. Keep going up the hill, past City Hall and you’ll get back to the Trindade station where you started.
Some Suggestions on Dining Out
For dinner, if you want to try the typical Francesinha sandwich, we recommend Café Santiago (Rua Passos Manuel 226) or Brasão Aliados (Rua de Ramalho Ortigao 28). Café Santiago doesn’t do reservations and usually has a big queue, so we advise going early. Brasão takes reservations so you can book a table ahead (+351 934 158 672).
If you’re looking for more traditional food you can try Abadia, Ze Bota, Adega do Carregal or Cana Verde. Most require booking ahead of time because of availability.
If you’re looking to get a drink, there are many bars on Rua Galeria de Paris or Rua de Cândido dos Reis.
Nice places to grab breakfast and try delicious pastry are Padaria Ribeiro, one of the oldest bakeries in Porto, dating back to 1878, or Diplomata. Both are located at the at Praça de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes (west of Avenida Aliados).
Photos courtesy of Mike Johnston
Diversity at WordCamp Europe
We, the organisers of WordCamp Europe 2022, have been called out for a lack of diversity on our Organising Team. That’s fair: when you look at our team page, it doesn’t visibly reflect the diversity of our global community, and it is difficult to readily see who in this group of people are underrepresented in their communities. Diversity is important, and we know that seeing people like yourself at the helm of WordPress events makes the entire event, and the WordPress community, welcoming and safe.
The WordCamp Europe team has been hard at work, as we have been so excited to bring you an in-person WCEU in Porto this year. We’re a volunteer team, and being called out was immensely hard. We’ve been working through hurt, deep reflection, and painful realisations. The whole team cares deeply about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is dedicated to ensuring our event is a safe and inviting place for our entire community. There’s still more we can do to ensure that.
Our next steps
At this time, WCEU is already more than halfway planned. There are areas that we intend to focus on that will make WCEU more inclusive, both this year and in the future:
- Speaker Selection
At this time, the Call for Speakers is closed, and we are working to ensure a diverse stage. In 2019, we had 44% female and 56% male representation on stage, and featured representatives from 21 countries. In 2020, we had nearly 50/50 gender representation, with several folks outside of the gender binary, and representatives from 16 countries. We’re proud that year after year, our diversity increases, and we are excited to bring you an even more diverse stage this year.
- Call for Volunteers
Volunteering is a gateway to WordCamp leadership. In addition to an open call, we will do some outreach to recruit a diverse volunteer crew who represent our community, and thus prepare future generations of WC leaders for roles like team members, leads, and global leads.
- Working with WordCamp Central and the Community Team
Following this week’s discussions, we have spoken with WordCamp Central around what resources are available to us. Central will be starting some conversations on the Make Community Team blog around diversity, and has shared the following resources with us:- Participation in #WPDiversity programs, especially the Allyship program.
- Tuesday Trainings: Encouraging Diversity in Meetups and WordCamps
- Community Inclusion Initiatives
- Community team deputies are available online and will be at WordCamp Europe. They can help answer questions about how to become a WordPress event organiser, and help you through the steps to becoming one!
- One other area of focus for us is to increase transparency in how organisers, speakers, and volunteers are selected for WCEU. We will share more details around the selection process a bit later, right now our priority is to ensure the preparations for the first in-person WordCamp Europe in three years.
- Reflecting on the past
Every year, the volunteer WordCamp Organising Team creates an internal retrospective on what we can do differently for future years. This year, we are planning on publishing that retrospective. - Future improvements
In advance of the Call for organisers for 2023, we will speak with Central and other WordCamp and Meetup organisers to hear their advice on how to improve the diversity of our organising team. Our call for organisers will incorporate that advice and share details on the organiser selection process.
Getting a team together this year
The last two years of life have been difficult for so many, and also for our event itself. In 2020 we were planning to gather the European WordPress community to Porto but were forced to switch online at a moment’s notice. Since that decision, the WCEU team has been stretched in the same ways our community has – we have lost jobs, lost loved ones, schooled our children at home… Still, we didn’t want to skip 2021 and decided to organise a second online edition of the event.
The global struggle has been visible also in the applications to join the organising team. Especially this year, we discovered that we did not have the pool we needed, despite extending the application period. In the global situation that was the reality during the Call for Organisers, we can’t blame anyone for not taking the risk to commit countless hours to work towards organising an in-person event in an uncertain future.
So we want to use this opportunity to also thank everyone in the WCEU team, for taking this step with us and choosing to contribute towards an event that will bring the European WordPress community together after being online for a few years.
If you have something in mind and would like to speak, you can reach WordCamp Central or the organising team of WCEU 2022 us in the following ways:
- Email WordCamp Central at support@wordcamp.org
- Follow the Make Community blog for upcoming conversations
- Email us at europe@wordcamp.org
We look forward to seeing you in Porto in June!
Missed Speaker Deadline?
The Call for Speakers and Call for Workshops have now closed but fear not if you were on the verge of applying for one, or both.
This year we’re accepting late applications onto a backup waitlist. As we progress through the plans for WordCamp Europe it’s possible that planned sessions need to change – and that’s where our backup waitlist comes in.
So there is still a chance that you could be presenting a talk of your choice, or hosting a workshop showing off your expertise to others, but you don’t have much longer. We can only keep the application process open until Saturday 5th February. After that, there will be no more opportunities.
Join us as a Media Partner
Since WordCamp Europe 2017, some great publications have joined forces with WordCamp Europe’s organising team to spread the word about the event all over the world.
Torque, WPTavern, KrautPress, Ayuda WordPress, and many other WordPress web magazines, blogs, podcasts stand among our respected past Media Partners.
This year, more than ever, as we return to in-person events after two years, we are inviting you to support us in promoting WCEU 2022. At the same time, we will give you access to exclusive highlights of the event and welcome you as our official Media Partner or Supporter!
The Call for Media Partners is open to all tech-related media, including web magazines, podcasts, TV, and radio stations worldwide. This collaboration is an opportunity for all media platforms to offer insights into the event and unique stories to their audience.
Read more on the official Call for Media Partners and Supporters page what the benefits are for joining forces, and we hope to receiving your application soon.
The Call for Media Partners and Supporters will remain open ’til 15 April 2022, although we recommend early applications.
Capture WCEU on camera
Are you interested in helping us capture WordCamp Europe 2022 on camera? Our Call for Photographers is now open.
Apply before 31 March 2022 to volunteer at this year’s event, using your photography, videography, or editing skills to document the magic between 2-4 June 2022 in Porto, Portugal.
Bring your skills to WCEU
Perhaps you are a Photographer who has been volunteering with us in the past (welcome back!) or you’re interested in joining the Photography team for the first time (welcome!).
Either way, we’re pleased that the Call for Photographers has caught your eye. And if you love documentary-style photography or event coverage, apply to become part of the Photography team.
We also need people with a keen eye for detail to edit photos and process them to be shared on social media during the event. That’s why we have added the role of Photo Editor to the mix.
Check out the #WCEU photo gallery to see work from many talented Photographers and Photo Editors who beautifully documented past editions of WordCamp Europe.
Feeling inspired? Apply before 31 March 2022 to bring your skills to WCEU 2022. If submitting your Instagram account as portfolio, please make sure it is public, so we can review it.
Why you should speak at WCEU
There is less than one week remaining to apply to speak or to host a workshop at WordCamp Europe 2022 (in-person, in Porto, Portugal).
Would you like to make it your New Year’s resolution to apply before the deadline on 31 January 2022? 🙂
Historically, WordCamp Europe has been a place to celebrate diverse voices in WordPress — and, in 2022, we are looking forward to keeping it up this way!
What it’s like to be a speaker at WordCamp Europe?
We asked this question speakers from past years, and here is what they say:
Giving a talk at WordCamp Europe was one of the most exciting and challenging experiences of my life. Give yourself this opportunity to succeed.
Ana Cirujano, speaker at WCEU 2019
For me the enthusiasm at every WCEU is unmatched, makes speaking there especially appealing to share your stories and engage with attendees afterwards.
Felix Arntz, speaker at WCEU 2019
Speaking at WordCamp Europe is incredibly exciting: sharing WordPress knowledge and experience with a wide audience like that ties directly into the DNA of our community and is really satisfying. Also, WCEU is always a ton of fun! 🙂
Miriam Schwab, speaker at WCEU 2018
The WordPress community is the kindest audience you can have as a speaker, they are supportive and want you to succeed. Speaking at WCEU has definitely boosted my confidence!
Monique Dubbelman, speaker at WCEU 2019
If you’re going to speak at an international open source conference, WCEU is the perfect place to do it. Everyone is so friendly, supportive, and arrive ready to learn something new.
Jonathan Bossenger, speaker at WCEU 2019
Who can apply this year?
You can. We are an open and welcoming community that encourages speaker applications from all over the world. Even if you are new to WordPress, tell us how you are making the web a better place <3
Do you have to be an experienced speaker to apply?
Having experience as a speaker is definitely an advantage but we are encouraging new speakers to apply as well. When reviewing speaker applications, we will take previous speaking experience into account.
Also, we recommend you add a short video overview of your talk — this will help the voting team to connect with you on a personal level and better understand the idea of your presentation/workshop.
Speaking in front of a large audience can be overwhelming, even for experienced speakers, and we want to lend a helping hand. That’s why we held a Q&A session recently where we shared advice how to raise chances for your application to be selected.
What to expect?
We have collected some useful information on topics that we’re looking for, presentations formats and even a couple of ideas to give you a spark.
Already convinced?
We are looking forward to having great talks on WordCamp Europe 2022 stage. And one of them can be yours 🙂
Porto shopping adventure
Porto is not just a city with food, wine, monuments and landscapes to enjoy. There are plenty of shopping markets and streets scattered throughout the city that can provide an amazing experience and help you to get to know this city better.
Porto is a city of old-fashioned family businesses, where specialist shops are often grouped together. Porto’s shopkeepers are friendly and willing to help tourists. If they don’t have what you’re after, they’ll point you down the street to someone who has.
Dare yourself on a shopping journey and feel a cultural experience as a commercial one.
So, get yourself a map and let the shopping adventure begin:
Rua de Santa Catarina – The first stop for all shoppers
This artery of the city is the largest commercial area of stores in Porto, where traditional establishments coexist side by side with internationally recognised brands.
As a side challenge, along the 1,500 meters of Rua de Santa Catarina, and amidst the hundreds of shop signs, see if you can find the small statue of Santa Catarina that watches and protects the walkers passing by. It’s not that visible, nor known to all locals and tourists; that’s why this is an enjoyable challenge.
Mercado do Bolhão – A vibrant local authentic market
The centenary Mercado do Bolhão is the most emblematic market in the city of Porto and one of the most famous in Portugal. It has been undergoing restoration and modernisation works since May 2018, originally for an estimated period of two years, but it still is underway.
Visit this Market if you’re looking for a traditional shopping experience with genuine, friendly sellers, where you can engage in trading sessions and buy excellent products. Nowadays the Mercado do Bolhão can be found at the Bolhão Temporary Market, 2 minutes away from the original market.
Rua das Flores – The newly redesigned shopping street in Porto
In recent years, Rua das Flores has gained a new life. This is a street known to everyone. The same cannot be said about the origin of the name. “Santa Catarina das Flores Street”. That was what it was called when it was founded 500 years ago.
The association with the floral theme has a simple reason: in the 16th century, the land on which the street was built consisted of gardens, full of flowers, owned by the Bishop of Porto. – D. Pedro Álvares da Costa, a deep devotee of the deity “Santa Catarina”.
Although the street does not have the flowery fields of the past, it is one of the most frequented pedestrian shopping streets in the city. When shopping in this street, don’t forget to look up and enjoy the floral designs and themes of the buildings.
Rua de Miguel Bombarda: Shopping art in an alternative way
The fourth stop of your shopping experience will allow you to get to know the local alternative art galleries and shops better.
The artistic imagination in Bombarda is quite simple to explain: as soon as the first gallery was opened in the locality, other spaces, which gravitate to the same universe, thought that “unity makes strength” and, from there, began to come together in the same territory and create what is now known as “The Arts Quarter”.
Nowadays, it is in its 850 meters extension that the area attracts, above all, those curious about cultural life and those who bring the artistic urge in their heart.
Rua de Miguel Bombarda is a place that gives space to creativity expressed in different perspectives and concepts. Here we can find themed bookstores, tea houses, several galleries with exhibitions throughout the year, and – as we have already indicated – several places to delight the palate and recharge batteries.
Important remarks about shopping in Porto
Street shops usually run from 10am to 7pm (10:00 – 19:00), unlike shopping centers, which run from 10am to midnight (22:00 – 00:00).
Sunday is the only day of the week when we do not advise going shopping in Porto, as in general the street shops are closed, except during the Holidays.
In shopping malls, you find the same urban experience you find everywhere else in the world, which is why we challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and discover the amazing street shops in Porto.