I spent three weeks in Porto for the European Innovation Academy, living near Polo Universitário, so the neighborhood and the people around campus shaped how I used the city each day.
After locking in my general class routine, I used the rest of each of my days to figure out my part of Porto and the people who make it work.
My base was Polo Universitário on the yellow metro line. It is a student zone with quick rides to Trindade, São Bento, and Aliados, close to where our study abroad was located. Groceries were simple because there are multiple supermarkets within a short walk. I kept a small rotation of places for cheap lunches and used the university canteens when the team schedule got tight. Streets are wide, sidewalks are decent, and late night is quiet enough to actually study.
Getting downtown took roughly 15 minutes by metro, which made it easy to separate work days from tourist days. I would handle team meetings near campus, then hop to Baixa, Aliados, or Ribeira when I had time. Vila Nova de Gaia sat across the bridge for cellar tours and sunset photos, but I saved that for off hours to avoid lines. For a reset, Foz do Douro had the beach and wind, which is all you need after a long sprint week.
Transit was a non-issue. The Andante card covered the metro and buses, so I loaded a normal rechargeable card for random rides and used a 24 hour pass when errands stacked up. Walking worked fine inside the campus area, but the metro was faster to anywhere scenic. For visitors, Polo Universitário sounds far from the center. It is not. The line is direct and the trains run often.
Locals around campus were patient and straightforward. Many spoke solid English, but starting with bom dia or boa tarde helped. I ran into lots of students from different faculties, a steady flow of hospital staff, and shop owners who expect students to be in a hurry. Asking for the student menu or the prato do dia kept prices down. I heard the term tripeiros for Porto locals more than once and saw the rooster souvenirs everywhere, but the day to day vibe near campus felt more practical than tourist heavy.
Looking back, basing near Polo Universitário kept the days simple. The metro did the heavy lifting, one reliable grocery kept costs predictable, and the canteens saved time when projects piled up. A quick bom dia opened most doors and the rest was just routine. Once the routes and greetings clicked, Porto stopped feeling like a trip and started working like home.
