Here at Porto Events, we give way to nobody in our passion for all things Porto, but even we have to acknowledge that Lisbon is a fabulous city to visit or to hold an event there. But here are five reasons why you might want to consider Porto above Lisbon as a venue for your next event….

1. Intimate and cosy atmosphere – Lisbon is the capital city and feels like it, which is fine if majestic monuments and boulevards is your thing. Here in Porto, we do things on a smaller scale – you can generally get around on foot through the endless winding cobbled streets and you can very easily get to know the whole city. It makes Porto feel much more manageable and friendly than Lisbon and makes the city really work well as a destination for small and medium sized events in particular.
2. Cost – Porto is less expensive than Lisbon in every way you can imagine. Hotels, dining, activities, transport and entertainment are all generally cheaper and you can expect to save 20 to 30% on the cost of holding an event in Porto rather than Lisbon.
3. Port wine heritage – the Port wine cellars are right in the centre of the city and provide a fantastic focal point for all manner of events. We have held countless events in the cellars themselves, which provide a unique backdrop and theme to both large and small events and they are also fun places to visit on days away from conferences held elsewhere in the city.
4. More friendly vibe – this is of course a more intangible criteria, but we think it is one of the most important factors that make events such a success in Porto. In Lisbon, visitors are often made to feel as a minor inconvenience to the smooth running of a capital city, but in Porto our visitors are made to feel truly welcome. You will see it in the hotel staff, taxi drivers and waiters you come across, but also in the everyday people you bump into and one of the number one feedback comments we get from our clients is the warmth of the welcome they received in Porto.
5. What’s on the doorstep – Lisbon is a big old city of 2 million inhabitants and you have to make a real effort to get beyond the city limits. Porto is far smaller and you can easily access all sorts of fabulous things to visit, including the wild atlantic beaches, the Port wine vineyards along the Douro river and the historic city of Guimarães.

So whilst we begrudgingly have to acknowledge what a wonderful city Lisbon is, Porto has a completely different charm to it. What Porto loses in scale it gains in intimacy and the warmth of its welcome. Let us share our passion for Porto with you and drop us an email so that we can put together a proposal for your event in Porto that offers the very best the city has to offer!