LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE?
Almost back to normal: the running scene in Porto is tremendously active and eclectic, with many well-established and organized races throughout the year - and registrations are now open!
Here's a short list with the most interesting ones, including Porto's marathon (November), Porto half-marathon (September), a couple of shorter races (10 & 15k) and specially selected introductory videos of their previous editions. We've even included an Orienteering event and a 'one-of-a-kind-mad-two-stages-uphill-race' named Porto a Subir...!! 
Credits: Matias Novo Fotografias
Est. reading time: 6 minutes
When he was only 12, Adriano Telles left Alvarenga, a small village in the north of Portugal. Destination: Brazil.
At the age of 44, he was back and opened his first coffeehouse and coffee import business in Porto. His success, back in 1903, was due mainly to his smart marketing techniques, even though his product was not as popular as it is nowadays! Can these marketing lessons from the past possibly be of any use for the future success of a small running tour outfit, such as Porto Running Tours? 
Fundraisers of the early 1900s literally aimed for the sky. While doing my homework for a themed corporate running tour last week, I came across old photographs and several reports of an epic fundraiser that took place at the long gone Porto's own Crystal Palace/Palácio de Cristal. Hundreds of people bought tickets to see an airplane that had been purchased solely for that purpose: to be the main attraction of that charity event! The following -true- story took place in Porto, late summer, in 1912. It is a perfect example of the entrepreneurial attitude of those times - still embroidered in most Portuenses you'll meet (...) 
Some people led extraordinary livesOur 'King-soldier' Pedro IV, the 'Liberator', was born in Portugal 223 years to this day. When he turned 24 he was proclaimed the first emperor of Brazil, the former Portuguese colony to which he had recently given independence. That day was also a 12th of October, of 1822. Over the course of Pedro's short life (34years) he abdicated the throne twice, was father to 19 children and fought many battles for freedom in two different continents. Pedro's heart, the actual organ, is still nowadays the most amazing treasure the city of Porto has in its care. In this post I share a couple more of utterly unbelievable -real- stories about him (...)! 
Est. reading time: 3 min
2021's list
If you are looking for a stylish dinner or if you're in the need to impress your running partner, then you may want to skip Porto's traditional 'francesinha in a beer-house' or the bifanas @conga and make a reservation at a more exclusive place like the ones in this list.
​We run right past the front entrance of most of them on our running tours and therefore it may help you decide which one fits you the best, based on its location and some of the information we provide! 
Read on to learn more about the restaurants and chefs of the short list for a Michelin-starred memorable food experience in 2021 here in Porto (...)
Est. reading time: 8 minutes
So, here we are: November 2020, cold days and rain in most of the northern hemisphere... And a pandemic... While some of us seek comfort in a cup of tea while watching the news on TV about these turbulent times, others turn to their wine stock and serve themselves a glass of Port (no judgement here, I honestly consider it to be a sign of good taste!!) ...
After all, are these two 'comfort drinks' all that different? With Porto and the Douro valley as a backdrop, let's set out in search of points of intersection between Port and tea, they do have a few things in common! 
...who banned Coca-Cola from being sold in Portugal in the 1920's?
Est.reading time: 10 min
If I was to name one person that perfectly epitomizes to spirit of the fight against pandemics in Portugal, I would not hesitate: Porto-born Ricardo Jorge.
Yet, regardless of his decisive contributions to public health in the country, some of the Portuguese know him for a quirkier story of a long lasting ban of the most recognizable of sparkling drinks... ​Let's put the gear in reverse and scroll down the timeline to learn a bit more about this remarkable man's failures and successes! 
Est. reading time: 6min
"Long live the King! DEATH TO THE COMPANY!!"
February 23rd, 1757: Leading the crowd that morning were many tavern keepers followed by some coopers, wine merchants but most of them were... tavern regulars!
This blog post contains a short overview on one of the most humiliating episodes of the city's History, where 26 of the involved people were hanged, beheaded and quartered and their bodies displayed in several locations within the city...! (...) Though this might have been a rather gloomy introduction, take it as an invitation to learn more about about the oldest Portuguese wine company and its recently opened restaurant, cigar club & wine tasting room and an interactive museum, '1756 - Museu da 1ª Demarcação'. We visited it: post includes photos & two short videos! 
Running itself is a gift.
Out front Jana and Hans-Christian's accommodation in Porto, just as I was about to wrap up our 2hr running tour (which was Jana's birthday present, btw), Hans-Christian reached deep into his small backpack for an item and handed it out to me: it was an oficial 2019's Nikolauslauf half-marathon official t-shirt!
In this blog post I'll unveil the reason for this kind offer and explore the fact that running experiences can be such a memorable gift , whether it is a race entry such as the amazing Nikolauslauf held in Southern Germany or a city running tour of Porto in northern Portugal. Also taking this opportunity to tell you more about -yet- another Nicolau and his Porto-based wine company - the oldest still active!
Estimated reading time: 7 min
Unexpected gift, directly from Tuebingen, Germany: an official Nikolauslauf t-shirt!
...Portugal's first filmmaker was a florist in Porto?
est. reading time: 6 min
In this post we unveil the story of how Aurélio da Paz dos Reis, a successful merchant and flower producer, decided to start his 'adventure' in the world of 'animated photography' back in 1896 here in Porto... and also how he failed to do business with the Lumiére brothers...!
Porto was the setting for Portugal's first ever F1 Grand Prix!The urban circuit of Boavista hosted only 2 editions of the most prominent of all car competitions, in 1958 and 1960. Stirling Moss, the 'best driver of the world' who never won a F1 world title for himself, flew home from Porto with the first Portuguese F1 trophy, in '58. 
Porto is always a good idea
It's that time of the year : public Christmas lights were switched on last Saturday - the official kick-start to the holiday cheer here in Porto. For runners visiting the city during this season we prepared something special, too...!
30/11/2019 photo credits: AgoraPorto
Tried and tested tips :) Porto may not be the most child-oriented city but there's naturally a few places to take your little ones and have a fun half-day. No matter which one you choose, a bit of creativity will take you a long way when running for the podium in the category of <most fun parent in the world>...!! :) Here's some suggestions that may help you plan a fun day out with kids (prior to that 'boring' wine tasting you have your eyes on) >> 
STCP Tramcar Museum - here's a sneak peek
The calls to fight climate change are now growing louder around the world and electric mobility has indisputably come into vogue but the silent and charming zero-emission tramcars are actually running on tracks here in Porto for more than a century now...!
Let's head down memory tracks and unveil some of the past, see how people used to move around the urban area of Porto - when run-commuting wasn't yet that popular - is it popular now??! Jump in and grab on for a glimpse of the STCP tramcar museum & depot, once the not-so-green coal power plant that powered the entire tramways' network... (!) 
Starting with Pedro IV's heart: Porto's most precious treasureHere's a compilation of stories, some of which were brought round by visitors, about one peculiar topic: hearts that were separated & taken away from the rest of their owner's body to a fairly distant burial place or even to be scientifically studied. Today PORTO RUNNING TOURS is celebrating 4 years of operation and so, because one of our best-sellers from day one has been the HEART OF PORTO TOUR, let's start with a shorter version of the amazing story about our dear Pedro IV's heart, our city's most precious treasure, a true story we always share with running visitors...! |
Autor/Author
Sérgio é o fundador da Porto Running Tours, corre regularmente desde 1999 e desde 2015 que guia visitas em corrida na Invicta enquanto revela algumas das suas mais fascinantes histórias. 
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