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Est.reading time: 5 min
Unlikely old stories
Read on to learn more about Porto's relationship with the friendliest and most generous of all white-bearded-red-suited old chaps - and possibly find out more about Santa's origins!
(street name sign in Porto's most touristic district)
STCP Tramcar Museum - here's a sneak peek
Calls to fight climate change have been growing louder around the world, and electric mobility has indisputably come into vogue. However, the silent, charming zero-emission tramcars have actually been running on tracks here in Porto for more than a century!
Let's head down 'memory tracks' and unveil the past to see how people used to move around the Porto urban area when run-commuting wasn't yet popular— is it even popular now?
Jump in and hold on for a glimpse of the STCP Tram Museum & Depot. The museum is housed in a building that was once a coal power plant; this not-so-green facility was responsible for powering the entire tram network!
Remnants of Porto's rich transit history can be found under the feet of joggers and walkers who make their way to the oceanfront or in the city's historic centre: the old tramcar tracks are omnipresent, some still active, others long since decommissioned.
As a running tour guide in Porto, I’ve spent countless kilometers weaving through the streets of this beautiful city, sharing stories of its rich history and, of course, some about its beer.
One of my favorite routes is the Signature Tour - Local Beer where I take fellow runners on a journey through Porto’s connection to one of its most iconic creations: Super Bock. Let me take you on a quick virtual jog through time: 
Clare, in 2020, as we ran past Super Bock Arena at 8.00AM. (this was a couple of days before total lockdown).
Does Porto honor him enough?
This year (2024) we're celebrating the 500th birth anniversary of Luis de Camoes, a literary titan whose influence extends far beyond the shores of Portugal. Sometimes rendered in English as 'Camoens', he was born around 1524 (exact date is unknown)
Camoes' life was marked by adventure, hardship, and, ultimately, poetic brilliance... and yes, you'd think that a poet of epic proportions, a man who penned one of the world's greatest literary works, would be celebrated with grand monuments and sweeping memorials...!
But no, not in Porto... (hoping Porto's Mayor gets this message...!)
Camoes' bust in Santa Catarina street, Porto.
(photo credits: J.Portojo) est.reading time: 3 min A statue with a nomadic lifestyle (January, 10th, 2024) The iconic statue 'o Porto' was relocated. It is now placed next to the 'old town hall' tower, a few meters away from Porto's Cathedral - and has a shiny new golden spear!
This stoic figure, sculpted in the 1800s, has seen the city change dramatically over the last two centuries, and it has been quite the traveler itself. Kind of a tourist in its own city! Shall we learn a bit more about its journey and symbology? Port, one of Europe's great classic wines.
Produced on the steep hillside vineyards of the upper Douro valley, this wine originates from one of world's oldest and most beautiful wine regions where vines have been grown for over 2000 years...! (...)
photo: Goncalo Villaverde
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: 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! 
...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. 
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...!
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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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