The Porto metropolitan area (Greater Porto) has around two million inhabitants in a 50km radius, with cities like Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia, and Gondomar. Joy 907 is located in the center of Porto, by the Marquês metro station.
The climate is strongly affected by the Atlantic ocean, which makes it cooler than most people expect. Temperatures can rise as high as 40ºC in August during occasional heat waves, but they are usually under 30ºC even in the Summer. Winters are mild and very humid, with occasional cold nights where temperatures can drop to around 0ºC. Bring warm clothes!
In this page you can find information on:
- Getting in
- Getting around
- Buying groceries
- Finding a Gym
- Laundry
- Night life
- Bank / Cash machines
- Cell Phone Services
- Safety
- Healthcare
Get in
Our address is Rua da Alegria 907, 4000-048 PORTO
By plane – Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) has direct connection to the metro and a consistent supply of taxis and Ubers.
Joy 907 is 15 Km away from the airport. Depending on several factors, a taxi should cost around 15€ and Bolt around 10€ (with invite code sbJ2).
Metro is available until a bit after midnight. You’ll need a Z4 trip and you’ll switch lines at Trindade, catching the yellow line to Marquês. The metro trip costs 2.60€, including 0.60€ for the reusable Andante card.
Regular buses are available during the day, and there are a few buses available during the night. Google Maps integrates well with public transport and is very helpful at getting you around.
There’s free wifi at the airport if needed.
By train – The city is served by two major train stations, “São Bento” and “Campanhã”. Trains from and to Lisbon, Madrid and Paris are regular and will take you to the Campanhã station, which is 2.5 Kms away from Joy 907 and connected by metro and bus.
Get around
With our privileged location you’ll get around mostly by walking and metro. Buses use the same ticket system as the metro and there are monthly passes available, with special prices for students. Uber and similar services are affordable and available all over the city. The cheapest at the moment is Bolt (invite code for discounted trips: sbJ2).
Monthly metro pass for students under 23 costs 22.5€ to 30€. More info here. You’ll be able to get more information about the metro and bus system at the university.
Groceries
Just one minute from the house, you can get all your groceries at the local supermarket, Mini Preço.
Gym
There are several gyms around Joy 907. The closest and most affordable is Fox Gym, just 100 meters away. Other options are Oxigénio (400 meters from the house), Fonseca Gym, and Holmes Place.
Laundry
A free to use laundry room is available at the house. During the winter it might be hard to air dry your clothes, so there’s a couple of affordable self-service laundromats close-by, with drying machines available.
Night Life
The main nightlife area in the city is circled in pink. On warm evenings it’s a pleasant walk. When the weather isn’t helping, public transport is available (3 metro stops and there are bus connections all night). Splitting an Uber to get home is a very affordable option.
Bank / Cash machines
There are a few cash machines within a short walking distance.
If it’s possible for you, it’s highly recommended to have an account in Euros. That way you can use ATMs for free and easily pay with a debit/credit card in most places.
If Revolut is operating in your country you can use this link to open an account with a free debit card and free currency conversions. This should be your first option as a Revolut card will surely be very useful.
In order to save money on currency conversions, the best option is usually Revolut, but it’s also worth checking out TransferWise.
N26 is another very good choice. Using this referral link you might have some extra benefits (they vary often, from a free debit card to a 30€ bonus on your account).
It’s also possible to open a Portuguese bank account and in that case you’ll need to get a NIF (Portuguese fiscal number) first. The bank most often recommended for foreigners is ActivoBank as it has (almost) zero fees. For most people, it will not be worth the hassle. If can’t use one of the options above, if you plan to get a job (and be paid by bank transfer), or if at any point you think of relocating to Portugal (more) permanently, this is probably your best choice.
Cell Phone Services
Phone plans are quite affordable in Portugal. If you’re from within the EU and you already have a data plan you might think it’s not worth the trouble of getting a Portuguese number, but most students end up getting one.
The most common plan is WTF which is exclusive for people under 25. You can’t order a SIM card online because the website requests a Portuguese ID, but you can easily get a card on arrival using your ID/Passport as proof of age.
Safety
Portugal is listed in the World Peace Index as the 3rd safest country in the world – the safest country that is not an island. Quality of life is high, and there’s very little violence. However, “low crime” is not “no crime”. Porto is a medium sized city, and drunk foreigners are the easiest targets. You should be mindful of your belongings, especially when out at night. Common sense safety practices are also important, especially if you are used to living in a smaller town.
Healthcare
For any emergency situation, the European Emergency Number is 112.
For non-urgent healthcare needs you should contact SNS24, through the phone number 808 24 24 24, and choose option 9 for English. They are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. A healthcare professional will assess your situation and needs, and direct you to the appropriate services.
It’s a very efficient and simple to use service for almost all your healthcare needs, from a flu to dental work to blood donation information. More information here.
If you are covered by social security in a EU (or EFTA) country, you should consider the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for your Erasmus. You should request this card before leaving your home country.
There’s a pharmacy less than 300 meters from Joy 907:
