The Porto Metropolitan Area has approximately 1.8 million inhabitants. Joy 907 is in central Porto, close to Marquês metro station.
The climate is strongly affected by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes it cooler than most people expect. Temperatures can reach 40 °C during occasional heat waves in August, but they usually stay below 30 °C, even in summer. Winters are mild and very humid, with occasional cold nights when temperatures can drop to around 0 °C. Bring warm clothes!
On this page, you can find information about:
- Getting here
- Getting around
- Groceries
- Delivery apps
- Waste & recycling
- Gyms
- Laundry
- Nightlife
- Banks and ATMs
- Mobile phone services
- Safety
- Healthcare
- Tap water
Getting here
Our address is Rua da Alegria 907, 4000-048 Porto.
By plane – Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) has a direct metro connection, and taxis and Ubers are usually available.
Joy 907 is about 13 km from the airport. Depending on demand and the time of day, taxi and rideshare fares vary. Bolt (invite code: Bolt) is usually the cheaper option, but check the current fare in the app before booking.
Metro operating hours vary by line, day, and season. Check the official journey planner for your arrival date, especially if your flight lands late at night. You’ll change at Trindade and take the yellow line to Marquês. You’ll need a reusable Andante Azul card and a Z4 ticket. As of 2026, the complete journey costs approximately €3 including the card; check the current fare before travelling.
Regular buses run during the day, with a few services at night. Google Maps works well with Porto’s public transport and is helpful for planning journeys.
There’s free Wi-Fi at the airport if needed.
By train – The city is served by two main train stations, São Bento and Campanhã. Campanhã is Porto’s main station for long-distance trains, including frequent services to Lisbon, and is 2.5 km from Joy 907 with metro and bus connections. International rail travel generally requires connections; the direct Celta service links Porto and Vigo.
Getting around
Thanks to the house’s central location, you can make most journeys on foot or by metro. Buses use the same ticket system as the metro, and monthly passes are available. Uber and similar services are affordable and available throughout the city. Bolt is usually the cheapest (invite code: Bolt).
Young people can currently get the free metropolitan Andante Youth Pass through age 23, whether they are students or not. Students in certain integrated degree programmes may remain eligible through age 24. The pass must still be loaded every month and validated on every journey. See the current Andante eligibility requirements. You’ll also be able to get information about the metro and bus system at your university. If you have an NFC-enabled Android phone, you can skip the physical card and tap in and out using the official Anda app.
Groceries
Just one minute from the house, you can get all your groceries at the local supermarket, still commonly called Minipreço, though it’s now part of the Auchan group, so you may see Auchan branding in-store.
Delivery apps
If you don’t feel like cooking or shopping in person, food delivery apps are widely used in Porto: Uber Eats, Glovo, and Bolt Food all cover the area. For groceries, both Continente and Auchan offer home delivery ordered online.
Waste & recycling
Porto uses the national Ecoponto system for recycling: blue bins are for paper and cardboard, yellow for plastic and metal packaging, and green for glass. General household waste goes in the plain bins found on most street corners. Ecoponto clusters are usually grouped together near the house. Sorting only takes a minute once you’re in the habit.
Gyms
There are several gyms within a short walk of Joy 907, listed roughly by distance. Prices and joining conditions can change, so check with each gym directly.
- Fox Gym, approximately 100 m away, mid-range.
- Fitness UP Alegria, on the same street as the house, approximately 130 m away, mid-range.
- Fitness UP Constituição, approximately 300 m away, budget-friendly.
- Fonseca Gym, approximately 535 m away, mid-range.
Laundry
A free-to-use laundry room is available in the house. During winter, it can be difficult to air-dry clothes, so there are also a couple of affordable self-service laundries nearby with tumble dryers.
Nightlife
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 (three metro stops, with bus connections throughout the night). Sharing an Uber home can be an affordable option.
Banks and ATMs
There are several ATMs within a short walk of the house.
If possible, use an account in euros. Card payments are widely accepted, but some banks and ATM operators may charge withdrawal or currency conversion fees. When an ATM or payment terminal offers to convert the transaction into your home currency, paying in euros is usually better.
Services such as Revolut, Wise, and N26 can be convenient for receiving euros and managing currency conversion. Availability, card costs, withdrawal limits, and conversion fees depend on your country and account plan, so compare their current terms before opening an account. N26’s working referral link may provide a sign-up benefit, depending on the offer available in your country.
You can also open a Portuguese bank account. Banks will normally ask for a NIF, identification, and may request proof of address or other documents. ActivoBank is commonly considered because its standard account has relatively few maintenance fees, but check its current eligibility and charges before applying. A Portuguese account may be worthwhile if you plan to work in Portugal, need local banking services, or expect to stay longer term.
Mobile phone services
Mobile plans are quite affordable in Portugal. If you’re from the EU/EEA, your home SIM should work under “Roam Like At Home” rules at no extra cost, but check your home carrier’s fair-use data cap first, since heavy use abroad can still trigger charges.
If you’d rather get a Portuguese number, the best-value no-commitment options right now are Woo (owned by NOS) and Uzo (owned by MEO) matching each other at €5/month for 100GB or €7/month for unlimited data, both with unlimited calls/SMS.
Safety
Portugal is consistently ranked among the safest countries in the world by the Global Peace Index – one of the safest countries 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 a medical emergency, call the European emergency number, 112.
For urgent but non-emergency health concerns, contact SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24 and select option 9 for English. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A healthcare professional will assess your symptoms and advise you about the appropriate next step, which may include self-care, a health centre, or an emergency department.
SNS 24 is a triage and guidance service. It does not replace emergency services, provide every kind of treatment, or guarantee access to routine dental care.
If you are insured through the public social security system of an EU or EFTA country, obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling. The EHIC gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay, under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in Portugal. It does not normally cover private healthcare or repatriation and does not guarantee that every service will be free. Consider separate travel or health insurance for costs the EHIC does not cover.
There’s a pharmacy less than 300 metres from Joy 907:
Tap water
Tap water in Porto is safe to drink. It can sometimes taste slightly chlorinated. If that bothers you, fill a jug and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight; the smell should dissipate.