Póvoa de Varzim sometimes called incorrectly Póvoa “do” Varzim is a Portuguese city of the district of Oporto, North Region and subregion of Great Porto. It is the urban area more to the north in integrating the Great Metropolitan Area of Oporto (distando 27 kilometers of that city).
The municipality has a surface of 82.30 km ², distributed between twelve freguesias (parishes), whose total of inhabitants rises to 63.470. Of these, 38,848 are located in the city, which gives to a municipal demographic density of 771.2 hab. /km him ² in agreement with the 2001 census.
The beaches of Póvoa de Varzim did to the city recognized in the North region and are the true people in charge of the development of the leisure in the city. These are extensive white sand beaches, whose waters reach only 18 degrees in the summer, and rich in iodine. The beaches of the city, from the Round Praia to the Praia do Quião, very are frequented by inhabitants and tourists; from the Praia de Santo André towards the north the atmosphere is calmer. The Praia gives Aguçadoura and the Praia do High River is dune beaches. This one last, since he is difficult (access only on foot by other beaches) and of the privacy that offer their dunes, is frequent destiny of naturistas, although it is not an official naturista beach. [31] Several beaches is divided by rocky, and between the Praia it gives Salgueira and the Praia gives Lagoa exist ruins.
In the zone center of the city the main commercial district, the Junqueira is located, whose central street is peatonal from 1955. Several contiguous streets also have been made peatonales recently. This famous street is recognized by the jewelry shop commerce, whose tradition in Póvoa de Varzim goes back to preRoman times.
Because of being a game and bath area, Póvoa de Varzim has a great diversity of hotels, are to emphasize the Great Hotel (Mercure Hotel), built in years 30, near the casino; and the inns installed in the beach in Santo André, the summit of Monte de São Felix and next to the golf course.
Throughout the Estrada Nacional 13, that crosses the interior of the city, is a great number of restaurants. Many of them enough are known.
Outside the city, other two areas of leisure exist: monte de São Felix, which it has mills turned particular residences from which a panoramic one of the city, a perron that cuts to the forest area and until a small population castreña, and the Alto River is descried - an area of leisure to the north of the city, that counts on a camping surrounded by pine groves, masseiras and a golf course that extends next to the beach in dunes of the Alto River.