The São Bento Railway Station, in the city centre of Porto, Portugal is often described as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. It is located just a few metres from the Avenida dos Aliados, in the “baixa”, in the city centre of Porto. The Time Out Market is also located at the station.
The ceilings and walls are covered with 22 thousand tiles, azulejos by Jorge Colaço (1868-1942). He studied art in Madrid and in Paris and became noticed for his oil painting works. In 1903, Colaço started working tile as a canvas for his paintings, becoming a master in tile painting.
The 22 thousand tiles depict some of the most relevant episodes of Portuguese history, namely King D. João I and D. Filipa de Lencastre, Egas Moniz and Infante D. Henrique in the conquest of Ceuta.
The first train arrived at the station in São Bento in 1896, it was built in French architectural style and it was inaugurated on 5 October 1916.
Visiting the railway station is the perfect opportunity to get to know Porto at the turn of the twentieth century. To be able to see the impact of this train station in the reconfiguring of Porto urban structure, as well as viewing some of the world’s greatest tiles.
Unfortunately, during our visit in September 2024, there was a lot of construction work taking place outside of the station. We were not able to appreciate the beauty from the outside. It also made the surrounding area extremely busy.
We were able to use the accessible access to take Ted’s pushchair into the station. This is located a few metres away from the entrance to the Time Out Market.
We absolutely loved the railway station inside and found it very beautiful. The tiles are so impressive and detailed. Even if you don’t plan on using the train throughout your visit, we recommend that you visit this beautiful station. Quite a few tourist attractions are situated very close to the railway station, such as Porto Cathedral, so it’s easy to find time to visit the station.
Another great reason to visit the railway station is that since 2024, Time Out Market Porto opened. It is in the south wing of the São Bento railway station. The Market brings you the best of the city’s food and drink scene under one roof and on the top level of the market, you can watch the trains depart from the station. On the bottom level, you have immediate access to the station as well.
Don’t miss out on either of these locations during your next visit to Porto!
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