On October 3, Rua de São João will once again be car-free during the afternoon. This marks the fourth time that merchants in this historic district of Porto have come together for “Uma Rua Viva, ” a free event that brings together snacks, wine, music, and art along the entire street from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
An afternoon to wander from door to door
This is the formula that has been repeated since the very first edition: for one afternoon, local businesses open their doors in a different way, inviting passersby to come in, sample the offerings, and stay a little longer—while still remaining, the next day, the same shop, the same café, or the same restaurant as always.
Admission costs €7.50 per venue, a price that always includes a snack and a drink of the house’s choice —whether it’s a “pica-pau” with wine at MUST, a “patanisca” at Tapas 65, or a chouriço sandwich washed down with Super Bock at Cris Bar. A portion of each purchase (10%) goes to the São Nicolau Social and Parish Center, a partner in the project since its inception.
The street turns into a studio
One of the new highlights of this edition is the Drawing Workshop with Vasco Mota at 4 p.m.—an opportunity for anyone who wants to try capturing the street in a sketchbook instead of photographing it. Registration is required and costs €35, with materials included. This isn’t the first time Citynizer has joined the festivities: this year, the space serves as a gallery for Rúben Esteves, an award-winning artist in the Digital Art category at the 2023 National Exhibition of Young Creators.
The party doesn’t end at the close of the afternoon
Unlike previous editions, this year’s program doesn’t end at 8:00 p.m. Starting at 9:30 p.m., Double Trouble takes the stage with a DJ set, followed by a live concert by Joeze —a way to extend the experience beyond dinner. Before that, the day features two DJ sets dedicated to the ’80s and ’90s, “Fado à Porta” by Fado na Baixa, an exclusive tour of the English Trading Post, and a cultural Peddy Paper starting at the Casa Aberta at Hotel ICON.
For the little ones, the São Nicolau Social Center is hosting a creative workshop organized by the Casa da Horta Cultural Association, in addition to the now-traditional Toy Fair, with proceeds also going to the institution.
Useful Information
📍Address: Rua de São João, Porto
📆Schedule: October3 , 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a musical program continuing past 9:30 p.m.
🎟️Average price: €7 .50 per appetizer with a drink at each participating venue
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