Lodging

WORLDSPRU CAMPANHA:

 

The accommodations that you have in Campanha are very nice.  These pictures are exactly what you can expect from a single occupancy room which runs 22 Euro/nt (prorated rate which includes water and electric until you are able to get on the monthly cycle) and 390 Euros/monthly (water and electric are separate). 

Advantages: 24/7 security, a maid service that comes in and replenishes your towels and cleans your bathroom once weekly, and very helpful and friendly service from all of the staff.  The security guards are super friendly and can offer you a wealth of great information.  You are also right at the train station, so easy access to go wherever you want to go...and no worries, you never have to worry about the trains interrupting your slumber because you can't really hear them.

Suggestions:
--Porto buildings tend NOT to have central heating, so bring lots of layers if you plan on visiting in the colder months.

 

 

IT'S ELECTRIC!!

Check your electrical appliances before you pack them and make sure none exceed 1500W...the outlets will not support anything higher than that, so for all you ladies with industrial strength hairdryers...leave those at home.  Also, plan on getting a converter since the european outlets are different than ours.  You can purchase a single outlet converter (supports only one plug) for 5 Euros at the front desk of the dorm, or you can go to one of the asian stores (there's about 10 of them right outside the Sao Bento metro stop) and purchase a converter with multiple plug capacity for about 2 Euros.  I'll leave that up to you.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

If you are money conscious or a social butterfly, I will say that the rate for WorldSpru is a bit higher than what my friends here pay for their flats.  Campanha is not centrally located so you are about 15 mins on the metro from the city's center.  If you want to be in the center of everything, you might consider contacting the ERASMUS International Office (you will meet them during your orientaition at the Reitoria) and having them put you in touch with contacts for finding flats in the city center (near metro stops Sao Bento, Aliados, Trindade) or checking out some of the links I've listed below.  These can run you from 200 to 360 Euros/month and includes water and electric and are typically very nice.  You won't have security guards and maid service, but you will be in close proximity to night life, shopping, the metro, and a bunch of other students that are here on exchange programs from all over Europe.  And lucky for you, pretty much all the students know English as a second language, so making friends isn't hard at all.  Having said that, I did stay at WorldSpru and had no problem getting around.  But remember, night life here runs way past 2AM, so if you plan on indulging, you will have to take a taxi back to your home in Campanha since the metro stops at midnight. 

http://www.esnporto.org/

http://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-porto/erasmus-forum/erasmus-porto-2012-2013-english-6809



Grocery Shopping

PINGO DOCE
We are students after all so eating out for every meal, while tempting, can do wonders to both your waist line and you wallet.  You will be hard pressed to find any Harris Teeters or large scale markets.  You can expect to find small markets selling nuts, fruits, olive oil, and wine, but if you are looking to get your paper towels, produce, deli meats, cereals, and milk all in one stop, find your closest pingo doce.  I can tell you right off, there are none in Campanha.  The closest one will be on Rua Fernão Magalhães, which is 100 ft from the  metro stop Campo 24 de Agosto (2 stops away from Campanha).  Typically open until 8pm nightly.

...AND FOR ALL YOU FOOD ENTHUSIASTS! -- MERCADO DO BOLHÃO

Located in the heart of the city, this noisy and exuberant market is a sight not to be missed.  This fresh market sells everything from fresh fruits & vegetables to fresh fish to household goods. 

Listening to the fishwives hawking at the latest catch in true Oporto spirit is an image that has made this market a hallmark of this Port City's culture known throughout Portugal.
Location: Rua Sá da Bandeira
Getting there: Metro - Bolhão station.
Hours: 7h00-17h00 Mon-Fri, 7h00-14h00 Sat

 

Metro

METRO DO PORTO: http://www.metrodoporto.pt/en/

- Using this link, you can get to know the metro system and even download an app, which is essentially a map that you can reference, but no real timetables are available. No worries, Campanha has access to all lines and there is a train that can take you in one direction or another every 4-6 minutes.
- Go to the metro station at Trindade and get a gold metro card for the month ASAP. The office is on the street level and is pretty busy, so when you walk in, grab a number and wait your turn. You will need cash to purchase the monthly card and it will cost you anywhere from 30-40 euros depending on how many zones you want access to, but either way, it's well worth it in the long run and saves you a lot of time.
 - Also, NEVER EVER FORGET to validate your ticket when getting on the metro and when switching lines. The metro security will come around and ask you for you card and if you haven't validated it, it can be up a fine of 100 euros. Don't be that guy (or gal)!

Arrival

 

The sun was just setting on the horizon and I could still see the glow of  the multicolored stucco architecture that lined the narrow city streets just before the plane touched down.  A friendly security guard at the airport approached me and kindly offered  to help me purchase my first blue metro card and I was off to my new home in Campanha.  I lugged all three of my suitcases off the metro and after almost two days of traveling and a broken wheel on one of my suitcases, I decided to take a taxi to the entrance of my dorm building even if it was close-by.  It took about  three minutes for me to arrive at my destination, which ended up being all of 100 yards from where I got off the metro.  It had been a long day and what could I say, I just laughed and paid the taxi driver.  "Obrigada!" I said, with a smile on my face, and headed to the front door. I was greeted with a warm welcome by the security guard at the front entrance of the WorldSpru Dormatory Building, which happened to be attached to the metro station, and was quickly introduced to the accommodations that would be home sweet home for the next month.  I had finally arrived!