Best Meetings & Conference Centre Europe
Business Destinations Travel Award 2014,2015 & 2017
Best Meetings & Conference Centre Europe
Business Destinations Travel Award 2014,2015 & 2017
Located in the historic city centre of Porto, by the Douro River
Historic building, recovered by Arch. Souto Moura
36 000 m² of flexible area
22 multifunctional spaces
400 parking spaces
Wi-Fi total coverage
Rooms with built-in translation booths
Access for disabled people
Shipping dock
Congresses up to 3000 pax
Banquets up to 1700 pax
Exhibitions up to 10 000 m²
Concerts up to 1200 pax
Cultural environment
Existence of cultural and museological areas inside the building (Museum of Transport and Communications)
1703 –Publishing of the Regiment of the Custom House of Porto, with emphasis that the existing customs house doesn´t have enough space or clearance. In the beginning of the 19thcentury, the existing customs house, considered as the “former customs house” doesn´t bear the effect of the prevailing commercial activity.
1821–Decision to temporarily use another warehouse – the Saavedra warehouse, popularly known as “warehouse of Massarelos” and actual Museum of Port Wine.
1823 –The spreading of the customs service and the lack of security of the warehouses motivated the liberal reforms and the request for a new customs house.
1834 –The Minister of Finance, José da Silva Carvalho recommended that the General Director of Customs House in the North should propose a public building that could hold the customs house.
1836 –The same Minister requests a plan and quotation of construction to the Civil Governor of Porto as well as a project to collect the necessary means to construct the new customs house.