Things to do in Maia

Top Things to Do in Maia, Portugal - Maia Attractions

Things to Do in Maia


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Top Attractions in Maia

These rankings are informed by traveller reviews—we consider the quality, quantity, recency, consistency of reviews, and the number of page views over time.
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Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travellers are saying

  • Kateryna A
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I've got an idea to go there with tourists that came from Egipt, Germany and USA and wanted to see Porto and surrounding areas. Rita from the touristic office was so nice and made possible our visit in time, when the tower was actually closed, she told us a bit about a story of the city and this place, showed us amazing view from the highest point in Northern Portugal. We could see the ocean, all Maia city and more far not only Porto but even Vila nova de Gaia! Thank you, Rita! It was perfect! I would definitely recommend visit this tower every one who came to Maia.
    Written 2 September 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • JimFinPortland
    Seattle, WA169 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I were looking for a zoo in the Porto area. There are apparently several smaller facilities scattered about the area but no larger main zoo. We had picked a place in Gaia which sounded good but we had no car and it wasn't clear to us that the bus ran on the weekend. But we found this one in the Maia area which was easy to get to. Just a ten minute walk from a Metro station.

    When approaching the Maia zoo, the entrance is quite unassuming. It's just a gate that shared with a restaurant. My wife though we were in the wrong place but I saw the little ticket booth. (Note: we were there in mid-November on a rainy day so we were almost the only visitors at the time.) It looked quite small at first but we were pleasantly surprised.

    There is a quite large reptile house which is upstairs in the main building. The zoo grounds go around the main building to the left and then also down a hill to larger animals including lion, tigers, and zebra. So it turned out to be much larger than it initially looked.

    I'm rating this with four dots, but it's difficult to rate without explanation. Despite it being larger than initially thought, it's still not a large zoo. It's quite small compared with the Lisbon Zoo. But you can get quite close to many of the animals and if you love animals, you can spend quite a bit of time here. We spent a couple of hours but that's much longer than most people will take. So for what it is (not comparing it to other zoos) I think it's worth four dots.
    Written 9 December 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mario A
    Maia, Portugal35 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very old church rebuilted in 1097, mostly romanic style. You should also visit the cemitery. Outside the church there are some old graves.
    Written 4 November 2014
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Gaborstephen
    Venice, CA9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We feel very fortunate to have been able to stay at Quinta de Santa Cruz. It’s a veritable oasis hidden behind the large gates. Our host graciously let us stay in the guest house on the property. For those who want to visit Porto without all the tourist hustle and bustle, Maia is a quiet suburb to the north, just a 20 minute drive back into the city of Porto.

    The guest house is a spacious two story unit with three bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms right out of the history books. It has the old world charm of a historic villa with traditional old European wood furniture that the family has acquired over the generations. We were there during go a heat wave and had to keep the old windows propped open for a nice cross breeze that would cool down the house over night. There is a nice little kitchen we used for our morning coffee and breakfasts with a good size fridge.

    The host gave us a nice tour of the property. We were greeted by the three sweet dogs every morning, who would run up the grapevine covered driveway to say hello. We politely asked if we could use the family pool and patio since it was so hot. The kids would jump into the pool at the end of the day when we returned from sightseeing in Porto. Perfect way to cool down and watch the sun set over the magnificent view of the local surroundings.

    We could not have asked for a better introduction to Portugal. This was a true local experience with stunning views of the surrounding estate vineyard. Dinner at the old train station that has been converted to a restaurant two blocks away and excellent meals at the local cafe a short walk away.
    Written 5 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • hucampos
    Maia, Portugal4 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    With a lot of ups and downs it's a nice place to go for a run (intermediate). A little busy during the weekends
    Written 8 May 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Kevin s
    Utrecht, The Netherlands2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I just arrived in Oporto yesterday and today I just took the subway and went to Maia to visit some friends.
    As this is the first time I'm in Portugal, I got lost, so I just went to the local tourism office that was nearby to get some directions.
    I just have to say that the treatment excelled my expectations, they were very friendly and attentive, and the communication with them was very easy because their english is flawless. They gave me the right directions and I got to my friends' house in a blink of an eye. They also gave me a map of both cities of Maia and Oporto, so I can guide myself during my stay.
    I hope to enjoy my stay as much as I enjoyed the treatment here!
    Written 29 January 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mike99NZ
    Auckland5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lovely park with modern facilities and a small playground for kids. Would be great for a family picnic.
    Written 21 April 2017
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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