Geography of Póvoa de Varzim

Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese former civil parish, located in the city of Póvoa de Varzim. It is the core of the city of Póvoa de Varzim and until the new city limits established in 1995 it was the single parish that made up the city. In the census of 2011, it had a population of 28,420 inhabitants and a total area of 5.25 km2. A 2012 law merged the parish with neighbouring Argivai and Beiriz, becoming the southern parish of the city of Póvoa de Varzim, known as União das Freguesias da Póvoa de Varzim, Beiriz e Argivai. Póvoa de Varzim is densely populated. The medieval town of Varzim was a knights honour and the Port of Varzim was disputed between the local lordship and the early Portuguese kings. Religiously speaking, there is no Póvoa de Varzim parish; it was divided into three parishes in 1935, parochial identity of its main quarters (Bairro Norte, Bairro Sul and Bairro da Matriz) predate this event. Póvoa de Varzim ecclesiastical parish (Santa Maria de Varzim Parish) existed only between 1456 and 1935. Prior to that, and despite the existence of a chapel, it was part of a larger Argivai parish, that still exists as a separate although diminished parish in the city.

Passeio Alegre is a square in Póvoa de Varzim City Center in Portugal, and is listed by IGESPAR as an urban site with public relevance. It is also a beach squared with esplanades and a stage for outdoor performances. Due to the area's popularity in the region, the square is served by two underground parking venues: The one under the extension of Mousinho de Albuquerque Avenue to the north and the one in front of the Casino, to the south. Passeio Alegre can be translated into English as "Glad Stroll".

Grande Hotel da Póvoa, in earlier times Palace Hotel, is a historic hotel located in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It has a modernist style of great impact and is located at Passeio Alegre square, in Póvoa de Varzim City Center waterfront. The façade and cover were designed by architect Rogério de Azevedo, a prominent New State architect, who also designed Casino da Póvoa.

Casino da Póvoa (lit. 'Póvoa Casino') is a casino located in Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. It is a gaming and entertainment venue since the early 1930s. Its building is designed in a Garnier-inspired modernist style and, since 1977, it is listed by IGESPAR, the Portuguese Institute of National Monuments. The table games most popular with gamblers are Banca Francesa, Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat. The casino has several bars, including a live performances bar, restaurants and a theater. Egoísta Restaurant in the Casino offers haute cuisine of local and Portuguese cuisine presented in a gourmet version, the restaurant is surrounded by an art gallery, exhibiting paintings from some of the finest Portuguese artists such as Graça Morais, Júlio Resende, Nikias Skapinakis or Rogério Ribeiro. It is also a patron of Arts with an art prize for Portuguese artists and a notable literature prize for the Portuguese and Spanish-speaking writers from the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America and Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Redonda Beach or Praia Redonda in Portuguese, meaning Round, is a beach on the southwestern coast of Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It is adjacent to Passeio Alegre, in Póvoa de Varzim City Center. The Avenida dos Banhos runs alongside the beach, and the Diana Bar beach library, a nightclub and Café Guarda-sol are located on the beach. The beach has medium sand and little granitic gneiss, typical rocky outcrops on Póvoa de Varzim coastline, the largest concentration is Carvalhido outcrop, which serves as the north limit of the beach. Salgueira Beach is located to the North and the Port of Póvoa de Varzim to the south. These beaches have a specific climate, by showing low diurnal temperature variation, just 4 °C (= 7.2 °F). Compared with the rest of the territory, rainfall is significantly lower and solar irradiation higher. These are subject to the prevailing northern winds which arise in the summer after midday; hence mornings are significantly less windy.

Rua da Junqueira, mostly known simply as Junqueira (European Portuguese: [ʒũˈkɐjɾɐ]), is a traditional shopping street in Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. The street, located in Póvoa de Varzim City Center, it is the main and the oldest shopping street of the city, with several boutiques, some opened for over 100 years, and small shopping centers. Historic architecture was preserved and it is also the most popular tourist area outside the beach in Póvoa de Varzim, attracting millions of visitors. It is a landmark for the city and neighboring areas. Junqueira also refers to the area surrounding this street. In early times it was a fishermen's district.

Avenida Vasco da Gama is a street in the north central area of Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It is one of the main avenues in the city, with hotels, banks, sports areas, bars and is the location in the city with most high-rises. It runs from Avenida do Mar, expansion of the avenue to A28 Motorway (freeway), and Rua Gomes de Amorim (EN 13 National Highway) to Avenida dos Banhos in the waterfront. It has some of Póvoa de Varzim's most famous landmarks such as Touro and Póvoa de Varzim Bullring.

The Castelo da Póvoa (English: Castle of Póvoa), also Fortress of Póvoa de Varzim, officially Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora da Conceição or Nossa Senhora da Conceição Fortress, is a Portuguese fortress in Póvoa de Varzim rebuilt during the reigns of Peter II and John V (between 1701 and 1740) to defend the town from privateers, in the site of an earlier fort known as "Forte de Torrão". It is considered a listed property of Public Interest in Portugal.

The Secondary School Eça de Queirós (Portuguese: Escola Secundária Eça de Queirós) is a secondary school located in the civil parish of Póvoa de Varzim, Beiriz e Argivai, in the Portuguese Norte region, founded on 14 June 1904.

Salgueira Beach (Praia da Salgueira in Portuguese) is an extensive maritime beach of the city Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. The beach has white sand and very few rocks, in the central spot with a northern rocky side, near Buddha Club, known as Praia Azul (Blue Beach). Salgueira is crossed by Banhos Avenue, Póvoa's main waterfront avenue. The beach took the name of a former district and is a classic surfing beach (Póvoa de Varzim spot), very popular amongst bodyboarders, as the waves in the spot are more suitable for bodyboard, but with the high tide it will be good to longboard and surf, suitable for experienced surfers. In earlier times, the local surfer community barely allowed outsiders or beginners to surf in this spot, currently it is open for almost everyone. The southern tip of the beach is known as Carvalhido near Esplanada do Carvalhido — a beach-square, while the northern tip, near Buddah Club, is known as Praia Azul (blue Beach).

Póvoa de Varzim (European Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpɔvu.ɐ ðɨ vɐɾˈzĩ] ) is a Portuguese city in Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, 30 km (18.6 mi) from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho and Douro rivers. In 2001, there were 63,470 inhabitants, with 42,396 living in the city proper. The city expanded southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there are about 100,000 inhabitants in the urban area alone. It is the seventh-largest urban agglomeration in Portugal and the third largest in Northern Portugal. Permanent settlement in Póvoa de Varzim dates back to around four to six thousand years ago. Around 900 BC, unrest in the region led to the establishment of Cividade de Terroso, a fortified city, which developed maritime trade routes with the civilizations of classical antiquity. Modern Póvoa de Varzim emerged after the conquest by the Roman Republic of the city by 138 BC; fishing and fish processing units soon developed, which became the foundations of the local economy. By the 11th century, the fishing industry and fertile farmlands were the economic base of a feudal lordship and Varzim was fiercely disputed between the local overlords and the early Portuguese kings, which resulted in the establishment of the present day's municipality in 1308 and being subjugated to monastic power some years later. Póvoa de Varzim's importance reemerged with the Age of Discovery due to its shipbuilders and merchants proficiency and wealth, who traded around the globe in complex trade routes. By the 17th century, the fish processing industry rebounded and, sometime later, Póvoa became the dominant fishing port in Northern Portugal. Póvoa de Varzim has been a well-known beach resort for over three centuries, the most popular in Northern Portugal, which unfolded an influential literary culture and historical-artistic patronage in music and theater. Casino da Póvoa is one of the few and prominent gambling venues in Portugal. Leisure and health benefits provided in large sandy beaches attracts national and international visitors. Póvoa de Varzim holds other landmarks, especially the traditional Junqueira shopping street, Garrett Theatre, the Ethnography and History Museum, Cividade de Terroso, the Medieval Rates Monastery, Baroque Matriz Church, city Hall and Portuguese vernacular architecture in Praça do Almada, and numerous Portuguese cuisine restaurants that make Póvoa de Varzim popular in all Northern Portugal, which started to attract an international following. Farol da Lapa, Farol de Regufe, the main breakwater of the Port of Póvoa de Varzim, Carvalhido and São Félix Hill are preferred for sightseeing. The city has significant textile and food industries. The town has retained a distinct cultural identity and ancient Norse customs such as the writing system of siglas poveiras, the masseira farming technique and festivals.

Bairro da Matriz (In Portuguese it means Mother/First Church Quarter) is the historical neighbourhood of the Portuguese city of Póvoa de Varzim and part of the Matriz/Mariadeira district. Bairro da Matriz was a significant settlement in the 14th century, whose nucleus was the centre, whence the modern city grew, being a neighbourhood composed by old single family homes.