Imagine working in a world of gilded splendor and royal magnificence. You are here every day, stepping gracefully across the interesting exotic wood floors, guarded by various statues and oil paintings, you have a desk made of the finest wood such as mahogany or rosewood and dozens of painted portraits of former presidents smiling at you (ok, that might be awkward..). Would you like to work in such a place?

The Palácio da Bolsa is a neoclassical building built in the 19^th century on the site of the fire-ruined Convent of S. Francisco. Due to its long duration and quality required, the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa became a true school for the artists who worked there. It took 67 years until the works and decorations of this palace were considered completed, in 1909, shortly before the proclamation of the Republic. To this day, the building is still home to the Chamber of Commerce in Porto, and open to the public.

Facing the Infante Dom Henrique Garden, the palace is not very appealing from the outside. The gray walls, like the cloudy sky at the time of our visit, did not impress us at first. Stepping inside was another story.

The guided tour begins in the Courtyard of Nations. You may feel overwhelmed as you step onto the floor covered in ceramic tiles inspired by Greco-Roman models discovered in Pompeii, under the tall iron and glass dome. It is an impressive structure, hard to match, flanked by 20 coats of arms representing countries with which Portugal had trade relations back in the 19^th century.

A place of wonder, The Noble Staircase is not something to impress you. At first. Once you start climbing the stairs, two chandeliers will immediately catch your eye. Weighting approximately 2 tons each, they are a reminder that this building was one of the first in the city of Porto to be electrified. Once upstairs, you will have little time to admire the decorative details in granite, the flower garlands, fluted pilasters and all the other intricacies and murals.

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In French Renaissance style, the Courtroom is more than a room, that welcomes you to admire all the murals around. The panels of different sizes and themes, allude to the times when the wealth of economic activities began.

After passing by a few regular rooms, such us Telegraph room, or Gustav Eiffel’s cabinet, you might linger longer in the President’s Office. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, of course. The oil paintings, or the exquisite floor carved from exotic wood of Brazilian and African origin strike with their elegance, but also the marble fireplace with two little statues standing out on a side and all the other gilded sophisticated details.

A room that is still used on the first Monday of each month by the Board of Directors of the Porto Commercial Association, the Golden Room is another place that catches your eyes with the uniqueness of the floor pattern and the stucco ceiling.

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The two general meetings of the Porto Commercial Association are held in the General Assembly Room every year. With a one-ton chandelier and brown tones, this room gives off a huge optical illusion of being covered in wood. If you are not made aware that all the surrounding walls are made of plaster, you could easily pass and say that they are all made of wood, although they are not.

A quick peek in The Library is like an invitation to a moment of relaxation, such as the 5 o’clock tea time where you can read a book or chat with your friends. This room was actually used back in the 19^th century by the house associates to read newspapers and consult reports and books with commercial content.

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The Arab Hall, the jewel of the Palace, was inaugurated in 1880 after an 18-year construction period. The most famous room in the palace was inspired by the Alhambra Palace and is the most important (and probably expensive) venue for official or important events in the city of Porto. The pictures don’t really do justice, and the time you could spend in this room might not be enough to allow you to admire the floor, the ceiling and all the Arabic intricacies surrounding the walls and the pillars.

Tip(s) of the day:

* The entrance fee is €14 and a guided tour is mandatory, as the Palace is still in use. Tours are offered in 4 languages (Portuguese, Spanish, French and English) and last approximately 30 minutes;

*Visiting hours are between 9 am to 6:30 pm; very convenient to be visited after 5 pm, when most of other locations close. For more details you can check here.

~ visited in February 2025