[2] It is bordered by the municipalities of Porto to the south, Maia to the east and Vila do Conde to the north and the Atlantic Ocean lies to its west.

The oldest traces of human settlement in this territory extend back thousands of years and include instruments and Paleolithic artifacts found in beaches such as Boa Nova and Almeiriga.

The land's settlement began around 5000 years ago, during the Neolithic, as evidenced from various funeral monuments and dolmens in Lavra, Perafita, Leça do Balio, Santa Cruz do Bispo, Guifões and São Gens.

The navigability of the estuary of the Leça River permitted goods from the Roman Empire to be discharged in the area of Castro of Monte Castelo and distributed to other sites within the region.

During this period, Castro of Monte Castelo was abandoned, while the previous Roman settlement in Angeiras remained populated and included a monastery, as referred in the administrative document Parochiale suevorum.

[7] A settlement gradually grew around the monastery, leading to the creation of the administrative centre of the Julgado de Bouças in the 13th century.

At that time Matosinhos was a humble location, part of the parish of Sandim[citation needed].Also during the 10th century, the Monastery of Leça do Balio was established near Ponte da Pedra.

[4] By the end of the 14th century, the small community of Franciscan friars installed themselves along the beach of Boa Nova, founding the Oratory of São Clement das Penhas.

[7] As people from Matosinhos emigrate to Brazil during the Age of Discoveries, the cult to the image grows abroad, culminating with the founding of the Confraria do São Salvador de Bouças during the 17th century.

[citation needed] Supported by the growing worship and the gold mined in Brazil, the church was remodeled in the 18th century by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni.

In 1862, an obelisk made of granite was inaugurated celebrating this victory, including a speech attributed to the king believed to have said prior to disembarking.

Production and exports of canned fish in Matosinhos rose during the world wars and peaked between 1940 and 1960, when there were a total of 54 factories.

[4][14] The Port of Leixões and the fishing industry contributed to economic development and a growth in resident population and in 1984 Matosinhos became a city.

[18] The international Leixões Cruise Terminal and a large oil refinery of Galp Energia, are located in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos.

In December 2024, the line should reopen for passenger services between Contumil and Leça do Balio, with stops in São Gemil, Arroteia, Hospital S. João and S. Mamede de Infesta.