Póvoa de Varzim City Center

The greater downtown area also called "Centro" can also include most districts part of Póvoa de Varzim Parish.

Downtown, as defined by the City Hall, is arranged around Praça do Almada, the civic center, and extends in all directions for a number of blocks, including Junqueira shopping street, Passeio Alegre waterfront square, Mouzinho de Albuquerque business avenue, and Praça Marquês de Pombal (market square).

Praça do Almada, the civic center, is landscaped in an egg-shape, cut in half by the National Highway 13, and is tipped by buildings with local style.

The queen ordered Corregedor Almada to reorganize the town's layout given Póvoa's prosperity and importance in the fishing sector.

In the late 19th century and under the visions of David Alves, when Póvoa de Varzim was already a prosperous beach resort, sections of the urbanized area, which didn't grow in an orderly way, were demolished to give way for Mousinho de Albuquerque Avenue, linking Passeio Alegre Square to uptown's Dores Square (Largo das Dores), where mansions for the wealthy beach goers started being built.

During the late 20th century, some of the mansions and Orfeão Poveiro music hall ruins were destroyed to give rise to multifamily homes.

Centering the plaza, the Chinês Saloon appeared in 1882 and became popular all over the country and the most famous casino of Póvoa alongside Café David.

City Hall, in Almada Square, dressed with Póvoa de Varzim municipal flags.
Póvoa de Varzim City Center within Póvoa de Varzim urban area.
The Rua da Junqueira shopping street.
Largo David Alves .
Passeio Alegre beachfront.
Bank headquarters in Dores Square .
Pillory of Póvoa de Varzim.
Downtown skyline in the mid-19th century.
Mouzinho de Albuquerque avenue.