Gondomar is a municipality just east of Porto. It’s a sizeable chunk of land, pushing from the eastern quarters of the city out into the countryside, and running along the right bank of the Douro for several kilometres. The area has opulent Baroque churches to poke around in, and a gorgeous garden that blooms with camellias in spring.
In the summer Gondomar has beaches beside the river, and despite being in the Porto Metropolitan Area there’s secluded woodland for walks on mountain ranges streaked with scientific and historical interest.
Due to its location, rents are cheaper than in the centre of Porto. You can easily reach the city centre by catching the metro or any of the several buses that serve this area.