Vila Nova De Gaia (or just simply Gaia) is situated on the far bank of the Douro from Porto's Ribeira district. Despite its location, Gaia is actually a city in its own right and extends quite some way from the riverside. Although being just at the other end of Porto's famous Dom Luis bridge this is a fairly arbitrary distinction for most visitors.
The mazes of cobbled lanes and alleys beyond the main strip along the riverfront in Vila Nova de Gaia are certainly worth taking some of your time to explore. Not only do they offer an escape from the crowds, but provide a change of scene with some interesting sights. There are a couple of old churches among the warehouses; the 14th century Igreja de Santa Marinha with its Baroque interior and the Convento de Corpus Christi which is now a venue for the arts.
Go to Casita for the best student accommodation in Vila Nova De Gaia. Navigate the different types of student accommodation with our simple and easy-to-use website or search for a specific type using the simple yet advanced filters. Also, most of the rooms on the website offer free Wi-Fi, TVs, secure key access, and access to the fitness centre and other common areas.
Why Book Student Accommodation in Vila Nova De Gaia?
Although often overlooked, stunning views, outstanding beaches, and bright lights are all found in Vila Nova de Gaia, ready to welcome incoming expats. Property prices in Vila Nova de Gaia are affordable and the area is becoming a vibrant place to live, with ample beaches to visit and top-quality luxury restaurants to sample. An extra perk is that the town is less busy than Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city that's just next to Gaia. Investors are rest assured knowing that this is one of the up-and-coming regions in the country.
Additionally, Vila Nova De Gaia is home to 4 of the best educational institutions in the country where students can choose between different subjects and fields of study to major in. These include Business Administration, Tourism, Engineering, Psychology, Music, and more.
Universities in Vila Nova De Gaia
Higher Polytechnic Institute of Gaya
Casita has 5 accommodation options within walking distance to the university.
There are 4 bus stops close to campus; Makro is just a 3-minute walk away.
Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar is just a 9-minute car ride away.
Polytechnic Institute of Management and Technology
Our 5 accommodation options are all within walking distance of the university.
More than 5 bus stops surround the campus; Barrosa is just a minute walk away.
Miradouro das Fontainhas is just a 13-minute car ride away.
Conservatory of Music of Gaia
Casita’s 5 accommodation options are within walking distance to campus.
There are 4 bus stops surrounding campus; both Barrosa and Alféres Pereira are a 3-minute walk away.
Porto Legends is just an 11-minute car ride away.
Must-Visit Places in Vila Nova De Gaia
On a terrace looking down on the Dom Luís I Bridge and the Douro is the 16th-century Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar that is included in Porto’s World Heritage Site. This is Gaia’s most important landmark and is an energizing place to be, day or night. There’s an uplifting perspective of the Douro from here and you can see a great deal of Porto and both banks of the river, as far as the modern Arrábida Bridge to the west. The monastery itself dates to the 16th century, with a church decorated with 18th-century gilded altarpieces and polychrome sculptures of the saints Augustine, Apollonia, and Eulalia.
The Teleférico de Gaia is a cable car that was opened in 2011 and rides just over half a kilometre up and down the high south bank of the Douro. The upper terminal is the Serra do Pilar monastery, and this is the station that people crossing from Porto will use. From there you’ll be flown, 50 metres above the port lodges and warehouses, down to the water’s edge at Avenida Ramos Pinto. The journey takes five minutes, which is plenty of time to get some snaps of the river, the Dom Luís I Bridge, and Gaia’s timeless cityscape.
The Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes is a museum to the sculptor António Teixeira Lopes who was native to Vila Nova de Gaia. His work is dotted all around the Porto area. In 1895, his brother designed a palatial atelier for him to work in. This now houses the museum, which as well as holding many of Teixeira Lopes’ works also gives you an introduction to Portuguese art of the past 200 years. You can see sculptures by António Soares dos Reis and José Sousa Caldas, along with paintings by the rococo court painter Vieira Lusitano or the 19th-century naturalist José Malhoa.
The Dom Luís I Bridge is your link with Porto. This metallic bridge is one of the city’s international identifiers and broke records when it was completed in 1886. The bridge was designed by Théophile Seyrig, who had co-founded the Eiffel Company in 1868. One of many innovative features at the time was the inclusion of two levels: Today the upper level is for Porto’s light railway system and pedestrians, while the lower section is for road traffic, with a footpath provided there as well.
Transportation in Vila Nova De Gaia
You can get around Vila Nova de Gaia using buses. There are 7 bus lines; these are 007, 01, 014, 215, 244, 4082, and 904. There is also a metro (subway) service that you can use to get around the city.
Nearby Student Accommodation In Portugal
Casita offers student accommodation in other Portugal cities besides having facilities for student accommodation in Vila Nova De Gaia. Some of these cities are:
Azores, Braga, Lisbon, and Porto.