Parque Urbano de Geão

The Parque Urbano de Geão opened in September 2019 on about 7 hectares (68,800 m²) of valley along the River Sanguinhedo, next to Santo Tirso’s municipal library. The council built it to link the east and west of the town, from the Ponte Velha area to Fontiscos, and it cost about €1.8 million.

For families it has four things worth the trip: a sizeable concrete skate park, a children’s playground, a street workout area, and, since 2026, a sensory garden. Walking and cycle paths of about 1.5 km run through the whole park, crossing the river, so a child on a bike or balance bike can ride from one end to the other while you walk.

The council planted native trees and shrubs and restored the riverbanks, some of them with natural engineering methods such as rock and living branch work. Three sculptures from the Museu Internacional de Escultura Contemporânea ao Ar Livre, Santo Tirso’s open-air sculpture museum, stand along the paths.

The skate park came first. It’s about 1,200 m² of concrete and, according to the builder, has room for about 90 riders at once. The council says it is for skateboards, BMX and inline skates.

It was designed by Skatelopez, the studio of the skater and architect Francisco Lopez, and it has two parts:

• A street zone that copies the obstacles skaters look for in town: stairs, handrails, sloping planes, benches and ledges to slide along. The obstacles come in different levels of difficulty, so beginners and experienced riders both have something to try.
• A bowl with walls of different heights and several angled hips, which lets each rider choose their own line and speed. The designer describes it as a place for new riders to learn and for experienced ones to improve.

A jump box with a small step-up links the bowl to the street zone, so riders can leave the bowl and carry on without stopping.

The park’s play space sits in an open clearing with natural ground cover rather than hard paving, next to the outdoor gym and street workout bars. The council doesn’t list the individual play equipment, so we can’t tell you which slides or climbing frames you’ll find. It’s a neighbourhood playground within a larger park, which is handy when one child wants the skate park and another wants swings.

The newest part of the park is the Jardim Sensorial, opened in 2026 as part of the council’s Viver Mais project. It has sensory panels, an outdoor xylophone, a pergola of colours, textured paving and planted beds you can touch and smell. The paths are adapted for people with reduced mobility, and there’s a map in relief and information in braille.

The garden was designed mainly for therapy sessions with older people from local care organisations, run by psychologists and occupational therapists. It’s also a calm corner for a child who needs a break from the noise of the skate park, and small children can have a go on the xylophone.

Toddlers can use the playground, the sensory garden and the paths in a buggy. Children of 4 to 7 get the playground, the xylophone and room to ride a bike or scooter on the paths. From about 8, a child who skates, rides BMX or uses inline skates will find the skate park the main event. Teenagers who already ride will find the bowl and the jump box plenty to work on.

The council doesn’t publish opening hours, lighting or rules for the skate park, and there’s no information about toilets or a café inside the park, so bring water. Helmets and pads are sensible on concrete this size whatever the rules say. The skate park is for skateboards, BMX and inline skates; if your child rides a scooter, check on site whether scooters are welcome. There’s little shade over any skate park, so skip the middle of the day in summer.

Santo Tirso’s indoor council pool is at the municipal sports complex; see Piscina Municipal de Santo Tirso. For another skate park in the Porto area, the covered Skatepark de Gondomar runs free council lessons from age 6.

Is the skate park in Santo Tirso free?

Yes. It’s part of a public council park with free entry.

Is there a bowl at the skate park in Santo Tirso?

Yes. There’s a bowl with walls of different heights and hips, linked to the street zone by a jump box.

Is there a playground in Parque Urbano de Geão?

Yes. There’s a children’s play area in the park, next to a street workout area.

Can you take a buggy or wheelchair?

The park has walking and cycle paths designed for accessible use, and the sensory garden has adapted paths, a relief map and braille information.