How does it actually work?

Pick your group, tap WhatsApp, send the ready-made message. A person - not a bot - reads it and gets you into the chat, typically within hours and always inside 48. There's no download, no login screen, and it never costs you anything.

Yes, and it stays that way. No charge for joining any Porto People Club group. We don't sell your number, we don't let spam through, and there's no advertising inside the chats.

Can I join more than one group?

As many as you like. Hiking the Douro at sunrise doesn't disqualify you from the Wine & Foodies chat that night - most members belong to somewhere between 2 and 4 groups at once.

What's the group size? Won't it be spammy?

Membership is hard-capped at 250 per group, and it's actively watched. Post a crypto link or a sales pitch and it's gone within minutes. This runs as members talking to each other, full stop.

I'm only in Porto for 5 days. Worth joining?

Five days is exactly the length this group is built for. Tourists - 10 Days gets you to a welcome dinner fast, splits the airport ride, and puts a dozen locals in your corner pointing out what's actually worth your time.

I don't have WhatsApp. Another option?

No good substitute exists - Porto's whole day-to-day, from Uber drivers to wine-tour bookings, already runs on WhatsApp. If you can't install it, use the contact page instead and we'll see what's possible.

Are these groups safe? Vetted?

One intro message gets you in the door: a photo, your first name, your home country, the group you want. Anyone flagged for scams or harassment is removed, no debate. We're residents and travelers running a community, not renting out a directory.

Porto People Club is run by people who've made Porto their home, plus regular visitors, united by one idea: nobody should feel alone here. It grew from a single WhatsApp group in 2021 to ten now - still a labor of love, never a company.

All communities

Community

Business Travelers

You will not stay alone. The Porto Business Travelers community is already waiting.

Join the group Who is in it

About this group

Conferences, networking dinners, fast intros.

Here on business - a conference, a client visit, a team off-site - and looking to make the trip count beyond the meetings. Between early breakfasts, flexible lunches, and a Thursday networking dinner, most people leave with more than they came with.

Group vibe

Direct, well-networked, conscious of everyone's flight times. The useful half of LinkedIn, in person.

Members

Who is in this group.

Example members. Real archetypes drawn from the people who already meet up here.

Karim, 39

From Dubai

VC, in Porto for Web Summit season, wants 10 intros in 5 days.

Sarah, 44

From Singapore

Bank exec, quarterly off-site in Aliados, runs morning breakfasts.

Rohan, 36

From Bangalore

Agency founder, 4-day trip, books Base Porto sunset networking nights.

Isabel, 41

From Lisbon

Startup COO, team off-site at Alfândega Porto, looking for local co-founders.

What we do

What happens in the chat.

Thursday networking dinner (rotating Foz do Douro and Ribeira venues, 15-25 people)
Morning 'ask-me-anything' breakfast at 7am - one guest, 10 founders
Coworking drop-in coordination at Selina, Impact Hub, and Porto i/o
Conference meetup threads (Web Summit, Porto Tech Hub, NOS Alive season)
Introduction requests: post what you need, someone knows someone

Before you join

Quick answers.

Is it free to join?: Yes. All ten Porto People Club communities are free. No hidden fees.
How fast do I get added?: Usually same day, always within 48 hours. You will send a quick intro message before being added.
Can I leave whenever?: Of course. Leave the WhatsApp group any time. No questions, no guilt.
Will the chat be spammy?: Each group is capped around 250 members with active moderation. Promotional or off-topic messages get removed.