Espinho, Portugal


Espinho, officially the City of Espinho, is a city and a municipality located in the Aveiro District, Portugal. It is located in both the Greater Porto and the Metropolitan Area of Porto, 16 km from its city centre. It is one of the smallest municipalities in Portugal and was, until 1899, part of the Santa Maria da Feira Municipality.
In 2021, Espinho had a population of 31,027, a slight decrease from the previous census in 2011, when 31,786 were registered, in an area of 21.06 km2.
The current mayor is Jorge Ratola, elected by the PSD.
It is a beach resort and a zone of legal gambling with a casino - Casino Solverde. Its fair - Feira de Espinho, having been first organised in 1894, is well known in Portugal. The city is home to CINANIMA - Festival Internacional de Cinema de Animação, an international animation festival, and , an international film festival. The municipal holiday is June 16.

Sports

Volleyball
The city, known as the volleyball capital in Portugal, is the home of nine Portuguese sports clubs: Novasemente/Cavalinho, Sporting Clube de Silvalde, Associação Desportiva de Anta, Clube de Voleibol de Espinho, Sporting Clube de Espinho, Associação Académica de Espinho, Academia de Ténis de Espinho, Clube de Ténis de Espinho and Associação Desportiva Rio Largo.
Sporting Clube de Espinho and Associação Académica de Espinho are regular presences in the Portuguese Volleyball First Division. The first one is the Portuguese team with more titles and the second one was once national champion.
Football
Sporting Clube de Espinho plays in Campeonato Nacional de Seniores, the third football championship in Portugal.
Former Portugal national football team player Fernando Couto, coach Vítor Pereira, the Olympic medalist António Leitão and volleyball players, such as Miguel Maia and João Brenha, were born in Espinho.
Beach Volleyball
The city hosted the , between the 28th and 30 July. Espinho also hosted the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 2019, between the 16th and 21 July.
Beach Soccer
The city hosted the 2015 [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup], between the 9th and 19 July.
Surf
Surf event Espinho Surf Destination is an annual event held in Espinho, organized by the World Surf League.
Golf
The oldest golf club in Portugal and Spain, Oporto Golf Club, is also located in Espinho.

Demographics

Espinho is also home to a significant Madeiran immigrant community.

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes :
  • Anta e Guetim
  • Espinho
  • Paramos
  • Silvalde

    Cities and towns

  • Espinho
  • Silvalde
  • Anta
  • Paramos
  • Guetim
  • Esmojães

    Notable people

Politics