Junqueira (Póvoa de Varzim)

Junqueira is a shopping street located in downtown Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal.

Junqueira ("rua da Junqueira") is a street that runs from the civic center locaded in Almada Square to the waterfront in a perpendicular east-west axis. It has been solely pedestrian since 1955. It is rich in 19th century and early 20th century buildings. Some of the nearby streets have also become pedestrian. This busy traditional street is renowned, nationwide, for its jewelery.

Shops are located in the ground floor of the houses and the remaining floors are used as a residence. These houses often have old Portuguese-style façades, and the street is very narrow in order to provide some protection to the people in the street from the prevailing wind, but also providing shade during the summer and protecting from winter rain.

Junqueira has squares in both ends: República Square ("Praça da República") in the east end; and another located near the waterfront — the David Alves Square ("Largo David Alves").

Junqueira probably takes its name from juncaceae that was found there before being urbanized in the 18th century. It is thought that Junqueira was wetland. Some old bridge ruins were found in the waterfront when the casino underground parking lot was being constructed in late 1990s. These ruins reinforce this theory. In the street, during a rehabilitation, some ancient Roman ruins were also found, proving that it was already inhabited during the Roman age.