Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Northern Region and sub-region of Greater Porto. It is the northernmost district in the Porto Metropolitan Area. The municipality has 81,94 km² of surface area, and is divided in twelve civil parishes with 63 469 inhabitants. It was firstly mentioned in 953 during the first county of Portugal, it received its foral from King Denis in 1308 and, later, a second one from King Manuel I in 1514. Its greater development was due to the fact it became the main harbour in northern Portugal in the 18th century and the construction of a railway connecting it to Porto in the end of the 19th century that postponed the city as the greatest tourist centre of the Northern Region due to its large beaches and because it is one of the few authorized gambling areas in Portugal. It also developed due to its textile and food industry.