Porto, also known in English as Oporto, is Portugal's commercial city par excellence and its capital do norte, the capital of the north, as opposed to Lisbon further south. Since ancient times it has been synonymous with maritime trade: both the city's name and the country's come from the Roman port of Portus Cale. The municipality has about 232,000 inhabitants and lies on the Douro, the river that inland waters the hills where the famous port wine is made.
A little history
Porto is also called the Cidade Invicta, the unconquered city, for withstanding sieges over the centuries, including during the liberal wars of the nineteenth century. In the Middle Ages it benefited from the crusaders sailing to the Holy Land, while the explorations of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries brought it to its height: part of the fleet that took Ceuta in 1415 was fitted out in Porto, and Prince Henry the Navigator, the driving force behind the great discoveries, was born here in 1394. Later the city developed the wine trade with England, Portugal's oldest ally, which by the seventeenth century was among the most prosperous in Europe.
The historic centre and the Sé
The historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, is wonderfully picturesque. The best view is earned by climbing the two hundred-plus steps of the Clérigos Tower, an eighteenth-century Baroque bell tower designed by the Tuscan architect Nicolau Nasoni, who left his mark on many of the city's buildings. From the top the view stretches from the cathedral to the beaches of Foz do Douro, where the river meets the ocean.
The Sé do Porto, the cathedral, began as a fortress church in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and was altered many times: look for the rose window, the Gothic cloister lined with azulejos and Nasoni's grand staircase. Nearby, São Bento station has some twenty thousand azulejos in its hall, painted by Jorge Colaço in the early twentieth century with scenes from Portuguese history. Around the cathedral, the Barredo district keeps its medieval character.
Ribeira, golden churches and the Palácio da Bolsa
Ribeira, along the Douro, is the most characterful district: steep lanes, colourful facades, washing hanging out to dry and restaurants on the Cais da Ribeira. On the river float the barcos rabelos, square-sailed boats that once carried barrels of wine from the Douro valley to the cellars.
A short walk away are the Church of São Francisco, Gothic outside and entirely lined inside with carved, gilded Baroque woodwork, including the famous Tree of Jesse, and the neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa, the old stock exchange, famous for its lavish Arab Room. In Rua das Flores, the Casa da Misericórdia holds the sixteenth-century Fons Vitae panel.
Bridges, Gaia and the port cellars
Porto is a city of bridges. The best known is the two-level iron Dom Luís I Bridge, opened in 1886 and designed by Théophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel: the metro and pedestrians cross the upper deck, with a spectacular view. A little upstream stands the Maria Pia railway bridge, built in 1877 by Eiffel's company. On the opposite bank, in Vila Nova de Gaia, the historic port wine cellars (caves) line the river, almost all open for tours and tastings.
Baixa, Bolhão and Boavista
The Baixa, around Avenida dos Aliados and the city hall, is the commercial heart. Here you will find the Bolhão Market, the historic market reborn after its restoration, the Café Majestic, an Art Nouveau gem, and Livraria Lello, one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world (entry by ticket). The university area around the Cordoaria gardens and Rua de Santa Catarina are perfect for shopping. Further west, Boavista is the modern residential area, with Rem Koolhaas's Casa da Música and the Serralves Foundation, with its contemporary art museum and large park. Don't miss the gardens of the Palácio de Cristal, overlooking the Douro.
Food, nightlife and festivals
Porto's nightlife is among the liveliest in the country, especially along the Ribeira, in Gaia and around Galerias de Paris. At the table, besides fish, try tripas à moda do Porto, a tripe and bean stew that earned locals the nickname tripeiros, and the francesinha, a hearty sandwich of meats and cheese covered in a hot tomato and beer sauce.
The best-loved festival is São João, on the night of 23 to 24 June: the whole city takes to the streets with plastic hammers, grilled sardines, fireworks over the Douro and bonfires until dawn.
Practical tips
Francisco Sá Carneiro airport is linked to the centre by metro (line E): all the details are on the Porto airport page. You will walk a lot here, up slopes and stairways; the metro, historic trams and the Guindais funicular help. From Porto, boat and train trips head into the Douro valley, a UNESCO site, and Braga, Guimarães and Lamego are easy to reach.