Monuments by renowned architects, a world-famous wine, and a spectacular setting:
Portugal's charismatic second city
Porto, rising on the north bank of the Douro River, is Portugal's second
largest city.
Its magnificent setting, together with a number of imposing baroque
monuments and a colorful old quarter, make it a highly atmospheric city that
guarantees a pleasant visit.
Often called Oporto in English (deriving from "o porto," "the port"),
it has a certain British atmosphere, especially when looking across the
river to Vila Nova de Gaia, with all the English names of the warehouses
that store the country's internationally celebrated Port Wine (more information at
Go Oporto's wine section. You can also see
a brief history of this wine on the GoLisbon wine page).
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Porto has always prospered from commerce, and is still a thriving
industrial center today. It is quite different from Lisbon, with a soul of its
own and a variety of architectural styles. The old medieval quarter of the
city has been declared a World Heritage Site, and in 2001 it was named a
European Capital of Culture. These designations were incentives to renovate
the historical center, which took place for several of the last few years.
The heart of the city is the imposing Avenida dos Aliados,
a sloping boulevard lined with grand buildings and a central promenade.
At the top of the avenue stands the Town Hall, a
palatial building with a tall bell tower.
At the other end of the avenue is Praça da Liberdade, a square
adorned with a statue of King Pedro IV on a horse.
From Praça da Liberdade, the 18th century baroque Church and Tower of
Clérigos can be seen to the west. The 75m (248ft)-high tower is the
city's most famous landmark, and the 240-step climb is worth it for the
bird's-eye views over the city. The church itself predates the tower, and
is an elaborate example of Italianate baroque architecture by 18th century architect Nicolau Nasoni.
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Allow 2 days to fully experience Porto.
You can also make it your base to visit other cities in the north of
Portugal, such as Braga, Guimarães,
or Viana do
Castelo. Use the form below to seach for accommodation.
More hotel options here.
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A few steps away is the 18th century Carmo Church,
a characteristic example of Portuguese Baroque and notable for a huge tile
mural covering one outside wall. Heading west from there, past the
neoclassical Santo Antonio Hospital, one finds the Soares dos Reis
Museum. Housed in a grand 18th century neoclassical mansion that once
belonged to King Pedro V, it is named after 19th century artist Soares dos
Reis, whose sculpture "O Desterrado" ("The Exile"), is the museum's
most prized piece. The collection also includes 19th century naturalistic
paintings, fine Bohemian glass, and Vista Alegre porcelain.
A short walk past the museum is the Jardim do Palácio de Cristal,
a beautiful park dominated by a huge domed glass building that serves as a
sports arena.
Back in the center, east of Avenida dos Aliados, is the main shopping
district. Along the pedestrian Rua de Santa Catarina are
international shops and Via Catarina, a shopping mall with an
attractive food court. Another shopping street is Rua Sá da Bandeira
(parallel to Santa Catarina), and between them lies the two-tier covered
Bolhão Market, a noisy and exuberant market selling everything from
fresh fruit to household goods.
At the end of Rua de Santa Catarina is Praça da Batalha ("Batalha
Square"), with the baroque Church of Santo Ildefonso covered in blue
and white tiles, and the impressive São João National Theater.
From there, Rua 31 de Janeiro leads back towards Avenida dos Aliados and
São Bento Station,
a train station with magnificent tile panels depicting the history of
transportation in the entrance hall.
The city's cathedral, a fortress-like structure originally built
in the 12th century, can be seen from outside the station. It was where
King João I married the English Philippa of Lancaster in 1387, the year
after the Treaty of Windsor was signed with England.
It has a superb 17th-century silver altarpiece located in the north transept
to the left of the high altar, and the opposite transept gives access to a
set of gothic cloisters decorated with 18th-century tiles depicting the
Life of the Virgin and Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Behind the cathedral is the former Archbishops' Palace, an
imposing building built in 1771 with an impressive 60m (197 ft)-long façade,
now occupied by civic offices.
East of the cathedral is Santa Clara Church, once part of a 15th
century convent. It has a fine Renaissance portal and opulent gilded
woodwork in the interior.
Between the cathedral and São Bento Station is Rua das Flores,
perhaps Porto's most romantic street. It is bordered with traditional shops
(including many of the city's best jewelers and goldsmiths), 18th-century
houses with striking coats-of-arms adorning the façades and wrought-iron
balconies, and the 18th-century baroque Misericordia Church.
Descending towards the river is Ribeira,
the old fishermen's district and its medieval maze of steep, narrow streets.
It is the city's poorest but most atmospheric quarter with a web of alleys
and leaning buildings. It comes alive at night with dozens of cafes, bars,
and restaurants by the riverfront. It is impossible to avoid a stop at
Cais da Ribeira, the riverfront square, to soak up the old world
atmosphere, with colorful houses facing the river and the landmark Dom
Luis I Bridge.
Built in 1886, the bridge leads directly to Vila Nova de Gaia and its span
of 172m (564ft) provides a nearly magical view of the city.
Another outstanding bridge is Dona Maria Pia Bridge, built by the
famous French architect Gustave Eiffel (of the Eiffel Tower) in 1877, entirely made of metal and with a
single arch.
Moving back uphill are two of the city's most impressive monuments,
São Francisco Church,
and Palacio da Bolsa.
Complete with massive staircases, a library, a "president's room", and a
"portraits room", Palácio da Bolsa looks like a former royal palace. In
reality, this neoclassical building is the former stock exchange, built in
1834. The architectural highlight is the Arabian Hall, with a stupendously
intricate decoration modeled after the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
Behind Palácio da Bolsa is São Francisco Church,
housing one of the country's most incredible displays of Baroque and Rococo
gilt decoration. Outside it looks like an ordinary 14th century Gothic
construction, but the jaw-dropping 18th century interior with over 200kg
(450 lb) of gold adorning the richly ornamented altars, pillars and ceiling,
is stunning. The wealth of decoration so shocked the clergy that worship
was discontinued in the church.
To the north is the city's top contemporary attraction, the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art.
Temporary exhibitions occupy a
remarkable white building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect
Álvaro Siza Vieira, while a pink Art Deco mansion located in the 44-acre park also exhibits cutting-edge contemporary art.
The spacious and pleasant sculpted gardens are perfect for a stroll.
For more contemporary architecture, take a look at the striking ultra-modern
Casa da Musica by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas.
Opened in 2005 to great acclaim, it grabbed attention mostly for its
architecture and design (Conde Nast Traveler listed it as one of "the
next seven wonders" in architecture in its April 2006 issue), while the
New York Times praised it as one of the best music venues in the
world in the last century.
But the city's main attraction remains the river and the wine.
Although
the grapes for Port Wine are grown in the Douro Valley
(the world's first demarcated wine region), the aging process takes place in
Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto. Around 20 lodges are open
to visitors, offering guided tours of the cellars, where the production
process is explained and the wine can be sampled.
There is no pressure to buy a bottle, but all the companies will be glad to
sell them.
The tourist office on the waterfront provides a map and a list of lodges.
Two of the most popular are Sandeman (which also includes a
museum and a slide show) and Taylor's.
There are fantastic views of what undoubtedly is one of the most
beautiful cityscapes of any European city from Cais de Gaia, the
riverfront promenade with a variety of restaurants, ranging from the contemporary
to the traditional, with international and Portuguese cuisine. That's the
perfect setting to end a visit to Porto, a city that has much more to sample
than just its famous wine.
See also GoOporto.com - Porto, Portugal Sights and Hotels Guide
UNESCO says...
Porto was declared a World Heritage Site
because:
"The site is of outstanding universal value as the urban fabric and
its many historic buildings bear remarkable testimony to the development
over the past thousand years of a European city that looks outward to the
west for its cultural and commercial links."
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GETTING AROUND: It is best to tour the city on foot, using the new modern metro to reach sights away from the center, and
taking a bus or taxi to the Serralves Museum.
MEMORABLE STOPS: You can't leave Porto without a stop at the lovely turn-of-the-century
shops around the city: Take a break at the splendidly ornate Café
Majestic on Rua de Santa Catarina, the main pedestrian shopping
street.
Dating from the 1920s, this cafe is complete with magnificent chandeliers,
leather upholstery, marble-top tables, and huge art deco mirrors. Also
don't miss the wonderful art nouveau Lello & Irmão bookshop
(arguably one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world) at Rua das
Carmelitas near the Clérigos Tower. Behind its neo-Gothic façade are carved
bookcases and a spiral staircase leading up to exquisite reading rooms.
CRUISING THE DOURO: Porto can be a starting point to one of Portugal's most romantic
experiences. Douro River cruises depart regularly from Cais da
Ribeira and Cais de Gaia, going all the way to the World Heritage Douro Valley.
ANNUAL EVENTS: The best time to visit the city is in June, when the St. John
Festival takes place on the 23rd and 24th. There are also other
cultural festivals throughout the year such as the Fantasporto
International Film Festival in February and the International Celtic
Festival in April.
RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTLIFE: The young and trendy locals know that some of the most sophisticated
restaurants and clubs in the area are outside the city in the suburb of
Matosinhos, just a short and inexpensive taxi ride away. Join them at
D'Oliva (Rua Brito e Cunha, 354; Tel: +351 22 935 1005), a
stylish restaurant in a former factory serving a mostly Italian menu, and Estado Novo (Rua Sousa
Aroso, 772; Tel: +351 22 938 5989), a club in a former warehouse with a huge
dancefloor.
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1. Walking across the bottom level of Dom Luis Bridge to Vila
Nova de Gaia for the magical views of the city and river, and to learn about
the history and process of making Port Wine by sampling it at one of the
several lodges.
2. A drink or a meal at one of the riverfront restaurants in Cais
da Ribeira and Cais de Gaia before or after a river
cruise.
3. Strolling through the delightful Serralves gardens after
visiting one of the museum's exhibitions in its remarkable modern building,
and checking out the cultural events taking place in the striking Casa da
Musica.
4. Visiting the stunning interiors of São Francisco Church
and Palacio da Bolsa.
5. Ending the sightseeing with a drink at the charming Café
Majestic.
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Places Nearby
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Amarante
- Handsome town by the river; a 16th century convent
Lamego
- Baroque sanctuary; World Heritage landscape by the Douro
Braga -
The city of Baroque; the Portuguese Episcopal capital; a monumental
staircase
Guimarães
- The country's first capital with a medieval heart; a fascinating Celtic
archeological site
Vila
Real - A delightful baroque palace
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