Porto has long been a hot destination for wine lovers — it's the go-to place to find the best of that sweet, tasty port wine.
But this city by the sea has more to offer
than vinho. Porto (or Oporto, as it's sometimes called) is an attractive
European mini-metropolis on Portugal's northwestern coast where travelers can
get their fill of culture and the outdoors.
Travelers can visit the city's
wealth of museums, admire its varied architecture and, of course, hit the
beach.
The city
earns its nickname Cidade das Pontes, or "City of Bridges," from the
six arches spanning the Rio Douro (Douro River), which runs along Porto's
southern edge.
Views of the Douro River are best enjoyed from the Dom Luís I
Bridge, the most iconic of Porto's six structures. From here you can get a
sense of Porto's unique charm, from its colorful UNESCO World Heritage historic
district to the north to the neighboring town of Vila Nova de Gaia just south,
where you'll find the region's infamous wineries. You could spend a long
weekend or a week here strolling the city, discovering the contemporary art in
the Serralves Foundation complex and appreciating the history behind Porto's old
churches like the Sé and Igreja de São Francisco.
No matter what you choose to
see and do in this captivating city, you'll leave with an appreciation of
Porto's diverse offerings, some great photos and, hopefully, a bottle or two of
its best wine.