Porto

Porto is a city in northwestern Portugal filled with baroque churches, steep bell towers, medieval ruins, colorful tiled houses, grand bridges, and some incredible cuisine. Porto has as many cultural offerings as many larger global cities, if not more, and it is the birthplace of sweet port wine. Porto often isn’t on the radar of many visitors who travel to Europe or Portugal, but it should be.

Where To Stay
Porto is not a large, spread out city, so booking accommodations anywhere within the city is central. This city is easy to navigate, and the sites are all within walking distance of each other. An efficient underground metro connects the center of the city to outlying areas. While accommodations are available all throughout the city, staying nearer to the river can offer visitors some rewarding views, especially at sunset.

What To Do

• Gastronomy
  Home to the incredibly delicious, mouth-watering Francesinha sandwich and many other delectable dishes, Porto is a hidden gem for food lovers. I cannot wait to go back!

• Ribeira District
  Narrow streets lined with intricately tiled houses lead out to a beautiful boardwalk along the Douro River. Many local venders sell interesting souvenirs along the riverside of this UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a great place to walk around and people watch.
• Livrari Lello
  One of Porto’s oldest bookstores, it is rumored to have inspired the Harry Potter’s library in Hogwarts (JK Rowling previously lived in Porto).
• Palacio da Bolsa
  This beautiful Neoclassical style palace near the riverside and Ribeira was built in the 19th century. It is open daily during the summer only from 09-18:30, and during the winter it is open daily from 09-12:30, 14-17:30.
• Churches, Churches, Churches!
  There is no shortage of churches in Porto. This city is lined with beautiful, historic churches such as Igreja de São Francisco and Igreja do Carm.

• Ponte de D. Luis
  In 1886, a student of Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris) constructed this beautiful two-level bridge that connects Porto to Gaia.
• Gaia
  Take a stroll across the river on the Ponte de D. Luis Bridge and explore the quaint Gaia. There are plenty of bars, restaurants, shops, cafes, and my personal favorite, port wine bars.

• Port Wine
  Typically served as a dessert wine elsewhere in the world, vinho do Porto is enjoyed at any time of the day in Portugal. Originating in Porto and the surrounding areas, the best selection of sweet wines in this area of the country.