Porto

Lucia Sanchez, Staff Writer

Porto is the charming and fascinating capital of the north.The second largest city in the country, it’s located at the mouth of the Douro River.The city has the perfect size for tourist, and it’s possible to walk pretty much everywhere. If you get tired, the public transportation is easy to use and efficient. Porto is rapidly developing into a respected tourist destination and with the increase of low cost flights it is becoming a popular alternative city break destination.

Porto offers beautiful churches, historic buildings and relaxing cruises along the river.As one of Europe’s oldest cities, it displays a wealth of cultural and historical attractions. For longer holidays to Porto there are pretty beaches and interesting day trips, all easily reached by train.

The city’s Cais da Ribeira riverfront, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is its center and its most picturesque part. The area has a mix of ancient narrow streets, alleyways with centuries-old buildings and the waterfront, that’s filled with Rabelo boats and river excursion ships. The riverfront area comes alive in the evening when numerous cafés, bars, and restaurants open, the best part is being able to watch the wonderful sunset while having dinner or just drinking some coffee.

Here there are some of the most popular attractions:

1. Vila Nova de Gaia: Vila Nova de Gaia is situated just across the Douro from Porto and is woven into the city’s fabric both by a series of bridges as well as its shared history of port-wine making. The most popular tourist attraction in Gaia are the Port Wine Cellars, warehouses where the famous Port wine is stored.

2. Ribeira: Many travelers to Porto begin their visit in the Ribeira, the medieval historic district located near the Duoro River. With its many seafood restaurants and taverns, the Ribeira Pier is a popular gathering spot. It’s also a departure point for cruises on the river and for boat rides to the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.

3. Livraria Lello: Along with an inventory of more than 60,000 books, an exuberant mix of Art Deco and Gothic Revival architectural styles makes the Livraria Lello one of the most famous bookstores in Europe. Rumored to have provided inspiration for author J.K. Rowling, who worked as an English teacher in Porto when writing the Harry Potter books, the bookstore is now visited by fans of the series from all over the world.

4. Palacio da Bolsa: Funded by the Porto’s commercial association, the palace was built as a stock exchange and was designed to impress Europe’s economic leaders. Several architects worked on the building during its nearly 70-year construction period. Designed in a Moorish style by Gustavo Adolfo Gonçalves e Sousa, the Arab Room is a highlight for any tour of the palace. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Porto.