Porto Hotels

Porto Guide

General Information

The City

One of the most picturesque cities in Europe, Porto is cut from a rocky gorge near the mouth of the River Douro, its pastel houses and baroque churches descending in a delightful jumble to the water. Portugal's second city, Porto is more correctly called 'O Porto', meaning 'the port' and lends not only the nation but also the drink of port wine their names. It has not traditionally been a tourist-orientated city and is notably proud of its hard-working image, its unofficial moto being 'While Lisbon shows off, Porto works'. That means, however, that it remains largely unspoiled and unselfconscious, without the grim commercialism that blights many better known destinations.

Boats transporting Port on the Douro River

Porto - History

Porto has had strong links with Britain since the late 17th century. In 1678 Charles II declared war on France and blockaded its ports. One of the most testing consequences of this was a severe shortage of French claret. British traders hurriedly searched for a new source of robust wines that could travel well. Discovering the fortified wines of the Douro Valley, they soon imported large quantities of what they came to call simply “Port.” Its sweet, high-alcoholic richness made it an immensely popular sipping wine for after dinner. Modern Porto features many Port Houses, most of which offer free tours, with a tasting included.

Porto - Old Town

The heart of the city, however, is the Old Town, where you’ll find steep, narrow streets, lovely neo-classical buildings and baroque churches. There isn’t a right angle to be seen anywhere and the prevailing atmosphere is one of amiable shabbiness. But there are stunning views over the rest of the city as it curves away towards the Atlantic. While in the Old Town, you should pay a visit to the Igreja de São Francisco – one of the most elaborately decorated churches in Portugal – and the Sé Cathedral, have a coffee in the Lello & Irmão bookshop, with its stunning neo-Gothic façade and décor, and enjoy the panorama from Torre dos Clérigos.

Old Town Porto

Porto - Ribeira Waterfront

The other most enticing area is the Ribeira waterfront, where the terraced, disordered rows of the old city loom over you, as does the extraordinary split level Luis I bridge, the lower, pedestrianised deck of which offers excellent views across Porto. From the Ribiera you can also take a river cruise and view Porto’s other amazing bridges, one of which – the Dona Maria Pia – was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It’s also well worth catching one of the city’s charming wooden trams (which date from the 1930s and feature wood panelled and leather upholstered interiors) to the seafront. Here you can stroll along the Avenido do Brazil, stopping off at one of the cafes to watch the sun set into the Atlantic.