Porto (POR-too) – the capital of the north and Portugal’s second city – is fiercely proud of what distinguishes it from its rival – Lisbon. Yes, Porto’s a bit less polished. But block for block, it may be even more full of gritty, Old World charm.
Spared by the 1755 earthquake that toppled Lisbon, Porto is appealingly well-preserved. Houses with red-tiled roofs tumble down the hills to the riverbank, prickly church towers dot the skyline, mosaic-patterned stones line streets, and flat-bottomed boats called rabelos ply the lazy river.
Internationally, the city is synonymous with the port wine that ages on its riverbanks. But the Portuguese think of Porto as a hardworking engine of industry, with an endearing warts-and-all character. It’s a solid city – it seems entirely made of granite – with equally solid people. The town’s two most famous foods – tripe stew and a beloved quadruple-decker, sauce-drenched, gut-bomb of a sandwich – say it all: This place is unpretentious. Locals claim they’re working too hard to worry about being pretty. As an oft-repeated saying goes, “Coimbra studies, Braga prays, Lisbon parties… and Porto works.”
Not long ago, Porto was a somewhat depressed industrial city, but it has enjoyed a cultural renaissance of late. European Union money has poured in, funding upgrades to the public transportation system and historical sites. Meanwhile , tourism has taken off in a big way (thanks largely to cheap flights to Porto’s international airport attracting weekend vacationers from Britain and the Continent). Locals are rising to the occasion, filling the characteristic streets with trendy eateries and boutiques.
Porto offers two high-impact sightseeing thrills: the postcard-perfect ambience of the riverfront Ribeira district, and the opportunity to learn more about (and taste) the port wine that ages across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia. But just behind these, Porto features sumptuous Baroque churches and civic buildings, a bustling market hall, atmospheric lanes of glorious tiled houses, a variety of good restaurants and appealing boutiques, and quirky but worthwhile museums.
