Porto - narrow medieval alleyways, extravagant Baroque churches
Despite being Portugal's second largest city, Porto has a welcoming atmosphere and its relatively compact historic centre is best explored on foot. Starting in the district of Ribeira, where most of the bars and restaurants are concentrated, stroll along ancient streets to visit some of Porto's great monuments such as: "Torre dos Clérigos" the Clerics' Church and Tower, the Stock Exchange Palace "Palácio da Bolsa" and São Francisco church.
The divine "Livraria Lello" in Rua das Carmelitas is an absolute must-see featuring stained glass ceilings, an elaborate stairway and pressed copper, glass-enclosed book shelves it is probably the most fascinating bookshop in the world.
Walking on the upper tier of the Dom Luis I bridge will treat you to marvellous views of the city and a visit to the port wine cellars in the district of Gaia will be just as rewarding.
Porto now boasts some excellent museums, art galleries and music halls; the latest being "Casa da Música" a strikingly irregular shaped building with an auditorium seating up to 1500 people and a panoramic rooftop overlooking the city. Fundação Serralves is home to the museum of contemporary art and also well worth a visit.
The nightlife in Porto is vibrant, ranging from simple cafés and restaurants with live music along the banks of the river to sophisticated night clubs.
Northern Portugal wines are excellent. The food consists mainly of meat dishes, seafood and of course "bacalhau" dry cod. The deserts are irresistible.
The new Metro network is clean, comfortable and inexpensive. From Porto two main train stations, São Bento and Campanhã, there are regular train services to all the main cities in Northern Portugal. The cities of Guimarães, Braga and Viana do Castelo are easily accessible on a day trip and there are several fast trains to Lisbon.
Flying time from the UK to Porto is less than two hours. If you wish, you can combine a Porto city break with a Douro river cruise. Please ask for more details.
To view hotels in The Porto region, click here
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