S
et against a backdrop of
the winding Douro River
and exuding charm from
every brick, Porto is rich in
culture, architecture and, of course,
port. With a history dating back to
the Roman Empire, its Celtic-Latin
name, Portus Cale, is believed to
be the origin of the name Portugal.
e city was given World Heritage
Site status by UNESCO in 1996
and it is home to some of the most
important works of architecture in
the country, from the Modernist
buildings of the early 20th century
to the spellbinding Romanesque
cathedral and the huge synagogue,
which shows the city's diverse and
lengthy cultural history. Wander
down the pedestrian street Rua
de Santa Catarina, and visit
the Church of Saint Ildefonso,
decorated in the blue azulejo tiles
that are typical of the region. en
onto São Bento railway station
where some of the city's key
historical moments are depicted in
over 20,000 tiles.
DON'T MISS
• Porto is home to concert halls,
theatres, galleries and museums.
One notable example is the Soares
dos Reis National Museum, which
displays Portuguese art across the
past five centuries. e Serralves
Foundation curates the Museum
of Contemporary Art, with
some great exhibitions from all
around the world. Buildings such
as the Coliseu do Porto theatre
and the Cinema Batalha are
some examples of the Streamline
Moderne and Art Deco to look
out for.
• Portugal is now the fifth largest
exporter of wine in Europe. Expect
to find the usual sweet variants as
well as the rarer dry and semi-
dry. A trip to a port wine-making
facility is a definite highlight of
any visit to this fascinating city.
• Take an excursion to Guimarães,
another UNESCO World Heritage
Site, which is a 45-minute drive
from Porto. Its medieval quarter
palaces and monasteries date back
to the 10th century, and in the
12th century it became Portugal's
first capital city.
• e flagship store of the country's
beauty and fragrance brand Claus
Porto is worth a visit on Rua das
Flores, home to many charming
stores, and spend time in Livraria
Chaminé da Mota, a wonderful
and atmospheric family-owned
book emporium also housing a
collection of music boxes and
gramophones. Souvenir shops are
prevalent along with hand-made
crafts, and you can buy all sorts of
local art for reasonable prices.
FAST FACTS
• Port has been exclusively
produced in the Douro region
since the 18th century, making it
the third oldest protected wine-
producing region in the world.
• Porto's inhabitants are sometimes
known as tripeiros, named
after the city's unique stomach
tripe dish. It may not sound
appetising, but it is definitely
worth sampling. Another absolute
must-try is Bacalhau à Gomes de
Sá – a delicious casserole made
with salted cod.
• e mastermind behind Paris'
Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel
constructed the Maria Pia Bridge
in Porto, and worked on the Dom
Luis I Bridge – one of Porto's
most famous bridges – before
venturing to the French capital.
With graceful bridges, baroque cathedrals and
cobbled streets, the second largest city in Portugal
offers a feast for the soul and senses
PORTO
Clockwise, from
above: Views of
Porto's Old Town
from across the
Douro; Portugal is
one of the largest
exporters of wine
in the world
40
VIKING
VISIT
PORTO
