Porto: Eating, Drinking and Sights
The Best of Portugal's Port Wine Capital
From port wine to sandy beaches to traditional fado music, Porto, Portugal's second city on the River Douro has something for everyone.
Porto is a rugged city with a charm all of its own. Its city centre is a Unesco World Heritage site, and it has some of the best wine and food in the Iberian peninsula. It has miles of sandy beaches and several lush parks yet is often overlooked for its brasher sister Lisbon. So what are the top five things to see and do?
1. Dinner on the Ribeira - The riverfront promenade is where locals and tourists gather each evening to eat, drink and relax. There are several restaurants lining the riverfront, whist cosy bars are set one road back from the Caix de Ribeira. Try local speciality bacalhau (salted codfish) washed down with vinho verde - green or young wine.
2. Visit a Fado Club- Fado is traditional Portuguese folk music. Although more usually associated with the city of Coimbra, Porto has several restaurants and venues where this mournful music can be heard. Try Restaurante Tipico O Fado on Largo de Sao Joao, which is open from 20.30 to 03.30 Monday to Saturday. The restaurant is hidden away in a less touristy area of town, but well worth the effort. Prices are towards the more expensive end of Porto restaurants. Try the seafood platter.
Restaurante Tipico O Fado: 16 Largo de Sao Joao Novo, tel 351222 026 937.
3. Bike Ride Out to the Sea- Porto is notoriously hilly, and many of the streets are cobbled. However, if you manage to rattle down to the Ribeira, you can take a glorious ride out along the river Douro to the ocean and all the way to the Parque de Cidade, Portugal's largest urban park. Its especially nice when the sun is setting over the Atlantic and the restaurants are beginning to fill up. You can hire bikes per hour from the tourist office on Rua Clube dos Fenianos. (tel 223 393 472, Mon-Fri 09.00- 17.30, Sat-Sun 09.30- 16.30).
4. Visit the Stadium of Dragons- FC Porto are the reigning chaampions of the Portuguese football leaague. The team play at the Estadio Do Dragao, a 52,000 capacity stadium built in 2003. The ground is easily accessible on four of Porto's metro lines, and its a great way to see Portuista's letting off some steam. If you can witness the derby with local rivals Boavista, its even better!
Estadio do Dragao: Avenida Fernao de Magalhaes, tel 351222 5070500
5. Go Port Wine Tasting- No visit to Porto would be complete without a trip to one of the many port lodges. Nip across the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia, where dozens of lodges will take you on a brewing tour and let you sample ruby, tawny and white ports. Before you go, nip into Vinologia for some expert advice on what to look for in a port, as well as a few gift ideas!
Vinologia, 46 Rua de Sao Joao, tel: 351222 4050 522.
Porto is easily accessible from most European cities on low budget flights. The best time to visit weatherwise is during the summer months of June, July and August. Portugal's currency is the Euro.
Saudade!
