Porto

Overview

Built on the right bank of the Douro river, Oporto (or Porto) is a city where the old features contrast with the new. Its winding, hilly, narrow streets in the old town are a complement to its wide modern avenues which spread out to the suburbs. As capital of the north, Porto is very unpretentious and unashamedly commercial. As a Portuguese saying goes: "Lisbon shows off, Braga prays, Coimbra studies and Porto works".

That this saying is true you will immediately recognize. For the year 2001 Porto shares the title of the "European Capital of Culture" with Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It seems that the people of Porto thought that 2002 would be their turn, because the whole city still is full of construction sites and roadworks. There is dust and noise everywhere, but still, Porto is a fascinating city with lots of unknown treasures to discover by just strolling around.

Here, at the delta of the Douro River, the second heart of Port wine beats. The wines, that are produced in several "quintas" up the river on step hills, are here bottled and shipped to all over the world. Vila Nova de Gaia, the city opposite of Porto on the left bank of the River, is the home to all the famous Port wine companies like Taylors, Dows, Offleys, Calem etc.

Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia are directly connected through the Ponte de Dom Luis I , a steelwork construction build in the 19th century. This bridge, dominating the skyline...more

History