Porto is a historical Portuguese city located on the hills along the Douro River estuary in the north-east part of the Iberian Peninsula with a Mediterranean climate that is cooled somewhat by the Atlantic ocean that laps at its shores. The city’s history as home to the Portuguese bourgeoisie and affluent foreigners has earned it a reputation for being more refined and wealthy than the rest of Portugal and people here, whilst still Portuguese, definitely distinguish themselves from the rest of the country’s population.
When exploring the city of Porto, most people choose to start in the Ribeira area and venture through the World Heritage Site area of the old city centre, taking in the Port Wine Cellars and a museum or two such as the Fundaçao de Serralves (a contemporary museum with a beautiful garden and Art Deco Villa) or the Casa da Musica. Popular things to do when in Porto on holiday are to visit the Dragäo Football Stadium if you are a football fan or take a cruise along the Douro River or simple stroll around the old part of the city taking in the lovely old architecture and making the most of those pleasant cafe terraces.
If you have managed to save a little money on accommodation in Porto, venture out for a meal. Typical dishes here include “Tripas a moda do Porto” a tripe dish that is very traditional but for the brave only! “Francesinha” a dish that consists of toast stuffed with various types of meat, covered with cheese and a spicy sauce – like most traditional, local dishes, it is very filling and hearty – best eaten with a glass of beer. If you are on a tighter budget, you don’t have to miss out entirely on the local culinary experience – head to one of the city’s bakeries and try some of the delicious Portuguese pastries washed down with a good strong coffee.
Porto is not a huge city and is the ideal size for exploring on a weekend break – especially if you like city breaks but would like to be near the sea.
Getting in and out of the city by air means flying to Sá Carneiro Airport which is just 15 km from the city centre with an airport shuttle bus running to Praça da liberdade in the centre for just a few euros. You will find low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet operating between cities like London Stansted, Liverpool, Marseille, Frankfurt and Porto.

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