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Portugal Travel Guide: Porto

Porto © David McCullough

Porto

• Portugal's second city & gateway to the Douro valley.
• Commercial hub & historical centre of port wine trade.
• Grittier, northern, down-to-earth alternative to Lisbon.
• Dramatic hillside location at the mouth of the Douro River.
• Named European Cultural Capital 2001.
• Gateway to Northern Portugal.

Great Gifts From Portugal.

Much is made of the contrast and rivalry between Porto and Lisbon - 'Lisbon shows off, while Porto works' - and the two port cities are the centre of the urban and commercial life of the country.

Giving its name to the nation, Porto dates from Roman times, prospering during the age of Portugal's overseas expansion as explorers and adventurers sailed to South America, Africa and Asia and its city merchants developed the lucrative wine trade with England in the seventeenth century.

With a typical 'work hard, play hard' port atmosphere, Porto makes an excellent base to explore the beautiful Duoro valley. In the city itself attractions include the Praça da Liberdade, the fortress-like Sé cathedral and port tasting at the wine lodges south of the river in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Porto enjoys some lively eating and drinking - the local delicacy is tripe - and you can sample 100s of varieties of port wine at the upmarket Solar do Vinho do Porto. There's a thriving club scene too, though many are situated outside the centre. Take a night bus.

Within easy reach of the city is the pleasant coastal resort of Viana do Castelo and the beautiful Minho valley.

Festivals

20th June. Popular Saints' Festivals or "City Festivals". St. John's Eve traditionally attracts large crowds to the city's fountains and squares, from which typical "rugas" throng through streets singing and dancing all night.

Porto Tourist Offices

Rua Clube Fenianos 25 (tel. 223 393 470)
Rua Infante Dom Enrique 63 (tel. 222 009 770)
Praça Dom Joao I (tel. 222 057 514)

Getting to Porto

Air

© David McCullough

Around 19 daily flights to Lisbon from Francisco Sá Carniero airport, 20 km NW of city.

Train

InterCity trains start from Campanha Station.
Regional services start from Sao Bento Station and pass through Campanha Station.
15-19 trains daily to Coimbra: 2 hours. 12 trains daily to Lisbon: 3 - 4 hours 20 min.
Rail information call 808 208 208.

Car

From Lisbon take the A1 highway north - 304km. Tolls around 15€+.

Bus

30 minutes to the airport by AeroBus.
Renex for buses to Lisbon. Hourly departures around 3 hours 30 mins. Braga around 75 minutes.
Rede Expressos for buses to most destinations. Coimbra around 90 mins.

There are various passes for extensive city travel: the Diário Porto EUR 2, 10 and the Diário Geral EUR 2.60 (includes Vila Nova de Gaia) are one-day passes available on buses; The Bilhete Porto 2001 is a 3-day pass valid for all zones on buses and the AeroBus and costs EUR 5. Porto Passes (1-day EUR 4; 2-days EUR 5.50), available from any Turismo, offer unlimited travel and discounts to the city's museums and other services.
Trams (which are historic trams) accept only Andante Tickets (same as metro do Porto).

Accommodation

Featured Hotel

Le Meridien Park Atlantic Porto Hotel
Av. da Boavista 1466, Porto.
5 Stars, 20 minutes from the airport and located on the beach.

Book Accommodation in Porto

Hotel Palacio

Grande Hotel do Porto

Quality Inn

Vila Galé Hotel Porto

Hotels in Portugal - Bookings

Hostels in Portugal - Hostelworld.com

Hostels in Spain - Hostelworld.com

Hotels in Portugal - Almeida Hotels

Eating

A Brasileira
Rua do Bonjardim 118
Prices: around 15€. (Cafe next door).

Drinking

Ryan's Irish Pub
Rua do Infante Dom Henrique 18
Irish food & drink.

List your restaurant/bar/hotel contact Advertising

Internet Cafe

Local football teams

FC Porto
Stadium name: Dragão seats 52,000.
Boavista
Stadium name: Bessa Stadium seats 30,000.

The average high June temperature for Portugal is between 22C and 26C.
Get more weather information in Portugal

More Tourist Information on Portugal

Aveiro Braga Cascais Coimbra Estoril Faro-Loulé Guimaraes Leiria Lisbon Belém Porto Nazaré Obidos Sintra Tomar
Viana do Castelo

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