Bridges and port wine are what characterises Oporto, Portugal's
gracious northern capital and second largest city after Lisbon.
Oporto sits astride a great gorge at the point where the River
Douro enters the Atlantic, and although it is mainly industrial,
the city centre has plenty of charm with some art treasures,
medieval cathedrals and museums, along narrow streets sporting
wrought-iron balconies and bright splashes of potted geraniums.
The main reason tourists visit Oporto is to sample its legendary
port wine, processed, blended and aged in the various lodges of the
Vila Nova da Gaia district across the river from the city, via the
spectacular two-tiered Dom Luis bridge. Visitors can tour the
lodges and finish up with a tasting session. The city also has an
historic riverside district called Ribeira, which is undergoing
restoration and has been classified as a Unesco World Heritage
Site.
Within easy reach of Oporto there are numerous coastal resorts
and fishing villages on the Atlantic coastline, well known for
their seafood restaurants. It is possible to cruise down the River
Douro to take in the scenic splendour of the area.
Bridges and port wine are what characterises Oporto, Portugal's
gracious northern capital and second largest city after Lisbon.
Oporto sits astride a great gorge at the point where the River
Douro enters the Atlantic, and although it is mainly industrial,
the city centre has plenty of charm with some art treasures,
medieval cathedrals and museums, along narrow streets sporting
wrought-iron balconies and bright splashes of potted geraniums.
The main reason tourists visit Oporto is to sample its legendary
port wine, processed, blended and aged in the various lodges of the
Vila Nova da Gaia district across the river from the city, via the
spectacular two-tiered Dom Luis bridge. Visitors can tour the
lodges and finish up with a tasting session. The city also has an
historic riverside district called Ribeira, which is undergoing
restoration and has been classified as a Unesco World Heritage
Site.
Within easy reach of Oporto there are numerous coastal resorts
and fishing villages on the Atlantic coastline, well known for
their seafood restaurants. It is possible to cruise down the River
Douro to take in the scenic splendour of the area.
