TEveryone knows it for its wine, but not everyone knows that Porto has also become the new “queen” of Europe. It has been voted the best European destination three times, and there are all the reasons. Mild climate, peaceful rhythms, hospitable people, intelligent restorations of historic buildings and sustainable tourism choices, with routes to be covered by bike, on foot, by tram.
Yes, because in Porto, like in Lisbon, old and picturesque trams still circulate, following historical routes. The most scenic is that of Linha 1 which starts from Infante, next to the church of San Francesco, and reaches the mouth of the Douro.
Porto, the charm of the Ocean
From here it is worth taking a walk along the seafront bordered by the ocean, where even in winter surfers challenge the waves and you can take lessons with the instructors of Fish Surf School (fishsurfschool.com). The school is located on a very long road Matosinhos beachwhere the master of architecture Álvaro Siza Vieira was born, an opportunity to visit two of his milestones: the Chasa da Ta Boa Nova, a restaurant hidden among the rocks, designed to capture the horizon through large windows (and where it is worth stopping to eat the seafood), and the Piscinas das Marés, the tide pools, a complex of seawater pools integrated into the cliffwhere you can swim in summer.
Anémona, the sculpture by Janet Echelman. Photography by Daniel Rodrigues.
Also in Matosinhos are the Leixoes terminal, designed by Luís Pedro Silva, conceived as a ribbon that winds upwards from sea level, and Anemonathe gigantic sculpture by the American Janet Echelman, which is inspired by a huge fishing net that changes shape depending on the wind and colors depending on the time of day. Returning towards Porto, a visit to the is a must Serralves Art Museumwhich houses works of contemporary art also in the large park, and at House of Musican auditorium designed by Rem Koolhaas, with large windows overlooking the city, where in the evening you can listen to music concerts ranging from classical to jazz.
Magnificent visions in white and blue
Almost like a touch of a magic wand, we move from the architecture of the future to the glories of the past, those of the azulejos, the majolica inherited from the Moors, which cover the facades and interiors of the churches of Sant’Ildefonso, San Lorenzo, Santa Chiara, San Francis, the Igreja do Carmo, without forgetting the concourse of the São Bento station, where ceramics illustrate episodes of Portuguese history. The white and blue of these majolica tiles also adorn the Gothic cloister of the Cathedral, also known as Sé, with a thousand-year history, with origins dating back to the 12th century. In the interior, composed of a main nave and two side ones, the baroque main altar and the gold altar of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament stand out. You can climb the bell tower to discover from above all the other colors that make up Porto like a puzzle. They are the red, yellow, orange, green, those of the facades of the buildings in Ribeira, a historic district declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, close to the Dourowhere you can stroll through the medieval streets and come in the evening to enjoy the nightlife.
The cloister of the Porto Cathedral.
Another lookout, or as the Portuguese say miradourois the top of the Torre dos Clérigos, which can be achieved by climbing approximately 240 steps. When you go down, to reward yourself for your undertaking, nothing better than a pastel de nata, the cream pastry baked by Manteigaria and freshly prepared. For those who love savory foods, unmissable are the hot cod meatballs from the Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau, accompanied by half a glass of Port, and the Frenchiemeat, ham and sausage sandwich, served in practically all cafes.
The Douro river which flows through Porto and flows into the Atlantic. Photo by Daniel Rodrigues.
The parade of bridges in Porto
With this right amount of energy you can walk across the Dom Luis I Bridgebuilt in 1886 to a design by the Portuguese Teofilo Seyring. There are six bridges in total that connect the two banks of the Douro and, among these, the Ponte de Dona Maria Pia also stands out, built in 1877 by Gustave Eiffel. The parade of bridges can also be admired from the water, taking part in one of the cruises aboard the rabelos, the traditional boats designed for transporting wine barrels.
The Leixoes terminal, designed by Luís Pedro Silva.
A meditation chalice
The waterway divides the historic city from Vila Nova de Gaia district, famous for its cellars which are the ideal place to discover the production of Port, the fortified wine from the Douro valley which extends up to 100 kilometers east of the city. Among the tasting centers there are Solar do Vinho do Porto, Calém, Ramos Pinto, but you can also book tours in the company of experts organized by Visit Porto (visitporto.travel/pt-PT) to discover the history of this wine which begins with the Roman era but which became known at the beginning of the seventeenth century, when yet another war between the English and the French blocked the imports of Bordeaux wine into England and traders were forced to look for new markets. However, the journey was longer than the one from France and to preserve the wine it was decided to fortify it with brandy to block the continued activity of the yeasts and leave a natural sugar residue. A precious meditation wine, loved by sommeliers, bartenders and starred chefs who combine it with dishes with a strong flavour, meat, game and smoked fish. But it is also perfect for a simple bread, butter and anchovies, to prepare at home, as an aperitif.
The electric tram of line 22 that crosses the historic center of the city.
Where to sleep in Porto
Pestana Palácio do Freixo
In an 18th century building built by Nicolau Nasoni, with hectares of greenery and splendid views of the Douro.Double from 156 euros. pestanacollection.com
Le Monumental Palace
In neoclassical style, a stone’s throw from the Clerigos Tower, the Bolhão market and the Dom Luís bridge. Double room from 220 euros. maison-albar-hotels-le-monumental-palace.com
Where to eat
Chasa from Ta Boa Nova
Fish and seafood, specialties of chef Rui Paula, two Michelin stars, can be enjoyed while looking at the ocean, in a space designed by Alvaro Siza, in Matosinhos. casadechadaboanova.pt
Adega São Nicolau
A family-run place in the heart of Ribeira, where you can taste tripe or fish. adegasnicolau.eatbu.com
What to buy
Oriental house
Campo dos Mártires da Pátria 111/112. Grocer founded in 1910 near the Torre dos Clérigos where you can buy sardines, cod, canned tuna in retro packaging.
Claus Porto
Rua das Flores 22. High-quality brand soaps, perfumes and cosmetics made in Porto, with a museum that tells the story of the brand, and workshops on how to create your own soap.
Info
TRAVEL alone or in a group
Quality Group offers the individual tour from Lisbon to Porto: along the streets of the Tagus, in a 4-star hotel with breakfast, rental car, mini-cruises on the Tagus and Vouga, tasting in a cellar in Porto, from 911 euros
per person in double occupancy (flight from Italy excluded). For group tours there is the Unusual Portugal, 8 days/7 nights, with departures
from March 30th from Lisbon, which includes two days in Porto, and a cruise on the Douro river, from 1090 euros per person in a double room (flight from Italy excluded). Info: qualitygroup.it
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