With just a two hour flight time from London, Porto is a great location for a weekend city break. Its modern and medieval architecture sits side-by-side; the pretty painted houses in the cobblestoned historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and this city on the banks of the Douro River offers plenty of culture to soak up.
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As its name might suggest, the sweet fortified alcoholic drink of port hails from the city. It originally came about during the early 18th century, when it was discovered that mixing Portuguese red wine with brandy would help it last on the journey back to Britain. Tastings are available in the Vila Nova de Gaia at the port lodges on the Douro’s southern bank.
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Food is one of the big draws to the city. Whilst on your trip, be sure to try a classic pastel de nata custard tart for breakfast, one of the country’s traditional pork sandwiches, some fresh sardines, and a famous Porto Francesinha sandwich of multiple layers of meat, wrapped in cheese and covered in tomato sauce. Some restaurants also serve excellent tapas-style finger food petiscos and bacalhau (cod).
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The Ribeira district, just alongside the river, is home to the UNESCO-status medieval alleys and promenade with pastel-coloured houses and taverns. This historic waterfront also offers fantastic views of the Ponte de Dom Luis I bridge. In this area, you’ll also find the Gothic church of Igreja de São Francisco, with an interior of baroque finery and nearly 100kg of gold leaf covering its many statues.
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Given the city’s hilly landscape and river setting, Porto is known for its bridges; in particular the Ponte de Dom Luis I, a metal arch bridge that crosses the river from the cathedral. It’s one of the largest of its kind in the world, both in terms of its length at 172 metres, and its 45 metre height. It’s also a double-decker bridge, so you can take the metro across the upper tier and admire the best views of the city from above.
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A city break need not mean that you can’t enjoy the coast; it’s easy to take a trip to the seaside from the city centre, as the metro and tram system make it easy to get around. Foz is a lovely seaside suburb, and you’ll find beaches to enjoy at Praia dos Ingleses or Matosinhos.
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A trip to Porto wouldn’t be complete without seeing the famous blue azulejo tiles of the city. These can be best viewed on the outside of the Church of St. Ildefonso, at the São Bento railway station, which is covered in around 20,000 tiles depicting some of the city’s key historical moments, and at the Capela das Almas. For an alternative spin on the original tiles, the modern Casa de Música contains a room tiled in the style of the 16th century tile art, which can be seen from outside the building at night.
Title Image Credit: Lenny K Photography (Image Cropped)