Porto-12 Reasons To Visit!

Porto - also known as Oporto, is located on the north-west coast of Portugal. It’s the second largest city in Portugal with an awesome lively & comfortable vibe with a mixture of old gothic style & new modern that has the beautiful Douro River passing through it. So much to do, see & taste in this city you won’t believe. And most can be done on foot! 12 Reasons to add Porto on your next European destination list.

1. Porto is one of the most cheapest cities in Portugal (Portugal one of the cheapest European countries). You get a lot of bang for your buck!

2. Its the home of the famous and delicious Francesinha, translated Literally, “Little French” , a delicious food to taste that you cannot taste in any other country. It’s a meat (can be seafood, or vegetarian) sandwich with toasted bread, a warm savory sauce and melted cheese and usually a fried egg (some places will even make a delicious vegan version!).

The famous Francesinha “Porto” dish

3. You can take awesome boat cruises through the Douro River! Not only are the views spectacular but some cruises include amazing delicious food, wine & music to make the experience even more unforgettable .

4. There’s so many wine tasting lounges where you can taste delicious Douro Valley wines at low to no cost tasting fees.

5. There’s a lot of public transportation to get by through the city and even a tram that takes you above the city with awesome views!

6. You will see awesome & unique & gothic architecture with colorful buildings will make for awesome photos.

7. There’s no shortage of awesome cafes and restaurants to try off the beaten path, in the narrow alleys where the menus are handwritten (means they change daily) and is usually packed with locals with a portuguese menu.

​8. You can see the awesome bridge Ponte Dom Luís I. A project initiated by the famous French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame),and designed by German architect, Téophile Seyrig (1843-1923), a disciple and business partner of Eiffel. This bridge had the longest span of any metal bridge in the world when it was completed in 1886.

9. You can taste many delicious & famous Portuguese port wines (named after the city that it gets shipped from by boat). There’s so many Port wine to try (at least 12) like: Burmester Wine Cellars, Cálem, Churchill's, Croft, Espaço Porto Cruz, Ferreira, Graham's Port Lodge, Sandeman, Taylor’s, Offley, Quinta da Aveleda , Real Companhia Velha.

​10. Galleries, libraries & museums to visit for the ones who love history, art & architecture.

​11. Pedestrian friendly city you can eat, sip & walk your way through. Eat up all the calories you want with no worries because you can walk it off with some beautiful city & river views.

12. When you visit Porto your close to other awesome places nearby to visit. Here’s a good 7-day itinerary suggestion:
​ Day 1 – Porto (the historic centre)Day 2 – Porto (Vila Nova de Gaia)
Day 3 – Day trip to Guimarães
Day 4 – Day trip to Aveiro
Day 5 – Beach day (to Vila do Conde) or a day visiting Porto’s museum
Day 6 – Day trip to Braga
Day 7 – Tour or boat cruise of the Douro Valley

​Hooe you can visit Porto soon!

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