Oporto Travel Guide

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Oporto

Oporto from the river © Portuguese Department of Tourism

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.

Resorts

See our separate guides to the following Oporto holiday resorts: Espinho and Vila do Conde

Attractions

Igreja de Sao Francisco On the Oporto waterfront stands the church of St. Frances, dating from 1383, which, while not very imposing from the outside, has a lavishly Baroque decorated interior that was created in the 17th and 18th centuries. Pillars and columns within the vault are festooned... see full details
Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis This extensive art museum opened in 1840, and is today dedicated to Soares dos Reis, the famous sculptor born and bred in Porto. The gallery also houses a foreign art collection which includes works by the Dutch, Flemish, Italian and French masters. There... see full details
Solar Vinho do Porto Visitors come to Oporto for the port wine. The place to head for samples of every port produced in the region (and also the rest of Portugal) is the Solar Vinho do Porto in the Quinta de Macieirinha. Inside the rose-bedecked villa is a... see full details
Vila Nova de Gaia This suburb of Oporto lies on the south bank of the River Douro on the site of an ancient fortified village. Today it is home to more than 50 wine companies who operate their 'lodges' in the winding narrow streets flanked by red-roofed... see full details

Excursions

Braganca

In the remote northeast Portuguese province of Tras-os-Montes lies traditional farming country where rural communities provide a getaway destination for those who enjoy exploring off the beaten track. The small provincial capital, Braganca, lies close to the Spanish border and is slowly being discovered... see full details

Coimbra

The central Beiras region of Portugal is dominated by its provincial capital, Coimbra, situated about 73 miles (118km) south of Oporto. Coimbra is one of Europe's oldest university towns, and its students swarm the streets in traditional black capes, with coloured ribbons affixed to... see full details

Guimaraes

This historic town is regarded as the birthplace of Portugal, because it was here in 1128 that Afonso Henriques became the first king of the country, which was still largely under Moorish control. The town has many medieval buildings and fortifications, and has been... see full details

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