Porto (population 230,000; metro area 1.7 million) is Portugal’s second city. It consistently receives better traveller reviews than Lisbon for a specific reason: it delivers a similar experience at lower density, lower cost, and with more authentic character in a smaller geographic area. Here is what makes it excellent.
The Character of Porto
Porto sits above the Douro River gorge, with its old city (Ribeira) cascading down granite hillsides to the water. The city has a distinct working-class and mercantile character that distinguishes it from Lisbon’s capital-city polish — Porto is a city that made its money from wine (the Port wine trade, shipped downstream from the Douro valley to the Gaia cellars and then to Britain), textiles, and trade, and its architecture reflects this. Azulejo (blue and white tile) facades on buildings everywhere; medieval lanes on the hillsides above the Ribeira; Art Nouveau ironwork in the food market (Mercado do Bolhão, recently restored after decades of closure). The Portuense character: Portuenses have a reputation among Portuguese for being hardworking, unsentimental, and slightly suspicious of Lisbon (the capital gets the national money; Porto earns it). This expresses itself in the city’s food culture — straightforward, generous, and unpretentious. The francesinha (the Porto sandwich: layers of meat, sausage, ham, and egg, covered in melted cheese and a thick tomato-beer sauce, served with chips) is the clearest expression of this character.
What to See
The Ribeira: the UNESCO-listed waterfront district — narrow medieval lanes, restaurants spilling onto the riverside, and views across the Douro to the Vila Nova de Gaia port wine cellars on the south bank. The Dom Luís I Bridge (1886, Gustave Eiffel’s engineering firm): the double-deck iron bridge, with the upper level accessible on foot or by Metro — extraordinary views in both directions. The Livraria Lello: one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world (Neo-Gothic interior, allegedly one of J.K. Rowling’s inspirations for Hogwarts — disputed, but the queue to enter suggests it doesn’t matter). Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto, 12th century Romanesque): the oldest building in Porto, with a 14th-century Gothic cloister and 18th-century azulejo panels. The São Francisco Church interior: the most extraordinary ornate interior in Porto — floor-to-ceiling gilded Baroque woodwork, estimated to contain 100–400kg of gold leaf. The Bolhão Market: the 19th-century covered market, reopened 2022 after a decade-long restoration — best for fresh fish, cheese, and charcuterie. The Serralves Foundation: a major contemporary art museum in a 1930s Art Deco house within a large park — easily the best modern art institution in northern Portugal. The port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia: the lodges of Sandeman, Taylor’s, Graham’s, Quinta do Crasto — all offer tours and tastings. Taylor’s has the best hilltop terrace view of Porto.
Food Beyond the Francesinha
Bacalhau (salt cod): Portugal has 365 ways to prepare it, and Porto specialises in bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (salt cod with potatoes, onions, black olives, and hard-boiled eggs, baked and finished with olive oil — a 19th-century Porto recipe). Tripas à moda do Porto (Porto tripe): slow-cooked tripe with white beans, chouriço, and vegetables — a medieval recipe still taken seriously. Portuenses are sometimes called “tripeiros” (tripe eaters) for this tradition. The wines: Vinho Verde (lightly sparkling, slightly acidic white wine from the Minho, perfect with seafood), Porto wine (obviously), and the increasingly serious red wines from the Douro Superior appellation.
