Mix monuments by leading world architects from the past and the present, and some fantastic baroque carvings.
Add a world-famous sweet wine and a certain British flavor.
Place it all by a grand river, and you have "O Porto," the port, Porto --
Portugal's second largest metropolis, and one of Europe's most charismatic cities.
Oporto is one of the last undiscovered European metropolises, but that is about to change.
There are now direct flights from New York and numerous connections to and from the rest of Europe,
including an increasing number of low-cost airlines.
But this is not a new city. It is an ancient port steeped in history and tradition.
It is a highly atmospheric place that has become known for its monuments by renowned architects
(Gustave Eiffel's Dona Maria Bridge, Nicolau Nasoni's Clerigos Tower, Rem Koolhaas' Casa da Musica, or Siza Vieira's Serralves Museum),
but just when you think you don't know much about this city, think again.
This is the city that originated and named Port Wine, and gave birth to one of world history's legendary figures,
Prince Henry the Navigator (you'll also see in new guidebooks that it is also the birthplace of that world-famous fictional character, Harry Potter --
author J. K. Rowling was living in Oporto as an English teacher when she started writing her first book).
These are just a few curious facts about this intriguing and majestic city, and if you want to find out more, go on exploring this site.
If you end up wishing to sample the city and its wine in person, consider our
hotels suggestions (that can easily -- and cheaply --
be booked online), as well as our restaurants and nightlife recommendations, along with plenty of sightseeing
information and photos.
This is your comprehensive guide to the city, whether or not you're planning to Go Oporto.
