Porto Just Works
As the local saying goes: “Lisbon shows off and Porto works.”
The cliché is a well-worn metaphor that fails to do justice to the city's innumerate charms fully. It is a busy city with a unique mix of businesses, residences, charming streets, shopping districts, lovely villas and the Douro River.
History dwells round every corner, and more than ever, Porto is a place determined to hold on to its own distinct identity. Time has seemingly failed to touch some of the hidden corners of Porto, with many of its typical winding alleys full of shops and restaurants looking like a scene straight out of a medieval history book. The city is so soaked in the past that the historic area of Ribeira has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The city of Porto is advantageously located right on the Atlantic coast, meaning there is no shortage of beaches within easy walking distance of all the main attractions. For sunbathing or swimming, visit the sandy Praia dos Ingleses or Matosinhos. Watch the sunset while enjoying food and a few drinks on the promenade of Gondarem Beach, a rocky shoreline close to the city centre.
Make the short climb of 250 steps to the Baroque Tower of Clérigos and you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the city.
The Church of Saint Francis (Portuguese: Igreja de São Francisco) is perhaps the most extraordinary church in Porto. Outside it looks like an ordinary Gothic construction, but the interior has been transformed by an unbelievably ornate attack of eighteenth-century refurbishment. Don’t miss the church’s small museum, which consists largely of artifacts salvaged from the monastery that once stood nearby.
Take a break at Café Majestic, an essential stop on any visitor’s sightseeing itinerary. Voted in 2011, the sixth most beautiful cafe in the world, Café Majestic was founded in 1921, and it still retains the original flamboyant glamour of the roaring 1920s, decadently decorated with marble walls, cherubs, and gilded mirrors.
Porto’s main shopping street is the pedestrian area of Rua de Santa Catarina in the city centre, where you will find famous international brands as well as the large Centro Comercial ViaCatarina Shopping Center.
The small streets off the main streets are also worth a visit, brimming with independent shops selling fresh bread, cheese, and cakes, interspersed with bookstores and traditional shoe shops.