Porto travel guide

Picturesque Porto is much more than just a place of pilgrimage for port wine lovers – although this unique industry is among the many attractions of Portugal's second city.

Straddling the River Douro just a few kilometres inland from the Atlantic, Porto, in the country's northwest, is closer to Spanish Galicia than it is to Lisbon. Porto possesses an appealing pan-Iberian atmosphere to complement its many historic charms; the old city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

A distinctive feature are Porto's towering bridges, notably the spectacular Ponte Luis I, which soars nearly 50m (164ft) above the river linking the Old Town with Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank.

The city centre is architecturally fascinating, many of the buildings faced with distinctive blue-patterned Portuguese tiling. Outside this area, though, Porto's undoubted traditional appeal is balanced by the trappings of a lively modern European city – making it an ideal destination if you're looking for a rich mix of culture and fun.