Things to see in Porto

Rumoured to be the birthplace of Prince Henry the Navigator, this building was actually a customs house dates in parts to the 14th century. Located on the Ribeira riverbank, it now houses an archive of historic documents relating to the city's commerce over the centuries, plus other important historical collections.

Porto's best known export is the fortified wine which takes the city's name, and is made from grapes grown upstream in the Douro Valley. There are around 15 of these dotted around the Gaia area on the south bank of the river, and their prominent branded roofs are a distinctive sight from a vantage point across the water. Many of them offer guided tours, tastings and shops, including Caves Calém and Sandeman, and other international household names, and a visit to at least one is pretty much a must-do when in the city.

One of Portugal’s leading contemporary art centres, the Serralves art museum is housed in an art deco-style building designed by the renowned Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza and also boasts a lovely park. It displays national and international contemporary art and has a permanent collection of work from the late 1960s to the present. It also hosts a great number of cultural events, including concerts, discussions and workshops and other things.

Telling the story of Porto's public transport, the museum houses collections of public service vehicles that have operated in the city over the years. It is housed in a former electricity generating station used by the tramway network, which is nowadays much reduced and largely superceded by the ultra-modern metro system.

A building whose neoclassical style is evidence of the English influence on Porto architecture, the Palaçio da Bolsa was built in the middle of the 19th century. Inside it has an atrium covered by a huge glass and metal dome. The most impressive rooms are the Assembly or Golden Room with a gilded stucco ceiling, and the splendid Arab Hall, designed by Goncalves de Sousa and inspired by the Alhambra Palace of Granada. This hall, an amazing combination of eastern and western influences, is one of the finest in Porto and was completed in 1880.