In Porto, flat-bottom boats called “rabelos” are a frequent sight along the Douro River. (Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, Rick Steves’ Europe)
Rick Steves
I’m really into “second cities” these days. For generations, Industrial Age powerhouses in Europe turned into what we would call “the rust belt,” while their elegant “first city” counterparts enjoyed the luster of the Information Age. But over the last decade or so, the rust has become a trendy accessory, and industrial ruins have turned bohemian chic.
A prime example is Porto – the hub of Portugal’s north and the country’s second city. Just three hours from Lisbon by train, it’s fiercely proud of what distinguishes it from the Portuguese capital as it ages happily along the Douro River – alongside most of the world’s port wine.
Spared by the 1755 earthquake that toppled Lisbon, Porto is charmingly well preserved. Block for block, it may be even more full of gritty, Old World charm than Lisbon. Houses with red-tiled roofs tumble down the hills to the riverbank, prickly church towers break the skyline, mosaic-patterned stones line streets, and flat-bottomed boats called “rabelos” ply the lazy river.
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The city comes with a steady sea breeze and a seagull soundtrack. Being on the ocean, Porto has weather that’s always changing. You’re likely to get sun and rain at the same time – causing the locals to exclaim, “A widow’s going to remarry.”
Porto offers two high-impact sightseeing thrills: the postcard-perfect ambience of the riverfront Ribeira district and the opportunity to learn more about – and taste – port wine that ages just across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia. (Aficionados of port – or of dramatic scenery – can use Porto as a springboard for visiting the nearby Douro Valley, where grapes grow on steep stone terraces.) Porto also features sumptuous Baroque churches and civic buildings, a bustling real-world market hall, atmospheric lanes of gloriously tiled houses, a variety of good restaurants, appealing boutiques, and quirky but worthwhile museums.
The Ribeira (literally “riverbank”) district is the most colorful and touristy quarter. Strolling the Ribeira Embankment, while popping in and out of shops that line the way, is Porto’s best lazy-afternoon activity. Be sure to duck into the back streets, where time-worn faces and once-dazzling facades age together gracefully as if inspired by all that Port wine.
Downtown Porto is compact but steep, making distances seem longer. Foot-weary travelers take the well-promoted “Six Bridges” cruises that float up and down the Douro River, offering a fine orientation and glimpses of all of Porto’s bridges, including the majestic steel Ponte Dona Maria Pia, designed by Gustav Eiffel — architect of Paris’ famous landmark.
For wine connoisseurs, touring a port-wine “lodge” – where the wine ages for years – and sampling the product is an experience not to be missed. Port is a medium-sweet wine, usually taken as a digestif after dinner. For some, port is an acquired taste – but it’s one worth cultivating. As I always say, “Any port in a storm…”
In the district of Vila Nova de Gaia there are 18 lodges open for touring and tasting. At any lodge, the procedure is about the same; travelers simply show up and ask for a tour. Sandeman, the most high-profile company, is sort of the Budweiser of port – a good first stop for novices. While the wine-cellar experience can be unforgettable, consider splurging for a convivial, romantic, and port-centric gourmet dinner at one of several fine port tasting rooms in downtown Porto. I’ve long liked Prova, a lounge-y little wine bar where sommelier Diego lavishes guests with nicely paired plates to go along with his fine wines and port.
In addition to tasting wine, consider taking a food tour in Porto. They’re timed for an early lunch or dinner, last three or four hours, come with a mile of walking, and include four to eight stops. The tours are pricey, but if you think of them as a meal as well as a tour, they make the splurge easier to swallow.
Porto natives are known as “tripeiros” (tripe-eaters), compared to Lisboans who’ve been dubbed “cabbage-eaters,” and you may encounter tripe stew on your food tour. Along with this local specialty, a favorite sandwich is the “francesinha,” which is like a Portuguese French dip with a tomato-based sauce. Picnic sandwiches and scenic perches – for people-watching, views, or both – are easy to come by in lively Porto.
The town’s two most famous foods – tripe stew and a quadruple-decker, sauce-drenched, gut-bomb of a sandwich – say it all: This place is unpretentious. Locals claim they’re working too hard to worry about being pretty. As an oft-repeated saying about Portuguese cities goes, “Coimbra studies, Braga prays, Lisbon parties…and Porto works.”
Portugal’s second city is ever-changing, often chaotic, and worth a visit now more than ever. Whether you’re enjoying Ribeira’s riverfront promenade, cruising the Douro, or sampling port in this port town, Porto gives you a delightful taste of authentic Portuguese culture.
(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.)
©2025 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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