Things to do in Oporto Portugal, the city along the Rio Douro
Portugal has received many, many travelers in recent years, and this is due to the fact that it´s affordable, it’s adventurous and above all it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Northern Portugal is where Port and Douro wines are produced and then sent worldwide.
One of the most interesting cities from this country is Porto. Because of its geographical location, the city has always played an important role in the trade through history.
Photo: Igreja Santo Antonio Dos Congregados Porto.
VISIT PORTO IN PORTUGAL
Porto, a World Heritage city, is the perfect place to start a journey covering the natural and cultural diversity of the Northern Portugal. This city is known for the Port wine and also for a beautiful heritage which combines old churches and modern monuments.
Photo: Porto, Portugal.
Porto location and map
If you are wondering where Porto is situated on Portugal´s map, here you can find it and, on this other page, you can discover more about the Porto public transport.
Weather in Porto
The city has a semi-Mediterranean climate, but it’s affected by the Atlantic Ocean and this makes it a bit cooler. The temperatures can rise at 40 °C in August during the heat waves. Moreover, winters in Porto are mild, rainy and humid, and have some cold nights when temperatures can drop below 0 °C.
Photo: Porto, Portugal.
SOME THINGS TO DO IN PORTO PORTUGAL
If you are wondering what to do in Porto, let us remind you that this Portuguese pearl is home to many traditional restaurants and also for some of Europe’s most inspiring museums.
In Porto you definitely have a diamond destination
The best things to do in Porto are different ways to fall in love with the city.
Here are some ideas to choose from:
Photo: Lello Bookstore Staircase, Center of Porto Portugal.
Rio Douro
Rio Douro is translated from Portuguese as “river of gold” because when the sun is setting down the waters can gleam like liquid gold bars.
Douro River gets to Porto as final destination after traveling many kilometers from its source in the mountainous region of Picos de Urbión from Spain.
Photo: Rio Douro. Porto.
Portugal tiles
When hearing about Portugal, a few things sound familiar: the Port wine, Lisbon, the seafood, and … azulejos. Set in Portugal’s history and culture, there are many wonderful examples of beautiful tiles.
These tiles date from the 13th century and at first, they were structures cut into geometric shapes in neutral tones. During the last couple of centuries, their use became very popular. Nowadays you can see them decorating churches, restaurants, railway and subway stations, as well as palaces and regular homes all around Portugal.
Photo: Portugal tiles.
Old town Porto
Porto´s heart lies in its medieval old city: Porto Ribeira. This district begins along the Douro River and reaches the hills behind. Walking around its streets is like taking a step back in time.
Porto can give you street charm and brilliant ancient architecture
Photo: Rua de Santa Catarina. Porto, Portugal.
Don´t miss Lello Bookstore when in Porto
The Lello Bookstore is recognized as “one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world” by the magazines ´Time´ and ´The Guardian´, and by the travel guide ´Lonely Planet´ and it is also one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal.
For more than a century, Livraria Lello has been a showcase for the Portuguese literature and helped export this literature to the rest of the world.
This bookstore was frequented by JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and it was an inspiration for her writing.
Rua das Flores from Porto
The Rua das Flores in Porto is one of the best attractions in this city because is lined with chic cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and boutiques that run down to the Igreja da Misericórdia, the Museu da Misericórdia do Porto, and also to the Largo São Domingos, which are all key point in the city.
Photo: Rua das Flores in Porto. Manuel de Sousa. Adapted under license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Church of Santa Clara from Porto
Porto’s Igreja de Santa Clara is one of the best examples of historic Catholic churches. This church is austere and humble on the outside, but when passing through, you are overwhelmed by the opulent decor.
Inside the Igreja de Santa Clara there is a contrast because there is barely an inch of it that is not adorned with angels, saints, cherubs or some other decorative feature.