Porto – An elegant old city
Porto is one of the oldest cities from Europe, built in the 4th century, when the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula. It is the second largest city of Portugal, after capital Lisbon and has about 1.3 million inhabitants. Porto is an elegant city, civilized, famous for his delicious wine and is visited annually by millions of tourists. Downtown Porto was included on UNESCO World Heritage and architecture, culture and gastronomy are famous to the world.
Climate in Porto
Mediterranean climate in Porto is influenced by currents in the Atlantic, with hot summers and mild and pleasant winters. Temperatures vary between 6 and 15 degrees in winter and in summer between 18 and 25 degrees. The rainiest months are December, January and February, and in summer you will have sun all the time!
Recommendation
We recommend accommodating at Teatro Hotel, 4 stars, located in downtown and whose interior was decorated by Nini Andrarde Silva, one of the world’s most renowned designers. Distances to the main sights of Lisbon can be crossed on foot, and nearby you will find lots of interesting restaurants and bars.
What to eat in Porto
Portuguese cuisine is delicious and original. Here’s what to try: Tripas à Moda do Porto, Bacalhau à Gomes de Sa (foods with fish), Francesinha (popular snack in Porto with various meats and vegetables), Porto wine and Nata paste (famous egg tarts).
Nightlife in Porto
Porto’s nightlife is exuberant. Here you will find clubs, bars and restaurants that are open until dawn. Most interesting are the Ribeira area, but find cafes and Cais de Gaia. Our recommendations: Contra Corrente, Vila Nova de Gaia, Rock’s Bar, Estado Novo, Majestic Café Bar, Moinho the Vento, etc…
Shopping in Porto
If you go on vacation in Porto and will want to do a little shopping, find the main shopping thoroughfare that is called Rua de Santa Caterina. Here you will find: designer boutiques, shoe stores, bookstores, jewelry, music stores – for all budgets. On Avenida dos Aliados are many shops where you can buy various souvenirs. We recommend Centro Comercial Bombarda, found on Rua de Miguel, a small mall with objects of art and fashion. As a gift shop we recommend A Vida Portuguesa, located on Rua Paris Galeria de Paris.