Porto

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and is well known both for its vibrant culture and famous port wine. The city was once the home to the Portuguese royal family and still contains many interesting treasures from Portugal’s colonial past.

Port wine is a sweet fortified wine exclusively produced in the Douro region and is named after the city of Porto, where it is aged and bottled. Its unmistakable flavour is due to the high quality of the grapes, as well as to the region's soil and climatic conditions. There are, in fact, several types of port wine; some are aged in wooden casks and others in bottles. As a rule the label has no indication of date or vintage.

The port wine that enjoys a global reputation for its taste and quality is brought into the city from surrounding vineyards only once a year, but several of the vineyards do offer free tours all year round. One of the most notable of these is the Solar Vinho do Porto, a stunning 18^th century villa surrounded by fragrant flowers where visitors can sample many different types of port.

The city is home to numerous cathedrals, museums and ancient buildings. The cathedral, Terreiro da Se, is dominated by its wonderful 12^th century fortress church. Close by is the Geurra Junqueiro Museum (Casa Museu De Guerra Junquiero), which is dedicated solely to the poet Guerra Junqueiro.

Those wishing to take in some local culture, food and drink can visit the Barredo Section of the town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area contains many markets, monuments and stunning buildings. The Barredo area also contains some fine restaurants, bars and nightclubs where visitors can eat and drink to their hearts’ content.

Just across the river, and accessible by both car and ferry, are the port lodges. Here visitors can sample the locally grown drink. Most of these lodges offer free tours and samples.

Porto Airport is relatively busy and services both domestic and international airlines. There are good facilities such as bars, restaurants and hire-car options here. The area of Porto is easy to get around and the transport is cheap and reliable.