Porto, also known as Oporto is a seaside town in the north of Portugal. It is proud to be known as “the city of work”. The city dates back to the eighth Century B.C. as a Hellenic village on the left bank of Douro River or the River of Gold as it is translated.
Today, Porto is a working town of half a million people, industrial and modern which has undergone a regeneration programme in the last 25 years and achieved World Heritage status from UNESCO in 1996. It was also selected as European Capital of Culture for 2001.
There are various attractions for visitors as follows:
WINES
Port Wine Cellars are open to visitors and offer guided tours during which Port Wine is freely tasted and its story fully explained. Excellent brands are available such as Vinho Verde of Minho and Esporão of Alentejo Region – the Best Red Wine of Europe in 2001 according to TIME magazine,
GASTRONOMY
Specialities of the area include “Tripas à Moda do Porto”. This is a very tasty dish made of ox and beans. “Sarrabulho” is a kind of thick soup made of a mixture of meats and maize flour, spices and herbs. This dish will be presented to the European Parliament next summer and is a favourite of Nobel Prize winner Portuguese writer José Saramago. And of course no visit to Portugal would be complete without tasting the famous Bacalhau. This is dried salted cod and there are 101 ways of cooking it in olive oil, the base of Mediterranean healthy cooking
BUILDINGS
Some of the buildings worth mentioning in Oporto include the New Infante Bridge, Football Stadiums (used in the current UEFA Euro 2004 Football Tournament), Casa da Música Concert Hall (a Dutch masterpiece by famed Dutch Architect Rem Kolhas and the Ultramodern Surface Metro Railway System.
THINGS TO BUY
These include fine tapestry, of course clothing, glasswork and pottery, ceramics and filigree silverwork, all very original, of high workmanship, and reasonably priced
SUGGESTED THINGS TO DO
There are many famous bridges over the River Douro such as D. Luis built in 1886 and designed by Eiffel, yes, he of the Eiffel Tower. There’s the new Infante that was inaugurated in April 2003. There are regular river cruises and even helicopter rides over the area and surrounds. There are numerous churches with fabulous displays of Baroque art and unique Azulejos (tilework ). If you want to visit the beach and the sea, you can take a stroll along the Seaside Promenade on the Atlantic coast at Foz do Douro. The Stock Exchange Palace is a magnificent Arab Salon and a must among town centre monuments, and the town park is also very beautiful and is by the sea.
If you would like to visit Oporto, contact Alvaro MIGUENS, office@greypowertravels.com or visit http://www.greypowertravels.com