Oporto (Porto)

Oporto (Porto)

In the historic center of charming Oporto lies the Stock Exchange and the Grand Cathedral, adorned with magnificent statues and intricate grillwork. History buffs will want to venture on an excursion to nearby Guimaraes, the cradle of the nation of Portugal.

Attractions

Plunge into a primer on the port wine business---Oporto's reason for being---on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river (technically a suburb). Grape juice trucked in from the fields some 100 miles-plus upriver are combined with brandy and set down to age in long, low, red-tile-roofed buildings known as lodges. Replicas of "barcos rabelos," the wooden ships that historically made the trip, line the waterfront. Famous port producers, including Sandeman, Porto Ramos, Croft, Calem and Taylor's, offer inexpensive tours of the atmospheric cellars. Tours end in romantic tasting rooms for sampling. Do several tours; they improve with every glass.

Activities

See the "azulejos," or painted ceramic tiles that link several of Oporto's top sights, including sacred murals in the Gothic cloister of the Se Cathedral and more profane depictions at the railway's Sao Bento Station.

Food

Lodged in a riverfront quay, the trendy Don Tonho, operated by local pop star Rui Veloso, manages to modernize Portuguese food---think updated bacalao---in a fittingly sleek room.

Currency

The Euro (EUR), the currency of the European Union, is the official currency of Portugal.

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