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A UNESCO World Heritage Site, outdated taverns and a new logo, Time Out Market, make Porto the ideal place for this year’s holiday.
If Paris is the City of Light and New York is the city that never sleeps, Porto is the most underrated city break you can do right now. That’s when we said it. We’ve named Porto as Europe’s most productive resort city for 2024 and if you’re surprised, well, you’ve got a lot to learn.
Travellers have gradually discovered the charm of this glorious city, and Porto has responded to this new demand: lately the metro formula is being renewed and a new Time Out Market logo has just opened at UNESCO. Sao Bento Station, a World Heritage Site, with 11 restaurants, a bar and five-Michelin-starred chefs cooking in style. But there’s a lot more to do in a city here, and we’ve tried and tested the most productive places in the city. Here’s why Porto is the ideal position this summer.
You’ve probably already discovered canned fish, but Porto did it before it became fashionable, ever since Portuguese fishermen discovered its wonders in the 19th century. Porto’s first fish cannery opened its doors in 1885 and is now sold in the Maxima department. shops and delicatessens, as well as the historic two-storey Mercado do Bolhão, which underwent a €26 million renovation at the end of 2023.
But canned fish is not the city’s signature top dish. Oh, no. For a snack, you have to get a francesinha, a kind of extreme croque monsieur, brought by the Portuguese Daniel David de Silva in the 20th century after his stay in France. It consists of bread, ham, sausage, steak, roast beef and cheese between two slices of white bread, topped with a tomato sauce and beer. If you know the right ways to do it, that’s incredibly good. I tried it at the classic Yuko Tavern, served with the most productive fries I’ve ever eaten.
Continue your adventure with classic Port sandwiches at the old-school ‘Xico’ Casa Dos Presuntos, which serves a (rightly) standout smoked red meat tenderloin sandwich, deliciously moist, meaty and dirty, and pastéis de bacalhau (cod fritters). In the evening, enjoy classic meat and fish dishes at the cozy Solar Moinho De Vento and be sure to order their octopus and rice fillets.
But Porto is a city with two faces, and among its classic taverns are some of Portugal’s most productive gourmet restaurants, such as the Michelin-starred Euskalduna Studio, with an omakase-style tasting menu and izakaya bar, meaning you can observe every dish. Be ready before it arrives. They begged me not to take a look at the menu, and thank God I didn’t; Every wonderful dish, from the raw fish to the dessert, was shocking, savory, and delicate. I wish I could eat it all again.
Another recent renovation is the Porto Museum of Photography, located in what was a prison until 1970, where a huge collection of old cameras, photographs and rotating exhibitions of transience is located.
From here, you are in a prime spot to appreciate the magnificent Clérigos Tower, which you deserve to climb if you can climb the two hundred steps to see Porto from 85 meters high. If you look at the port city on the other side of the Douro River, you don’t look at Porto anymore: it’s Vila Nova de Gaia, on the other side of the bridge, which is worth visiting for a cable car ride.
Then there’s the colossal Casa Di Musica (worth a stop at just for the construction itself) and the recently renovated Soares dos Reis Museum, Portugal’s first public art museum, which today houses some of the most notable works by Portuguese sculptor António Soares. dos Reis. Our maximum productive advice? While you’re there, visit the Rainha Amélia Velodrome, the green area tucked away on the second ground that looks like you’ve discovered a secret garden.
Whether you’re lucky with the weather or not (Porto is notoriously rainy), you’ll want to make a stop at the Gardens of Sao Roque, a park that looks straight out of Alice in Wonderland with a pergoda, dripping fountains, and more than two hundred camellias of every color, more than almost anywhere else in the world. Venture further afield and locate the Art Center in an old 18th-century house, but before you do, take a look at the massive labyrinth outside. Complete an artistic holiday by staying at the Torel Avantgarde, near the Baixa district, a five-star hotel. Designed by Portuguese artists, where each room is named after an artist, publisher or musician. Breakfast here will make you feel like royalty.
Despite the (many) hills, Porto is an incredibly walkable city, and you’ll only see the really interesting places if you slow down to keep up. Discover chutneys and sauces at Meiaduzia and the captivating Oficina dos Violinos.
Beyond Porto’s Michelin stars, trendy wine bars, and newly renovated museums, the city’s roots are very much present. In the afternoon, you can see older locals playing chess and cards on Avenida dos Aliados, Porto’s main square; Stay on the Douro River beyond its bustling parade and watch the city’s fishing net near the Arrábida Bridge.
Behind its main streets are beautiful, winding, largely residential streets, filled with sun and shade and covered in clothes drying on balconies. You’ll find some secret bars or cafes to sit back and relax. And if you look down and see a yellow arrow on a tile, you actually see the signs for the central direction of the Portuguese Way, a 10-day tour. From Porto to Santiago de Compostela. La scallop of the tile symbolizes the Camino de Santiago, with pilgrims appearing. that they are on the right track.
Well, now that the new Time Out Market is in full swing, there’s never been a better time to explore Portugal’s second city. The market, in the south wing of São Bento station, is right in the historic center of Porto. Spend a day here, shopping, eating, hanging out in the sunny courtyard, or admiring the view from the tower; a 20-meter-high iron and glass design designed by Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. But when you’re done, take some time to explore Porto as much as possible: alleyways, delicatessens, and wine bars included. Believe me, the hills are worth a visit.
Ella Doyle travelled to Porto on a press conference with Visit Porto. For more information on our editorial independence policies, notices and guidelines, please see our editorial guidelines.
? Discover more things to do at our consultant in Porto
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