Portugal produces over 10 million hectoliters of wine from thousands of miles of terraces, often difficult for laborers to access, giving life to port -- one of the best wines in the world. O'Porto (as it is more formally named) gave its name not only to its native wine, but to Portugal itself, the name deriving from the ancient Roman settlement of Portus Cale. Porto is also called "a mei nobre, sempre leal e invicta cidade do Porto" -- the noble, always loyal and unvanquished city of Porto. It all begins in Porto, the city that defied the French invasions and supported the liberals in the civil war in the 19th Century. Here, at the beginning of the 12th century, the country was born.

Porto Works

The city perches on a rocky gorge cut by the The Douro River out of a great stone mass. The Douro still slices through the dramatic gorge, proudly introducing the city as it flows west from the Spanish border to the Atlantic Ocean. Douro is the Portuguese word for gold, and the river certainly brought Porto its fortunes. The river once brought grapes down from the upper Douro Valley and now waters the many port vineyards of the region known as the Green Coast. According to writer Ann Bridge, "The whole thing looks like a singularly dangerous spider's web flung across space."

From the river, Porto marches up the steep northern bank of the gorge with its aging apartment houses, churches, and public buildings almost all of gray granite. And, as the old Portuguese refrain on its main cities asserts: “Coimbra studies, Braga prays, Lisbon shows off and Porto works.” Porto beats with industriousness -- it's not surprising that Henry the Navigator was born here in the late 14th century.

Made from grapes grown on terraced mountainsides, then fortified with brandy and aged in wooden casks, port is a dessert drink rich in color (ruby or tawny) and subtle in taste. Wine writer Oz Clark describes vintage port as “dark and chewy as Harrogate toffee, sweet as brown sugar, perfumed with mint and roughened up by pepper.” Vila Nova de Gaia on the opposite bank of the Douro is made up almost entirely of port houses. Visit some of the Quintas where the wine is produced -- most, like Quinta da Aveieda located about 30 minutes east of Porto, encourage free tastings and tours of their facilities; many feature comfortable bars overlooking the cliffs and the river. Environmentalists admire the careful way Quintas harvest their product, evident in the wine growing activities of the company as well as in the luxuriant beauty of their gardens.

Porto Wines and Dines

Colorful old Dom Luis Bridge affords another fine view of the wine lodges from the lower and upper level of the two decks. The lower level takes visitors miles down the river's edge, passing all of the most respected wine lodges in Portugal and the world. Visitors will even see some of the old wine barges. The upper level of the bridge, leads to a small park area, a lovely place to picnic and taste the beauty of Porto from the heights of Vila Nova.

Porto is vast and monumental. It extends from the Town Hall at the northern end of the wide, Avenida dos Aliados to the riverfront Praca da Riberina. The delights of Porto, however, can all be easily reached by foot. The Torre dos Clerigos, the oval church on the rua (street) of the same name, affords good views of the city at the top of a 225 step climb. From there, the port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia are clearly visible to the south and to the west at least on a clear day, is the Atlantic coast.

Porto Shares

After enjoying a wine tour, take in the panorama from the Torre dos Clerigos with its view of the Douro; see the Se Cathedral, and stroll through Porto's most important museum, the Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis. Porto's most interesting quarter is the Alfandega, reminiscent of Lisbon's Alfama district, but with its own distinctive character. The Alfandega preserves the timeless quality of many of the old buildings and cobbled paths lining the riverbank. Walk through Ribeira, the old quarter -- best seen on market days -- and if time remains, see the stunning baroque interior of the Church of St. Francis. The Gothic Church of St. Francis is reached by steps leading up from the waterfront. Its vault pillars and columns are lined with gilded woodwork. Many of its wide-ribbed Gothic arches are made of marble resembling the Italian forest-green serpentine variety. Soaring overhead, the marble seems to fade and blend mysteriously with the gray granite columns and floors. A Romanesque rosette dominates the facade, whose square portal is flanked by double twisted columns. Nearby through a separate entrance is the Museu de Sao Francisco.

It’s a short stroll through the medieval-like warrens to the Placa de Dom Infante Henrique where the Palacio da Bolsa – or stock exchange – stands. In the last century, Porto’s entrepreneurial elite thought highly of themselves and of their businesses, and they built a monument to both, sparing no expense. The building’s main courtyard is a marvel, depicting the coats of arms of nations with which Porto traded in the early 1900s, including the United States. Up the marble stairs and past the very heavy, very expensive chandeliers is a room entirely furnished, lined, and finished in precious hardwoods where commercial squabbles were settled and the famous Arab Hall in which artisans copied Moorish decorations, script, and curlicues of the caliphate in Granada, Spain.

The best way to travel to Porto is by train, arriving at Sao Bento station in the city center, beautifully decorated with blue and white tile murals depicting scenes from the history of transport and of the famous battle of Aljubarrota. Within two hours by rail travel of Lisbon, Oporto is the more genial of the two cities. Visitors to Porto will find it a funky, fascinating, and lively place to spend a few days hiking the hills on sightseeing forays, eating well, and experiencing one of Europe’s loveliest cities. Vinhoverde, literally 'green wine', but actually a red or white wine of the region, is on tap, and delicious meals are served even in the most humble settings. A hearty vegetable soup thickened with potatoes may be served with a dense cornbread; grilled squid with black olives and boiled potatoes is an entree the Portuguese are fond of here.

Porto Plays

When work is done, Porto knows how to play. Rock, jazz, and classical music; and film and art festivals thrive throughout the year. Porto will step up its tourism 2001 tempo, having been designated a European Cultural Capital. The hot spots at night take visitors down to the river into the Cais da Ribeira quayside neighborhood with its tiny bars and seafood restaurants. On a warm evening, dine on fresh fish or frango (spicy grilled chicken), sip a chilled local white wine, and watch the lights from the port lodges across the way dance on the Douro.

Anyone who has visited Portugal knows that it vies with Italy for the title of Europe’s most soccer-crazed nation. Porto holds five consecutive national championships. More than 33,000 people formed a massive human logo as Lisbon’s national stadium during Portugal’s successful campaign to hose the 2004 European soccer championships. (photo) Their successful bid will add a new stadium for Porto and Sporting, two of its “big three” clubs and improvements to the facility in Benfica. The airport will see expansion, and the Lisbon-Oporto rail link will be upgraded.

Porto Shops

Charming open air markets sell caged birds, potted plants, coins and medallions. For a taste of local fruits, vegetables, and meats, find the Mercado de Porto Bolco, where hundreds of merchants sell food, flowers, spices, and kitchen equipment from the city's most famous open-air market.

At the old Mercado Bolhao, a classic European covered market, vendors sell everything from garden fresh produce pulled that morning from a farmer’s small plot, to rabbits, chickens, and guinea fowl, to crusty loaves of the local bread. A bouquet of shops wear colorful art deco facades, and around the corner is Rua de Santa Catarina's bustling pedestrian street filled with high-fashion boutiques, street performers crooning fado, and the splendid Cafй Majestic – all brass, mirrors, and marble. The newest and most elegant shopping malls in Porto are the Centro Commercial Peninsular and the charming Centro Comercial Via Catarina in the pedestrian zone of Rua de Santa Catarina. The storefronts inside imitate the facades of a folkloric village of northern Portugal. For designer wares of noteworthy clothiers of France, Italy, and Spain, these malls will have them. The Centro Comercial da Foz is adjacent to the sea and is especially pleasant in midsummer.

Porto boasts some of the finest gold and silversmiths in the country. You'll find dozens of shops, especially along rua das Flores. Pedro A. Baptista is an outstanding shop, offering an unusual collection of antique and new jewelry. The owner buys rare and beautiful antique jewelry, including intricate, delicate filigree pins, brooches, pillboxes, and bracelets in both solid gold and gold-plated silver. There's an exquisite silver collection, including elaborately decorated tea services.

Cutting edge home furnishings are the specialty of Satira Design and the three branches of Msvel 4.

If flea markets are appealing, head for Praga da Batalha, open every day.

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