Instead of Lisbon: Porto, Azulejos and Wine on the Douro

Porto: Portugal Unfiltered

Lisbon is beautiful, but in recent years mass tourism has profoundly changed it. The Alfama has become a neighbourhood of Airbnbs where authentic fado bars close to make way for tourist traps, tram 28 is more a tourist attraction than a means of transport, and the pastéis de nata in Belém require an hour-long queue. Porto, Portugal's second city, has undergone a similar transformation but to a far lesser degree, retaining a rough and fascinating authenticity that Lisbon is steadily losing.

The Ribeira and the Douro

The heart of Porto is the Ribeira, the UNESCO-listed historic quarter overlooking the Douro river with its colourful houses stacked one atop another in picturesque disorder. Crossing the Ponte Dom Luís I — a nineteenth-century iron masterpiece designed by a pupil of Gustave Eiffel — you reach Vila Nova de Gaia, where dozens of historic cellars age their port wine in oak barrels. The riverside walk at sunset, with the rabelo boats moored and the lights coming on across the Ribeira's facades, is one of Europe's finest urban experiences.

What to See

- São Bento Station — The atrium is decorated with 20,000 blue-and-white azulejos depicting the history of Portugal. It is a working railway station, not a museum — and entry is free.

- Livraria Lello — One of the world's most beautiful bookshops, with its double-helix staircase of carved wood. A ticket is now required to enter, but it is worth every cent.

- Torre dos Clérigos — The baroque bell tower that is the city's symbol. 240 steps for a 360° view over Porto.

- Igreja de São Francisco — The interior is covered in baroque gilded carvings: estimates suggest over 300 kilograms of gold. The visual impact is overwhelming.

- Mercado do Bolhão — The recently restored historic market, where locals shop among stalls of salt cod, fruit, flowers and tripas (offal).

- Vila Nova de Gaia Cellars — Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman and dozens of others offer guided tours and tastings with views over the Douro.

The Azulejos

Porto is the world capital of azulejos, the painted ceramic tiles that decorate the facades of churches, stations, houses and shops. São Bento Station is the masterpiece, but wandering through the city you discover entire facades covered in narrative panels: the Igreja do Carmo, the Capella das Almas on Rua Santa Catarina, the Cathedral cloister. Unlike Lisbon, where azulejos are often damaged or stolen, in Porto many facades have been carefully restored — the city is proud of them.

The Francesinha and Porto Cuisine

Porto's emblematic dish is the francesinha, a monstrously good sandwich: layers of bread, ham, fresh sausage, steak and melted cheese, the whole thing drowned in a sauce of beer, tomato and chilli, served with chips. It is a one-plate meal, caloric and unforgettable. Café Santiago and Cervejaria Brasão are two classic addresses. For fish, Matosinhos — the seaside neighbourhood reachable by metro — has an entire street of grilled fish restaurants on Rua Heróis de França, where roasted sardines and polvo à lagareiro are excellent and honestly priced.

Port Wine

You cannot visit Porto without tasting the wine that bears its name. The cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the opposite bank of the Douro, offer guided tours that reveal the production process — from the harvest in the Douro Valley to ageing in barrels. A 20-year tawny sipped on Graham's terrace with views over the Ribeira at sunset is an experience that justifies the journey alone. For those who want to go deeper, the Douro Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is reachable by scenic train along the river.

Getting There

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is connected to the city centre by metro in around 30 minutes. Several low-cost carriers fly to Porto from Italy. From Lisbon, the Alfa Pendular high-speed train takes approximately 2 hours 45 minutes. The historic centre is compact but hilly: prepare your legs for the climbs. The historic trams (lines 1 and 22) are far less crowded than Lisbon's notorious tram 28.

When to Go

Porto is beautiful year-round. Spring (March–June) is ideal: camellias bloom in the gardens and temperatures are mild. Summer is warm but tempered by Atlantic breezes. September–October is harvest season in the Douro Valley. Winter is cool and rainy but atmospheric, with mists on the Douro and welcoming cellars.

Lisbon or Porto? Both — but Start with Porto

Portugal deserves to be explored in full, and both Lisbon and Porto are unmissable. But if you have to choose, or if you want to begin with the less-beaten destination, Porto offers a more concentrated, more genuine and more accessible experience. It is a city that does not need to win you over — it takes you by the throat with a francesinha, by the heart with its sunsets over the Douro, and by the soul with the pride of its people.