Porto - a gem in Portugal

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Guest writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré

Porto. What a gem. A perfect destination for those who want to discover a historic city over a weekend and enjoy sunsets and Portugal's cosy atmosphere. 

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If you dare to travel with the airline equivalent of Lidl, there are direct flights from Stockholm all the way to Porto for the price of a dinner for two. The airport is close to the city and a half-hour tram ride takes you into the city centre. It's relatively small, feels a bit smaller than Gothenburg, but has so much history and cosy neighbourhoods.

As written about earlier, Portugal is very cheap and for 3 euros you can get a full glass of wine or a beer in a restaurant. Ordinary cosy lunch restaurants often charge around 10 euros for a lunch with drinks and perhaps a starter.

The city rests on a number of hills but it's still easy to get around on foot so you don't have to worry about taxis and transport. It's also beautiful almost everywhere you go, so the only tip for travelling is to bring comfortable shoes and everything else will fall into place. 

Porto - a new tourist destination

It was about fifteen years ago that Porto started to become a popular destination, which is noticeable as the city still feels very authentic. The advantage is also that it's very mixed with visitors and you don't have to deal with stag parties or huge tourist groups. A city perfect for couples, families and for those who want to travel alone and just relax for a weekend in a cosy environment.

But Porto is actually two cities. The river is the dividing line between old Porto and Gaia, the new neighbourhood. Porto began to take shape in the 12th century, while Gaia was created in the early 19th century. A bit like the Göta River that separates Hisingen from Gothenburg, but not quite.

The Duoro is not just any river, it carries wine from the Duoro Valley, the famous wine region, down to the major port producers. More on this in the next article. But the beautiful wooden boats with their wine barrels sit beautifully along the shore as a monument to the city's strong connection to wine.

You start by walking around and seeing some of the old ruins and buildings that tell the story of the city. Worth mentioning are the English influences that emerged after centuries of co-operation in wars against the French. But despite the history, there are also French influences in the form of architecture where the famous Gustave Eiffel designed the 160 metre long bridge over the Duoro built in 1877. 

A slightly unexpected feature of Porto is a visit to McDonald's, certainly not something you would think of after looking at old churches and walls from the Middle Ages. But there's a reason and that's because it's home to what many say is the most beautiful McDonald's in the world. It's also known as the Imperial McDonald's, where art deco and happy meal come together in the same building. 

Many houses are clad in beautiful tiles that are almost reminiscent of the patterns found in North Africa. There are a handful of shops selling hand-painted but also industrial tiles, and it's worth saving a few kilos in your suitcase to bring some home. The seaside and humid climate is hard on facades, so tiling was simply a practical way to protect the walls in the first place, but also became an aesthetic signature of the city.

Further down the river, the houses are painted in a variety of colours and it is a delight to rest your eyes on the narrow houses in different colours. This was the home of the fishermen and those who worked to transport wine and vegetables along the river. After painting their fishing boats, they used the same colour to repaint their houses, and it was also water resistant. As in many other cities, houses were taxed according to their width from the street, which the economically minded took advantage of and built long narrow houses. 

How to end the evening in Porto? For those of us who love sunsets, Porto is a city where many people share that interest. In the evening, people gather in the small park of Gaia with a perfect view of the river and Porto.

You don't need to bring anything with you as there are vendors selling soft drinks, cold beer and snacks and there is almost always live music and troubadours. It was probably one of the most enjoyable moments in Porto, but it also embodies some of the feelings I get when I think back on my stay. 

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Jonathan Gharbi De Maré

Jonathan runs the start-up abudhabibeer.com about beer both in the UAE with offshoots in neighbouring regions. Jonathan opened the first craft brewery in Burkina Faso and wrote the book Beer guide to Vietnam. He is a regular writer for the beer magazine Maltesen. In addition to beer, he has a keen interest in nature and more unusual travel destinations. He has written articles for a variety of newspapers and magazines.

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