If you want to visit a city that combines sun and boats with historic legacies and modern touristic attractions, without losing those fancy places where to have fun in the night, then Porto is what you are looking for. There are so many things to do in Porto that it is almost impossible to get bored, not to mention the almost inevitable outcome of desiring to come back soon once you leave. The next paragraphs will show you some of Porto´s most demanded popular amusements.
Things to do in Porto
One particular characteristic of this city is its size. Even when the metropolitan-area-estimated population rises to 2.5 million people, only ten percent of them live in Porto city, 250.000 approximately. Nevertheless, this is the second biggest city in the country, and one of the largest urban populations of the Iberian Peninsula. Moreover, Porto has a long history since the first inhabitants established themselves in the Douro River delta. That happened 300 years before Jesus Christ when Celtic people started to build their villages in the zone.
Later, Roman occupation, Portuguese-English domination, Napoleonic wars, revolutions, and counterrevolutions were to come, and so they wrote their pages in a city as coveted as any erected at any river shore. Enjoying vestiges and remains of these uncounted stories, are among the best things to do in Porto.
The Ribeira
World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in 1996, La Ribeira is the historic center of the city. Former glory churches and buildings, standing since the 18th century and before, happen to be permanent points of interest for tourists and proud hosts. To take walking tours there is highly recommended, so as to learn secrets and tales enthusiastically told by local youngest people. A cable car can be used to move from one point to another, but Vila Nova de Gaia and its sweeping bridge must be a must.
Porto Bridge
Have you ever climbed a bridge? That would be one of the best things to do in Porto, a truly unforgettable experience. Considering the sight that awaits for you, climbing Porto Bridge should be the beginning of your personal relationship with the city. For your safety, this experience is held under security measures and, even though it demands a considerable effort to climb a narrow staircase, watching Douro River from 65 meters above, together with the city displayed alongside it is a worth living experience.
Additionally, Dom Luís I is another bridge that gives away some majestic sights, particularly at night. All these bridges connect different towns of the urban area, many of them which can and, if possible, should be visited.
Things to do in Porto: Cathedrals
Considering the different cultural influences that each and every historic episode bequeathed in Porto, it is no surprise that a Cathedrals tour will be exciting. For instance, Sé Cathedral, a 12th-century building that underwent many reforms on the successive centuries. Carmo is another church, smaller but perhaps more striking considering that it has a complete exterior wall covered with white and sky-blue tiles that shape a landscape. Its facade, as well as the inside, are one of a kind and will result in breathtaking to any visitor.
Clérigos Tower reminds of Brussels Tour inimitable. From afar it flouts skyline with its 75 meters height. Once there, the 240 steps required to climb that 18th-century tower will seem to be endless, but in the end, it will reward you with one of the most mind-blowing sights, experiences, and feelings of your entire life.
Summarizing, things to do in Porto will definitely make you fall for this city that, despite being relatively tiny, will surely surprise you in remarkable ways.
