Warmth

Warmth
is woven into the streets of Porto. It’s exemplified in
the way that by simply asking for directions in the street, you may
end up having dinner with whoever you approached, dancing late into
the night or at the very least sharing some port.

“Ancient, very noble, always loyal, undefeated city of Porto“. This is one of many
adages that inhabitants will proudly repeat when an outsider talks
about their city – and they want you to cherish their city in the
same way.

Eating out in one of the many tavernas is nearly always cheap
and very cheerful: everything from a cup of coffee to a sandwich is
made with characteristic Portuense love and dedication. Perhaps
it’s because Porto people have had to fight for what they want,
transforming, renewing and adapting in order to survive – most
recently when they were badly hit by the economic crash of 2007.
Take one of their most traditional dishes: tripas à moda do Porto.
It is made with beans, carrots and, of course, tripe. Rumour has it
that when Porto was preparing to take down Ceuta in North Africa, the city’s very best
meat was reserved for sailors and soldiers, so only offal was left
for city dwellers. To this day, locals are known as tripeiros
(tripe-eaters), and it’s a badge they wear with pride, having taken
one for the team.

Stroll along the medieval Ribeira and get lost down winding
cobbled streets lined with old-world merchants’ houses,
15th-century churches and bustling cafes. Then cross over the River
Doura for a mandatory holiday snap on one of the city’s impressive
bridges. The grandiose 19th-century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a
stock market, was built to impress potential European investors –
just as Porto will not fail to impress you either.