What to see in Porto, walking itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including the Cathedral, Episcopal Palace and Dos Grilos Church, as well as the traditional cellars.
Tourist information
Located on the right bank of the Douro river, near its mouth, Porto, also called Porto, is considered by many to be the most beautiful city in Portugal.
It played a leading role in the creation of the Lusitanian nation, as it was the main administrative center of the county of Portucale, a territory between the Minho and Douro rivers, for this reason it ended up giving the name and identity to current Portugal.
The toponym Oporto in fact derives from Portucale, a name formed by the names of two ancient places, located on the two sides of the Douro, precisely Portus and Cale.
Portucale County, which had belonged to the Leonese monarchy for decades, became independent after the marriage of Teresa, daughter of Alfonso VI of Leon, to Henry of Burgundy.
From this marriage Alfonso Henriques was born, who in 1413 became the first king of Portugal.
Once the Arabs were finally expelled, the country's political center was transferred to Lisbon and other cities, with the consequences of losing Porto's importance from this point of view.
Porto returned to occupy an important role in the history of the country since the fifteenth century, numerous boats, among those that were protagonists in the great Portuguese maritime operations, were made in its shipyards.
When Henry the Navigator began the conquest of Ceuta, all the cattle in the region were requisitioned, allowing their owners to keep only the bowels or tripe.
The famous "trippe della portena", one of the typical dishes of the city, originated at that time, as well as the name "triperos", with which the inhabitants of Porto are often called.
During the first half of the eighteenth century many British wine merchants settled in Porto, as the Treaty of Methwen, ratified in 1703, gave them control of the "caldos", that is, the wines produced on this bank of the Douro River.
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A few years earlier, in 1678, the fine port wine had been exported for the first time to a foreign country, Great Britain.
What see
The oldest districts of Porto develop around the Cathedral, in Portuguese Sé, a particular building having the appearance of a fortress of Romanesque origin, subjected to various renovations over time, especially between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which marked the current forms.
The plant and the rose window at the entrance date back to the end of the twelfth century, while the cloister, characterized by wonderful azulejos, is in Gothic style.
The portico, the chapels, which surround its three naves, and the main altar, are instead baroque.
The Episcopal Palace and the Church of Dos Grilos, excellent examples of Baroque, complete the complex of the Sé.
Behind the Cathedral you can see the Manueline facade of the Church of Santa Clara, built between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with subsequent renovations.
To admire the Mudejar coffered ceiling that covers the choir stalls.
The Church of San Francesco, built in the early fourteenth century, is striking for the richness of its internal coating, with numerous gilded wooden statues.
With a Gothic shape, this church shows, on the windows of the south facade, Manueline art, and the Baroque style, from which this particular abundance of decorations derived.
Adjacent is the Palazzo della Borsa, an excellent example of neoclassical style, a building with many rooms including the Golden Hall, the Court of the Ancient Commercial Court and the Arab Hall, a concentrate of the latter of the oriental trends that characterize the most part of nineteenth century Portuguese architecture.
Moving north you meet Piazza della Libertà, the main city meeting place including the equestrian statue of King Peter IV.
On one of the sides of the square is the Station of San Benito, with the main vestibule decorated with white and blue azulejos, depicting scenes related to the history of Porto.
On the opposite side of the square there is the Tower of the Clerici Church, considered the most significant monument in the city.
75 meters high, it was erected in the Baroque style between the years 1748 and 1763, through a winding staircase of 225 steps it is possible to climb to the highest point, enjoying an excellent panoramic view.
It is a work designed by the Italian architect Nasoni, who was also the author of other churches in Porto.
The facade of the church is a remarkable example of rococo style.
Another famous tower is that of the Clock, located in the center of the facade of the town hall, built in 1920 and connected to the Piazza della Libertà by means of the Avenita dos Aliados.
The Church of Carmen, located near the Carmelite monastery and the university, was built in the Baroque style in the seventeenth century, with a three-body facade.
The single-nave interior highlights the paintings of the dome covering the main altar.
On one side of the building there is the fountain of winged lions, which contributes to further embellishing the external context.
Distant from the center and located on a small hill, the 18th century Church of San Ildefonso further highlights the remarkable presence of Baroque in the city and the habit of decorating facades and walls of buildings with azulejos.
The access porch, with two solid towers on the sides, is finished with a simple triangular frontispiece.
In the azulejos, from 1920, various scenes from the life of the Saint are represented, as well as allegorical motifs referring to the Eucharist.
The bridges of Porto
Note also the bridges of Porto, huge civil engineering works which, in addition to joining the two sides, are admired for their plasticity.
The Maria Pia bridge, the most distant from the sea and crossed by the railway, was designed by Gustave Eiffel and finished in 1877.
Its metal structure forms a single span, with the tracks placed at about 60 meters high.
The Luis I Bridge, which connects the city center with Vila Nova de Gaia, was built in 1886 by Teofilo Seyring, a pupil of Eiffel who faithfully followed the teachings of his master.
Also made of metal and with a single span, the viaduct consists of two floors reserved for car traffic.
In 1963 the Ponte della Arrabida was built, the work of the Portuguese engineer Edgar Cardoso, who remained faithful to the tradition of a single span, but using cement to metal must.
The San Joao Bridge, intended for rail transport, dates from 1961, while the Freizo Bridge, inaugurated in 1996, is used for the movement of cars and motorcycles.
The museums include the Soares dos reis National Museum, which houses works by the Portuguese sculptor of the same name, as well as those of other national artists.
Housed in the Carrancas Palace, where the English general Wellington lived a few years before defeating Napoleon in the battle of Waterloo.
Another attraction of Porto is represented by its wine, which has become famous throughout the world.
Already the Romans, after the conquest of the Douro region in 48 BC, appreciated its high quality.
Although the wine is made a few kilometers from the city, there are many wineries in the city, especially in Vila Nova dei Gaia, where you can taste it and possibly buy it.
In the past, wine barrels were transported on the river using rabelos boats, flat-keeled boats with two rows of oars and a central sail.
Currently the transport is carried out with modern means, but the rabelos are still present and still flow with great solemnity the waters of the Douro.
