Porto, Portugal
A mesmerising city carved in granite: in Porto (population: 238,000, or 1.7 million in the greater area) you’ll find new, exciting perspectives at every turn – whether you’re beside the steadily flowing Douro, with its six different bridges, or in the lively city quarters of this northern Portuguese metropolis. As well as the imposing buildings of light-coloured granite, the symbols of Portugal’s second-largest city include gleaming azulejo tiles adorning church walls and townhouses, which look particularly handsome when it isn’t raining. You’ll need to be in good shape here – Porto is very hilly! But it’s worth the effort, because Porto – whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is pure poetry.
