Porto, the undefeated city!
Porto is certainly one of Portugal's most picturesque places to visit. The city is only a three hour drive north of Lisbon. You can get a return bus ticket from as little as 12 euros making travel easy and affordable!
The history behind the city's name
Porto was originally named ‘Cidade Invicta’ which means the unbeaten city! This came from the city never being able to be defeated by other invaders unlike some of their neighbours. With this being an achievement for Porto, the city has a dated tradition of independence which you can notice within the locals around the city, having their own style and grace!
So, how did ‘Invicta’ become Porto? It’s simple really, the city later became one of the main trading ports which then of course created the name Porto! Now we’re are certain on the name, what should you do when visiting Porto?
Porto has amazing buildings and architecture...
Dom Luis I bridge
Dom Luis I bridge boasts one of the best views and is an icon of Porto, if not the whole of Portugal. Porto has six bridges in total which link with it’s next door city, acting as a gateway to all the amazing Port wine houses of Gaia! One way ticket please?!
Out of all bridges in Porto however, Dom Luis I certainly is the king and most fascinating. Construction took place between 1881 and 1886, with the bridge having two tiers. The first tier is made for cars and the second tier is for the metro. The public can walk along both, however we recommend walking on the second tier for the best views!
Dom Luis I bridge was actually designed by Théophile Seyrig, a student of Gustave Eiffel (The designer of the Eiffel Tower). So if you thought you could see some resemblance, now you know! Construction took place between 1881 and 1886. The double-decker Dom Luis I bridge is an icon of the city of Porto. It spans the River Douro linking the Port wine houses of Vila Nova de Gaia with the bustling downtown Ribeira district of Porto.
São Bento Railway Station
When discovering the city, you will notice all the stunning blue and white tiled buildings which add so much life to the streets. The name for the tiles are called ‘azulejo’, which are popular in Portugal itself but are certainly renowned in Porto.
São Bento Railway Station is the finest building in Porto to appreciate Azulejo! The floors and ceiling are paved in the incredible artwork and explains why people know it is one of the most amazing train stations in the world!
In fact, there are 20,000 of these amazing tiles that showcase Portugal’s past of royalty, wars, and transportation history. The tiles were carefully designed and placed over 11 years between 1905 and 1916! The station provides a great mix and feeling of being historic whilst also operating as a modern station.
Once you have spent the day exploring the city, enjoy some food and drink Porto style!
Typical food and drinks
Porto is renowned for its famous sandwich, Francesinha! It’s a classic dish for the locals and visitors to enjoy. It’s certainly a go-to if you’re hungry... . Made with different kinds of roasted meat and sausage, layers of cheese and tasty tomato beer sauce! A nice big plate of fries is usually served with this sandwich too.
At the same time, Porto is one of the most popular wine-producing regions in Portugal, with Porto being at the mouth of the Douro River, being one of the main places for the best Port to be introduced for export to other countries in Europe.
It would be wrong to visit Porto without trying some Port wine, known as the choice of dessert for locals. It’s a classic drink found all over the city and afar! But Porto is especially regarded for producing some of the best when it comes to Port.
Check out the video our Interns made on their trip to Porto!