Oporto

Portugal is ,a destination that captures your heart and soul. Once you have visited it you cannot help coming back again and again, looking for the most picturesque, historical, cultural corners from north to south.
If you are looking for a weekend of leisure, but also for some tours to discover the regional food, wine and history, Porto cannot be missing in your travel carnet. Being the second largest city in Portugal, Porto clings along the banks of the river Douro, just a few kilometres away from the Atlantic Ocean. Mostly famous for its renown and appreciated liquor, the city is an ideal destination for travel aiming at discovering local traditions and culture. However, maybe not everyone knows that its old town has been declared UNESCO world heritage in 1996. Thanks to its picturesque and charming atmosphere, a walk along the main street, the Avenida dos Aliados, will allow a tourist to admire the magnificent architecture of the nineteenth-century buildings, to treat oneself by taking a sweet and relaxing break in one of the many traditional cafés, to have lunch at the local pubs, to hang around the shelves of the old stationary shops and bookshops and, why not, to buy some souvenirs from one of the many little shops along the Avenida.
Not far from the Avenida, visitors can find the well-known Torre dos Clérigos (Tower of Clerics), designed by the Italian architect Niccolò Nasoni in baroque style, entirely made up of stone and dating back to the 18th century.
Two hundred forty steps will lead to the top that offers a breath-taking view over the city: the climb is hard, but definitely worth it. From this point, in fact, it is possible to admire the Sé do Porto (Sé Cathedral), a fortress-like cathedral built between the 12th and 13th century under the Moriscos dominion, as well as the Foz do Douro beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. Just a short walk away from Torre dos Clérigos, in Rua das Carmelitas, the old Lello library, considered one of the libraries having the most valuable artistic and cultural heritage in the world so much as to be included in the UNESCO world heritages, cannot be missed. It is a unique mix of neo-gothic style and liberty architecture: going inside, one is welcomed by the warm embrace of a majestic solid wood stair.
The richly decorated ceiling, the walls of inlaid wood and the elegant and multi-coloured skylight in the centre of the ceiling have assured to it the epithet of “Cathedral of the Book.”
Moreover, some scenes of the Harry Potter saga have been shot here. Exiting the library (inside which you will also be able to find a cafeteria, ideal for those of you who would love to sip a drink while reading a good book), I would suggest to stop at Café Guarany, an elegant café along the Avenida dos Aliados, where you can taste some homemade cakes and pastries, but also choose to have the fresh catches of the day or some duck with Porto for lunch.
Have a look at the dessert menu: it is really outstanding. June is a good month to visit Porto since you can happen to bump into one of the most folkloristic and popular celebrations that attract thousands of tourists every year: Saint John feast. On the night of June the 23rd, the city becomes full of colour, sounds and shows to celebrate the beloved Saint. One peculiarity? People arm themselves with plastic hammers to get into a battle tapping on the heads of the people crowding the streets. Those hammers substitute the stems of leeks that were used in the past to wish good luck.
At midnight, people gather together along the banks of the Douro to enjoy the enchanting fireworks show shot from the Luís I bridge to honour the Saint and traditional paper balloons are thrown up to the sky.
The following day is the time for another event not to be missed: the Rabelo Boat Regatta held to celebrate Saint John. The regatta leaves from the mouth of the river Douro and follows up to the Luís I bridge.
Rabelo boats were originally suited for the transport of goods and people, traditionally linked to the production of the liquor.
These boats are unique in the world and can only be admired on this special occasion as they belong to the different local wine producers.
The best place to follow the regatta is from the Gran Cruz terrace, which offers a unique view. Furthermore, a cruise on the Douro is a must during travel in Porto.
Many agencies provide for different solutions, also for more than one day, on ships-hotels, but I would suggest to choose a short one that allows you to fully enjoy the charming view of the city from the river and from Vila Nova de Gaia, where the largest producers of the liquor are located.
Among the other tourist attractions to be noted in the agenda are the House of Music, the most important concert hall, an avant-garde space where to visit both the auditoriums and the Cyber, devolved to multimedia installations.
The main aim of the House of Music is to promote diversity in the music field and the talent of Portuguese artists.
For those who are passionate for art, we recommend a visit at the Serravels Foundation that hosts the Contemporary Art Museum.
Here it is possible to admire permanent as well as temporary exhibitions in a fairy-tale environment.
In fact, the museum is surrounded by a park of 18 ectars that preserves not only native and exotic plants, but also some protected animal species.