D.Luis bridge in Porto by night


Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and is located in northern Portugal with an estimated population of 300,000 and 1.6 million making up the Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto. The city name derived from one of Portugal's most internationally famous products, Port wine, because it was originally shipped from the area.

History

In 1703 the Methuen Treaty was established. Trade relations between Portugal and England is said to be one of the longest established treaties of it's kind and in 1717 the first English trading post was established in Porto. During the 18th and 19th centuries the city became an important industrial centre and saw its size and population increase.

In August 1820 Porto rebelled against the English presence, resulting in a civil war in Portugal. In 1822 a liberal constitution was accepted, partly through the efforts of the liberal assembly of Porto.

Culture

Porto has several museums, concert halls, theaters, cinemas and art galleries. The best-known museums in Porto are the Soares dos Reis National Museum, which is dedicated especially to the Portuguese artistic movements from the 16th to the 20th century, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Serralves Foundation. The city concert halls rare and elegant, such as the Coliseu do Porto by the Portuguese architect Cassiano Branco, it is seen by many as one of the best and most elegant concert halls in Europe. Other notable venues include the Rivoli theatre, the Batalha cinema and the recent Casa do Música.




Downtown Porto and Porto City Hall


Cuisine

Porto is home to a number of dishes from traditional Portuguese cuisine. A typical dish from this city is Tripas à Moda do Porto, which can still be found everywhere in the city today. Bacalhau á Gomes de Sá is another typical dish born in Porto and popular in Portugal. The Francesinha is the most famous popular native snack food in Porto. It's a kind of sandwich with several meats covered with cheese and a special sauce made with beer and other ingredients.

Transportation

Porto airport Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) is located 15km to the north west of the city centre. The airport is a state-of-the-art facility, having undergone a massive program of refurbishment due to the Euro 2004 football championships being partly hosted in the city.

Direct flights to a growing number of major cities in Europe and the Americas. Low cost connections to London, Frankfurt, Liverpool, Dublin and Paris are also available from the airport which is said to be one of the best airports in the world.

Porto's main railway station is situated in Campanhã on the main line to Lisbon. From here, both metro and suburban rail services go to the city centre. The main central station is at São Bento is itself a notable attraction. Porto is said to be the gateway to the north of the country with road links to the Minho and Northern regions. The A1 motorway is the the main link to Lisbon, Coimbra and the southern regions.

Climate of Porto

Summers are typically sunny with temperatures between 16°C and 27°C but can rise to as high as 40°C during occasional heat waves, which typically last between 5 and 10 days.

Winter temperatures typically range between 5°C during morning and 16°C during afternoon, but can occasionally drop below 0°C at night.




Palácio de Cristal