PORTUGAL : Porto

size="2 Porto , or Oporto , is Portugal 's second largest city and capital of Portugal 's beguiling north. Porto was selected the 2001 European Capital of Culture . The city has a population of 263,000 inhabitants in 15 parishes, with 1,551,950 in the metropolitan area. It is situated in the north of the country, on the northern bank of the Douro River, just in the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

The country of Portugal and Port Wine (Portuguese: Vinho do Porto) owe their names to the city of Porto.   Historic references of the city go back to the 5th century and Roman times. In the period before the foundation of Portugal, it was named "Portus Cale" - Harbour of Cale in English. The surrounding county was thus named Condado Portucalense. This county later became the independent kingdom called Portugal, which eventually expanded to its current frontiers. One of Portugal's most internationally appreciated products is Port Wine. Its name comes from the fact that it ages in cellars in Porto's sister city Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river.

Rich from centuries of trade, modern Oporto is as much a cosmopolitan centre as it is a city steeped in the historical events of the past.Magnificently situated on the great gorge of the River Douro, which spills into the Atlantic after its scenic 927 km journey from Spain, the 'granite city' is best known for its striking bridges and the much celebrated Port wine, which is stored and savoured by wine lovers all over the world. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1996, the ancient Ribeira riverside district is a warren of narrow, twisting streets and shadowy arches. The ongoing restoration of this lively quarter is attracting a growing number of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Visitors will be able to take a pleasant stroll around its typical quarters (especially the area on the waterside, the zona ribeirinha) and its bustling downtown. Worth a visit are: the Stock Exchange Palace, the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral, the church of Cedofeita (Romanesque), the Clérigos tower (Portos ex-libris of Baroque architecture) and church; the church of São Francisco, of Romanesque origin, with its interior covered in gilded carvings, and the church of Carmo, with tiled façades.

Porto is also home to some noteworhty museums: Soares dos Reis, Casa de Serralves (modern art), Casa-Museu de Guerra Junqueiro and the Romantic Style Museum of Quinta da Macieirinha. One should not miss a visit to the Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia and free tasting of the famous port wine.