Introduction

An old Portuguese proverb: Coimbra sings, Braga prays, Lisbon performs and Porto works. The work ethos is noticeable in the atmosphere in the city. The people of Porto are friendly and down-to-earth.

Population

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and has about 263,000 inhabitants. The people of Porto are known for being hard workers.

Location

Porto is located on the north-eastern coast of Portugal. The waves that wash the coastline near Porto belong to the Atlantic Ocean, into which the river Douro, which meanders through Porto, flows. The banks of the river Douro are beautiful; Porto is a good base for visiting them.

Economy

Porto is very important for the Portuguese economy. First of all, this city has the highest number of factories in Portugal. One of the things they do is process textile. Porto is also the commercial heart of the country. A lot of Port Wine is traded, the product for which Portugal is internationally famous. Tourism is of minor importance to Porto, although it does play a role. The old city of Porto was declared a World Heritage by Unesco in 1996, which benefited tourism.

Airports

Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport is Porto's airport, which is located 20 kilometers to the north-west of the city. This airport processes domestic flights, mainly from Lisbon and Faro, as well as international flights.

Public transport

From Porto it is easy to travel to many other Portuguese cities, both by bus and by train. The bus is cheaper. Every half an hour you can take a bus to and from the airport of Porto. In the city, the bus company STCP operates. Porto has begun building a subway. The plan is to extend this network throughout the city. The tram has been very important to Porto. At the moment, this type of public transport is disappearing.

Traffic and Parking

Compared to Lisbon, Porto is an easy place to drive, although here too the driving style of the Portuguese needs some getting used to. They drive hurriedly. It may be difficult to park your car in the center. The best solution is to leave your car just outside the city center, and to proceed on foot.

Hotels

In Porto it is not very difficult to find a hotel that suits your taste. Nevertheless, we do recommend booking in advance during the peak season, which lasts from around May to September.

External Sources

For more information about Porto, we recommend Google, and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Porto
• Porto tourism official website
(Portuguese, Spanish and English)