Porto, sometimes referred to as Oporto, is the second largest city in Portugal. Located in the northern part of the country, it is an extremely busy center of commerce and industry. Populated since the 14th century, its architecture gracefully blends the old with the new as beautiful stone cathedrals are contrasted by modern office buildings.

The historical center of the city, called Ribeira, was given World Heritage status in 1996 and dates back to the late Bronze Age. When the Romans arrived in 210 BC, the city (then called Cale) already had constructed a few impressive structures. Its name was later changed to Portucale and finally to Porto.

The 240,000 inhabitants of Porto are friendly and hospitable, conversant in both their native Portuguese and Spanish. They are often referred to as Tripeiros, or tripe eaters. The name was earned in the year 1415 when the citizens gave all their meat to the Portuguese fleet that was setting sail to Africa. They existed for an entire year on vegetables and tripe soup, which is still a staple of the typical Tripeiro diet.

Porto is a city of hills, which makes it a wonderful place for those who enjoy walking tours. Its mild climate is influenced by the nearby Atlantic ocean, which makes it cooler than most Portuguese cities. Although August can be quiet hot, Porto enjoys relatively cool summers and winters that are fairly warm and rainy. Overlooking the Douro river, said by many to be one of the most beautiful waterways on earth, Porto also has steep cliffs that are dotted with houses built into them and accessed by stairways hand cut into the stone.