Most people who have visited Porto would encourage you to take at least a day cruise up the Douro River. Cruise boats have regular schedules and their onboard tour guides will point out details you would probably never see on your own. The cruise will take you upriver where you’ll enjoy the some of the most stunning natural beauty in the world, dotted with the vineyards that produce Port wine.
You don’t have to be a soccer fan to appreciate Dragao Stadium, a 5-star stadium completed in 2003 at a cost of 100 million Euros. The beautifully kept soccer field is not the only attraction of the stadium; there are restaurants and shopping areas as well as a lushly appointed conference center. Nearly 66,000 feet of beautiful azulejo tiles in blue and white adorn the stadium walls and are first seen at the entrance in the form of a dragon. This masterpiece of modern architecture, created by Manuel Salgado, is perched atop one of Porto’s many beautiful hills overlooking the city. Guided tours of the stadium will only set you back seven Euro.
Porto boasts many beautiful cathedrals dating back as far as the 12th century in styles from Gothic to Baroque. The Clergymen Church and Tower affords a dazzling view of the city and the Douro River after a climb up the 225 step spiral staircase. The exquisite stained glass, decorative tile work and wood carvings in these churches are priceless works of art.
The Casa da Musica concert hall in the Boavista section of Porto is another must-see, towering above a travertine plaza just outside the city’s historic section. Every element of its construction was geared toward acoustic perfection, from the marble stairways to the corrugated glass. The hall itself has walls of plywood, its grains adorned with gold leaf. If at all possible, attend a concert and take a tour of this unique and beautiful polyhedron creation of architect Rem Koolhaas.
If you like museums, you’ll love Porto! There are art, history, train and wine museums to choose from, or see them all if you have the time. Museau de Serralves is a modern art gallery notable for its beautiful gardens and surrounded by a public park. The museum’s well-laden and reasonably priced buffet is a wonderful place to lunch after you admire its extensive collection.
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