The azulejo, the blue-and-white tile on the façade of the Capela das Almas (the 18th-century, the 15,947 tiles, the scenes of the lives of the saints, the St Catherine and the St Francis, the blue that is the cobalt, the white that is the tin-glazed, and the most beautiful azulejo façade in the Portugal), is the essential Porto. The Porto is the second-largest city in the Portugal, the UNESCO World heritage Site (the Ribeira, the old town), the port wine (the Vila Nova de Gaia, the across the Douro, the lodges, the tasting, and the essential Porto experience: the sandeman, the Graham’s, the Taylor’s. The €15–20 for the tour and the tasting, and the essential: the Graham’s for the view of the Porto from the lodge terrace, the best view in the city), and the most beautiful city in the Portugal. Here is your guide.

Porto, Enchanting UNESCO heritage Site

• The essential Porto, the São Bento, the Livraria Lello, and the Ribeira: The São Bento Railway Station (the most beautiful train station in Europe): the 1916, the Beaux-Arts, the hall that is the covered with the 20,000 azulejo tiles, the scenes of the Portuguese history (the Battle of the Arcos de Valdevez, the conquest of the Ceuta, and the most beautiful train-station hall in the world. The free, the station is the operational, and the essential: the 8am for the empty hall before the commuters arrive). The Livraria Lello (the most beautiful bookshop in the world, the J.K. Rowling’s inspiration): the 1906, the neo-Gothic, the stained-glass ceiling, the red staircase (the double, the curved, and the most beautiful staircase in the Portugal, the Rowling wrote the early Harry Potter in the Porto while the teaching the English at the Encounter English School, and the Livraria Lello is the said to be the inspiration for the Hogwarts Library), the £5 for the entry voucher (the redeemable against the purchase), and the essential: the book the voucher online, the queue is the 1–2 hours without the voucher, and the book the 2–3 days ahead. The Ribeira and the Dom Luís Bridge: the Ribeira is the old town on the Douro, the coloured houses (the yellow, the red, the blue, the laundry on the line, the port wine on the table, and the most beautiful waterfront in the Portugal), the Dom Luís I Bridge (the 1886, the Théophile Seyrig, the partner of the Gustave Eiffel, the upper deck for the Metro and the pedestrians, the lower deck for the cars, and the most beautiful bridge in the Portugal. The walk across the upper deck, the free, and the best view of the Porto). More Portugal →
• The food and the essential Porto experiences: The francesinha (the essential Porto food): the Porto sandwich: the bread, the ham, the sausage, the steak, the cheese, the covered in the cheese and the melted, the hot tomato-beer sauce, the egg on the top, and the €12 at the Café Santiago (the best francesinha in the Porto, the essential: the “francesinha especial”, the extra steak). The essential: the francesinha is the 2,000 calories and the best food for the sharing or the ambitious. The pastel de nata (see #800 for the Lisbon, the essential Porto nata): the Manteigaria (the Rua de Alexandre Braga, the €1.10, the cinnamon, the best pastel de nata in the Porto), the Fábrica da Nata (the €10 for the 6 plus the coffee, and the best-value nata in the Porto). The essential Porto itinerary (the 2 days): the day 1: the São Bento station, the Clérigos Tower (the €6, the 225 steps, the best view in the city), Livraria Lello, the lunch at the Gazela (the cachorrinhos, the hot dog, and the best cheap lunch in the Porto for the €3), the afternoon port-tasting at the Graham’s and the Taylor’s, the sunset at the Jardim do Morro (the opposite bank, the view of the Ribeira, the essential Porto sunset), the dinner at the Cantinho do Avillez (the José Avillez, the €40 for the 2-course, and the best-value fine-dining in the Porto). The day 2: the Serralves Museum (the €20, the contemporary art, the gardens, and the best modern architecture in the Portugal), the Foz do Douro (the Atlantic promenade, the sea, the sunset, and the essential escape from the city)