Porto: The home of Port Wine and Francesinha
Nestled between the Douro river and the Atlantic ocean, with a charming urban landscape and plenty of green areas. Porto is home to an iconic sandwich the Francesinha and an even more iconic drink, the Port: what's not to like about Porto? Add to this the city's list of pros: the hot summers and rather mild winters (although colder than Lisbon's) and its proximity to areas of amazing natural beauty, like the Douro vineyards and the Peneda-Gerês National Park.
Being the second-largest city in the country, in recent years Porto has experienced a boost in tourism, which has caused rent and house prices to go up. Still, generally speaking, houses in Porto are cheaper than in Lisbon. If money isn't a problem maybe you'll find something to your liking near the Douro river in the neighbourhoods of Ribeira or Foz do Douro. For cheaper options look into Campanhã, with wonderful train and subway connections and Boavista which is fairly central. If you want to be in the heart of the city and don't mind it when the crowd’s party on the street and things get noisy, then perhaps Avenida dos Aliados is the place for you.
With a train station in the city centre and trams and buses taking you virtually everywhere within the city, one can say Porto is well served in terms of public transportation. Add to that an expanding network of bicycle lanes and you have the perfect combo for people who don't fancy driving around too much.
While in Porto, you'll never run out of things to do. Can't live without green areas? The gardens in Palácio de Cristal, Serralves or the Botanical Garden are true classics. Don't miss the more recent Parque da Cidade, which also happens to be the largest urban park in the country, and where you'll find locals jogging, practising yoga or just enjoying time with their families.
Do you love going for leisurely walks with something beautiful and interesting around every corner? Porto's entire historic centre was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, so you're in for a treat! For that art deco and art nouveau lavish feeling pay a visit to the old Livraria Lello & Irmão bookshop, which inspired JK Rowling. Potter-heads will easily recognise the staircase. Oh, and ensure you stop by Café Majestic, in Rua Santa Catarina, the main shopping street in the city. Feast your eyes on the azulejos inside Sé do Porto, the 12th-century cathedral, or on the São Bento train station, but head over to the Church of São Francisco for a unique style of Gothic-on-the-outside, Baroque-gold-leaf-decoration-on-the-inside. The Serralves Museum and the Casa da Música concert hall are good options where you'll find there's always something going on. If you can't live too far from the sea you'll be glad to know there are a few beaches within the city limits.
Remember that if all else fails you're in the city of Port and Port tastings, of course. Cross the Dom Luís I Bridge over to Vila Nova de Gaia where you can visit several wine cellars, with Graham’s, Taylor’s, Cálem and Sandeman among the most popular options. Some cellars even provide live Fado shows.
Porto is the kind of city where you can still find that warm and genuine human touch. But how do you start the ball rolling with the locals? Going to your neighbourhood bakery, small shop, market or café is always a good idea to get to know people and practice your Portuguese skills. Going to Porto's famous Bolhão market is an experience in itself. Just imagine doing that on a regular basis! And, then... then there's the celebration you can't possibly skip when in Porto. On June 23rd thousands of people will be on the streets until the early hours of the morning for the festival of Saint John (“São João”). Just like the celebrations of Saint Anthony's in Lisbon, although there is a religious side to them (in this case, on June 24th), they're mostly profane and include garlic flowers, plastic hammers (yes!), loud music and grilled sardines. As you may have guessed by now, Porto is a city that is continuously hosting cultural events. Make sure to check The city's cultural agenda alporto.org/ so you don't skip a beat.
Joining ex-pat groups can help ease the experience of moving to another country. Internations
Porto Expats are both good options.
