If you think the world is becoming too much the same thing everywhere, visit Portugal, which is still calmly but defiantly different. There may be McDonald's and Starbucks on too many corners in some European cities, but not in Portugal, especially Central Portugal, where there is a gentler and slowly delicious way of going about life.
One reason Portuguese towns and cities are so attractive to American visitors is that the nation escaped both World Wars and other catastrophes since 1755, when an earthquake leveled Lisbon, leaving countless older buildings intact. Furthermore, great poverty in the 20th century, including nearly 40 years under dictator Salazar and his ilk, prevented much development and kept foreign capital out, making for fewer tall buildings and other monoliths of glass and concrete. (Now that Portugal is a full fledged member of the European Union and part of the currency system as well, this could change, stay tuned.)
On a June trip to Central Portugal, I discovered the real charms of that area and the quiet dignity of Oporto, the latter the air gateway to wine regions, coastal resorts, palaces in the mountains, and ancient towns and villages with a way of life I could learning to like.
Events
The biggest event in Oporto is the Feast of St. Joao, taking place in June each year. Though the city celebrates the entire month, there are two big days toward the end of the month when the happiest events take place (in 2006, it was June 23 and 24). Parades, costumes, floats, fireworks, concerts, you name it, and they claim to have it.
Highlights
There is plenty to see in Oporto, an ancient city with a long history of ties to England, of course, but I think the main reason to visit is to explore the wine industry here, which means checking out the Port warehouses and then getting out of town and up the Douro River.That said, here are some of the top spots you shouldn't miss in Oporto:
The port wine warehouses in Vila Nova da Gaia along the north bank of the Douro, just across the river from the impressively old Beira district, bear names well known to drinkers of this type of aperitif-Sandeman (www.sandeman.com),the tall guy in a black cloak, Taylors (www.taylor.pt), Calem (www.calem.pt) etc. Be sure to visit at least one for tours and free samples. In the excellent Frommer's Guide to Portugal, the authors recommend especially the Caves Ramos Pinto (www.ramospinto.pt) Sandeman's is the most convenient, of course, dominating the waterfront here.
Next on your list should be the Ribeira Area, replete with old houses, and a protected historical district as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just to get a sense of how ancient things are, visit the House of the Infante (tel. 351/222-060-400; e-mail: casadoinfante-serveducativo@cm-porto.pt; Rua da Alfandega 10) where you can look down at the original pavement from the 14th century. This place is called The House of the Prince as it is believed that Prince Henry the Navigator was born here in 1394. It was later the site of a medieval Customs House, a mint and a warehouse. It's a National Monument, of course, and admission is free.
The real reason for coming to Ribeira, though, is to sit along the quay in one of the dozens of restaurants and bars here, having lunch, a snack, or just a drink and soaking in the ambience (and with luck, the sunshine). The center of most of the action is the Praca da Ribeira. Restaurants here recommended by our guidebook authors include the Taverna dos Bebodos, Don Tonho and La Merceria.
I suggest walking along the Quay, after savoring Ribeira, to the famous Dom Luis I bridge, designed by a colleague of Gustav Eiffel, there to take the modern funicular up the hill to the area around the Praca D. Joao I.
In every European city, it is almost obligatory to see the Cathedral, and Oporto's Se (12th century) is no exception, though the building isn't as gorgeous as some, as mighty in bulk, or as important in history as others. The exterior and the cathedral's surroundings are what make it most interesting, I think, as the tangle of small streets and ancient houses at its foot are a fascinating blend of modern and antiquated, clean and dirty, sweet and sour smells, in short, an alive community that shows its vitality, warts and all.
If you think Wall Street is impressive, consider what a stock exchange might be like if it is, say, pretty. That's what the Palacio da Bolsa (Chamber of Commerce) is, though it's more like the Brighton Pavilion than the Alhambra in its attempt to achieve an Oriental look (think Moorish architecture and décor). On the outside, the Bolsa looks like any run-of-the-mill large European palace building, while inside there are several European-style chambers and one attempt at Arabesque, all done with plaster, paint and gilt, with no marble to speak of. Admission €5 (about $6.35), guided tours only.
Visit the Sao Bento Train Station, only if you happen to be nearby, as the front lobby's tile murals are interesting enough, but not worth a detour.
Farther from the center are two points of interest for lovers of modern architecture and/or culture, the Serralves Foundation in Parque Serralves (www.serralves.pt) and the Casa da Musica (www.casadamusica.pt). You'll find a lot of contemporary art in the former as well as a pretty garden, and performing arts and a café in the second. Admission to the Foundation and park is €5 (about $6.35).
The Gentle Douro
Reserve ahead for a trip up the Douro on ships of Douro Azul, prices ranging from between €49 and 89 (about $62.35to $113.25), meal included. You should take the upstream trip, leaving Oporto's pretty waterfront (in Vila Nova da Gaia) in late morning, at 11, and arriving at the cozy little town of Regua at 6, visiting a quinta (wine lodge) there and returning by fast bus to Oporto by 8:30 or 9 in the evening, just in fashionable time for a Portuguese dinner.
My ship had four decks, the top one open, the next below it half open, with an air-conditioned lounge there and ditto dining room one deck below. If you want a deck chair, it pays to arrive early, as it's first-come, first-served. Just before lunch is served at 1, you are offered a glass of wine on deck, and then a set menu meal, with a heavy soup, pork or fish, and a pudding, with plenty of bread and wine to go with it. My guide advised that tipping was not necessary.
On a sunlit day, this can be a glorious experience, the hillsides covered with vines and crowding toward the boat, the dwindling signs of development gradually fading away, that flawless glide upon placid water at once calming and satisfying as the miles pass by.You'll see signs of Portugal's new wealth, with gentrified villas poking their heads here and there amidst groups of older buildings in a village. There are even some cranes looming over construction work in larger towns along the way, and a swift train easily outpaces the boat along the northern bank for several miles.
The highlight for many passengers was passing through two sets of locks at dams along the river, one lifting the boat about 42 feet, the second a lofty 105 feet. Most memorable are the dozens of pretty little towns and villages along the banks.
On arrival in Regua, you'll board a bus and in about five minutes reach the Quinta da Sao Domingos
, for a brief visit to the cave, then try a couple of their port wines, free of charge. If you want to buy some, bottles of their Castelinho label start at only €7.50 or $9.55 (Ruby or Tawny port), whites from €9.50 ($12.10). Their 1935 vintage costs €298 ($379), a 1990 only €21 ($26.75). A Saudade label for table wine goes from €4.90 ($6.25) and up. If you are on your own, you can have lunch or dinner at the restaurant here, too. Contact them at tel. 351/254-320-260;www.castelinho-vinhos.pt (under construction); e-mail: turismo@castelinho-vinhos.pt; 5050-205 Peso da Regua.
The bus takes you by one of the smooth European-Community-financed highways back to the Oporto boat landing, in about one hour and 45 minutes. Contact the boat and tour operator at, tel. 351/223-402-518;www.douroazul.pt; Douro Azul, Rua S. Francisco 4, 4050-548 Porto.
Culture
In addition to performing arts at the Casa da Musica, there are venues all over town for music, paintings and other forms of expression. One such, which also features poetry, is FNAC, in the Gaia Norte Shopping Center on Santa Catarina. At the imposing Rivoli Teatro Municipal, in addition to theater, there are occasional concerts (such as those by the Orquestra Nacional do Porto) and dance. Look for the seasonal Agenda do Porto magazine, free of charge, and in both English/Portuguese. More atwww.agendadoporto.pt.
Lodging
The Grande Hotel do Porto (tel. 351/222-076-690;www.grandehotelporto.com; Rua de Santa Catarina 197, 4000-450 Porto) is a three-star place, located right on busy Rua de Santa Catarina, crammed with fashionable shops and near the tourist magnet Café Majestic. It's also easy walking distance of the Ribeira neighborhood, the Cathedral and the waterfront, as well as near a fine old market (just around the corner). Built in 1891, heavily renovated in 2002. Determinedly old-fashioned, the Grande has a surprisingly good dining room, the Renaissance, where fixed price dinners cost €16 ($20.35) for three course meals. A hearty buffet breakfast is included in the prices for the 99 rooms, which range from $106 for a double. The front desk is staffed with courteous, efficient men and women who also speak good English as well. Note that the street out front, said to be for pedestrians only, sees occasional cars, trucks and buses whiz by at what seem to be random hours, so be careful.
On the Praca da Batalha is the Mercure Batalha Porto (tel. 351/22-204/3300;www.mercure.com; e-mail: H1975@accor.com), a four-star hotel in this historical and shopping center, blending in with other buildings but thoroughly elegant and modern inside. 149 rooms, with restaurant and other facilities. Rates €110 ($140) for a double, no breakfast.Look on the web for their hot deals, which claim to be up to 50 percent off in price.
Just down the street is the Quality Inn (tel. 351/22-339-2300;www.choicehotelseurope.com; e-mail: quality.batalha@grupo-continental.com; Praca da Batalha 127, 4000-102 Porto), where a room for two goes for just €65 ($82.70) with breakfast, in a smaller and less elegant establishment, but quite modernized.
Dining Out
At the venerable-looking Café Majestic, you'll find attentive service and good food. Try something like my dinner, consisting of codfish with egg, potatoes and onion, for €12 ($15.25). The bare bulbs in sconces, a favorite Portuguese item of décor, clash somewhat with the Belle Epoque panels, cherubs and woodwork (the restaurant was built in 1921), but the overall effect is of greater antiquity. The restaurant also has an honest staff and/or clientele, as I left a small leather bag there by accident on a busy Saturday night just before closing, and got it back two days later when I asked after it.
At the Escondidinho (tel. 351/22-200-1079; Rua Passos Manuel 144, Porto) where English is spoken well, you can have a pleasant meal such as the one I had, with a good Dao wine (red Casa de Santar at €6.50, $8.25, for half a bottle), asparagus soup (€4, $5), shrimp au gratin (€16, $20.35) and apple tart (€3.80, $4.80). The bread and olives on the table cost you something, in this case €1.50 ($1.90). In business for nearly 100 years, they say, the timbered-ceiling and fake bow windows intact, the relatively new management features food cooked in wood-burning ovens, with codfish and tripe among its local treats. Excellent service. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
There's a neat little Café Concerto in the Rivoli Teatro Municipal at the Praca D. Joao I, which sometimes has a week or fortnight on a special theme, such as on pastas when I visited.
Contacts
For more information on Oporto, check outwww.portoturismo.pt. Full information on Portugal is atwww.visitportugal.com.
TAP Air Portugal has just inaugurated (May 2006) a nonstop flight from Newark to Oporto, taking just under six hours eastbound, perhaps the shortest duration of any flight from the New York area to the mainland of Europe, I hazard to guess.
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