About Porto
Porto is one of the most vibrant cities in Portugal, bearing rich history, cultures, arts, and delicious cuisines. This city includes several architectures with Gothic, Romanesque, and Beaux-Art styles. You can taste mouth-watering dishes of Porto, especially the Pastries. One of the demandable pastries is the 'Pastel De Nata'. Moreover, you will find other delicious dishes like Francesinha and Tripas a moda do Porto.
Places to visit in Porto
You should visit these attractive tourist spots during your Porto trip -
- Porto Museum of Paintings and Prints: The Porto Museum of Paintings and Prints is known as the Soares dos Reis National Museum. The museum building has been remarked as a public interest building and is also famous as the Carrancas Palace. The palace was designed in the neoclassical style of architecture. It hosts a huge collection of paintings, prints, sculptures, jewellery, ceramics, glass, furniture, and textiles. Also, here, you will find a valuable collection of Portuguese art from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century. The sculpture named 'Desterrado' is an example of a masterpiece artefact of this museum. It was fabricated by the sculptor Antonio Soares dos Reis.
- Clerigos church and tower: The iconic Church of the Clerics, or Igreja dos Clérigos, is one of the most magnificent architectural landmarks of Porto. It was the first oval-shaped church built in Portugal and designed in the Italian baroque style. This church is made of granite, and its facade features several festoons, garlands, and scrolls. Other significant features of this church are a marble altar, a rococo-inspired altarpiece, and two painted wooden sculptures of St. Philip Neri and St. Peter ad Vincula. The tower of this church was constructed with granite and rococo. It's the tallest church tower in Portugal. Visitors can reach the top of the tower with the 225 granite steps to get a wonderful view of the city of Porto.
- Monument church of St. Francis: The monument church of St. Francis has a marvellous combination of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It was built in the 13th century. More than 300 kg of gold dust was believed to be used to design the interior. People can see that the three naves of this church are covered with gold carvings. The most attractive feature of this monument church is the 'Tree of Jesse'. It's a wooden sculpture illustrating the family tree of Jesus Christ. Under the church, there have been the catacombs of the Franciscan monks and the members of the most influential families in Porto. Tourists can visit these catacombs and see the thousands of human bones preserved in an ossuary through a glass door.
- Bolsa Palace: The Bolsa Palace is one of the most famous historical monuments of Porto, designed with a neoclassical architectural style. It has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. At present, it's the headquarters of Porto's Commercial Association. People can visit the large, central courtyard surrounded by a glass structure called 'Patio das Nacoes'. Then, one can reach the Golden Room upstairs, the splendid granite and marble steps. The entire room is decorated with the glittering golden leaf. Also, there is the Arab Room decorated in Moorish style and the General Assembly Room designed with wood.
- Sao Bento Station Porto: The Sao Bento Station is one of the most beautiful modern train stations and historical landmarks in Europe. The station is designed in French Beaux-Arts style and features more than 20,000 azulejo tin-glazed, white, and blue ceramic tiles. These tiles have been depicting the history of Portugal. It includes the stories of wars, royalty, and the transportation system. Moreover, the tiled walls show the significant historical events of Portugal, such as the Conquest of Ceuta and the Battle of Valdevez. Tourists can take a train from this station to visit nearby places like Douro Valley and Guimaraes.
About Porto Airport
Porto Airport is officially known as the Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport (IATA: OPO). This airport is approximately 13 km away from the main city. The official address of Porto Airport is 4470-558 Vila Nova da Telha, Portugal. You will get a bus, metro, and rental car to visit the city from the airport.
