Porto

Porto

PT
Population237,591
Porto (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpoɾtu] ), also known in English as Oporto, is the second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropolitan area, with an estimated population of just 252,687 people in a municipality with only 41.42 km2 (16 sq mi). Porto's urban area has around 1,4 million people,(2025) in an area of 2,395 km2 (925 sq mi), making it the second-largest urban area in Portugal. while the Porto metro area surpasses 1,8 million people. It is recognized as a global city with a Gamma + rating from the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centers and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, as the "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar". The historic area is also a National Monument of Portugal. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Its settlement dates back to the 2nd century BC when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its combined Celtic-Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal, based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin. Port wine, one of Portugal's most famous exports, is named after Porto, since the metropolitan area, and in particular the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, were responsible for the packaging, transport, and export of fortified wine. Porto is on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago. In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency. In 2023, Porto was named City of the Year by Food and Travel magazine. In 2024, the city was awarded World’s Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination at the World Travel Awards.

Places to Explore

Curated experiences in Porto

Feitoria Britânica

Feitoria Britânica

The British Factory House (Portuguese: Feitoria Inglesa), also known as the British Association House, is an 18th-century Neo-Palladian building located …

Casa Andresen

Casa Andresen

Casa da Câmara

Casa da Câmara

The Casa da Câmara (literally, the old Municipal House) is a former-administrative building located in the civil parish of Cedofeita, …

Museu de Serralves

Museu de Serralves

Museu Nacional da Imprensa

Museu Nacional da Imprensa

Teleférico de Gaia

Teleférico de Gaia

The Gaia Cable Car, or Teleférico de Gaia, is a monocable gondola lift located in Vila Nova de Gaia, across …

Funicular dos Guindais

Funicular dos Guindais

The Guindais Funicular (Portuguese: Funicular dos Guindais) is a funicular railway in the Portuguese city of Porto. It connects the …

Palmeira das Canárias

Palmeira das Canárias

Museu das Marionetas do Porto

Museu das Marionetas do Porto

Café Majestic

Café Majestic

Café Majestic is an historic café, located at Rua de Santa Catarina, in Porto, Portugal. The building is from the …

Pinheiro bunya

Pinheiro bunya

Casa de Serralves

Casa de Serralves

Galeria da Biodiversidade

Galeria da Biodiversidade

Casa-Museu Fernando de Castro

Casa-Museu Fernando de Castro

Visiting only by booking, the Casa Museu Fernando de Castro (Fernando de Castro's House Museum) is a historical house, located …

Centro Português de Fotografia

Centro Português de Fotografia

The Portuguese Centre of Photography was founded in 1997. The first exhibitions began in December of the same year on …

Museu do Papel Moeda

Museu do Papel Moeda

Vicent

Vicent

Casa Vicent is a historic building in the civil parish of Santo Ildefonso, in the Portuguese city of Porto. Located …

Pelourinho de Vila Nova de Gaia

Pelourinho de Vila Nova de Gaia

Barcos Rabelo

Barcos Rabelo

The rabelo boat (Portuguese: [ʁɐˈβe.lu]) is a traditional Portuguese wooden cargo boat that was used for centuries to transport people …

Museu Futebol Clube do Porto

Museu Futebol Clube do Porto

The FC Porto Museum, officially known as FC Porto Museum by BMG (Portuguese: Museu do Futebol Clube do Porto by …

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