In an age of exploration, Portugal discovered the world. But sarcastically, it’s only recently that the world has begun to find this cool Indiana-sized AF country. Even in the event you’ve been to this little bit of the Iberian Peninsula, most travelers only make it to Lisbon.
They don’t know that Portugal’s second city – recently named Europe’s leading urban destination for 2022 by the World Travel Awards – is its star.
But Porto is not warm and comfortable.
Town of 263,000 lies to the north, where it is all the time 5 to 10 degrees cooler than Lisbon, and locals are still used to tourists (until 2015, downtown Porto was almost as dangerous as Brownsville, Brooklyn).
Nevertheless it feels refreshingly real in a way other international cities full of influencers and expats don’t.
![Curving into the Douro River, Porto is a rugged city brimming with history, wine and culture. It's also nice for your bank balance.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000002238838.jpg?w=1024)
Plus, attending to Porto has never been easier. In December, TAP Air added nonstop service from Newark (from $500 return), twice every week.
The flight takes lower than seven hours and arrives at noon, so you’ve gotten plenty of time to wander the cobbled streets of downtown – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – before catching the sunset on Matosinhos Beach.
Unlike Lisbon, which is no less than an hour’s train ride from the Atlantic, Porto is only a 15-minute Uber ride from the coast.
![Beat the waves with the help of a professional.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000002238698.jpg?w=676)
Because Matosinhos is man-made and sandy, not rocky, it’s the perfect place to learn to surf. In reality, Onda Pura, owned by John Stamos lookalike Marcelo, is by far the best surf school in the country.
In fact, the no 1 water attraction in Porto is the Douro River. It forms the southern border of the city before it cuts through the neighboring Duero Valley.
Dotted with vineyards so far as the eye can see, these terraced hills are home to the world’s oldest designated wine region. In reality, the Douro Valley is the birthplace of Porto’s namesake, port wine.
![You can't come to Porto without a glass of fortified sweets. Start at the World of Wine, the world's largest wine museum.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000002238912.jpg?w=1024)
In 2020, while most cities were still attempting to recuperate from the pandemic, Porto celebrated the opening of the world’s largest wine museum, the World of Wine.
The sprawling $100 million complex (which can delight you, true to its acronym) is only a 10-minute walk from the city’s beloved Dom Luís I Bridge. If the two-level metal arch bridge looks familiar, it’s since it was designed by Gustave Eiffel’s apprentice.
Indeed, Porto’s lack of skyscrapers (its tallest buildings include the Twelfth-century cathedral and the eye-catching Clérigos Tower) greater than makes up for in bridges. The Porto Bridge Climb is mainly a junior version of Sydney and crosses what was once the largest concrete arch in the world.
![Stop at Porto's most famous bookstore, Livraria Lello.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000002238721.jpg?w=1024)
Speaking of superlatives, Porto is also home to the most Instagrammable bookstore in the world. Called the Harry Potter Library (because, in keeping with legend, this historic architectural gem inspired former Porto resident JK Rowling), Livraria Lello is easy to seek out. Just search for a line of those who wraps around the block. During the summer, Lello receives 10,000 visitors a day, most of them coming to see the whimsical red staircase.
For the city’s response to a Latest York slice of pizza and a vegan’s worst nightmare, pop into any traditional restaurant and order Francesinha. This calorie bomb in beer sauce is a sandwich consisting of steak, hamburger, sausage, ham, cheese and a fried egg.
Higher yet, get a three-course dinner of fresh seafood at the restaurant for just $10, wine for $1.
Hotels in Porto are also low cost. Prices for 4 stars Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira start at just $80. Even five-star Hilton Porto Gaiawhich opened last 12 months in the winery district, offers rooms for lower than $200 an evening.
![Torel Avantgarde offers guests funny views of the city.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000002238734.jpg?w=1024)
For the best views of the city, try the boutique Vanguard Torel. Room rates start at $250 with buffet breakfast for 2.
But the streak won’t last long: soon digital nomads and influencers will arrive en masse. So make the most of the exchange rate and go now. No regrets until the francesinha gets drunk.