Porto became an increasingly popular city; first, it became one of the best destinations in Europe with its unique architecture and lifestyle, so it was mentioned a lot in magazines and finally everyone started talking about Porto.
What to do in Porto
Porto became an increasingly popular city; first, it became one of the best destinations in Europe with its unique architecture and lifestyle, so it was mentioned a lot in magazines, it was frequently seen on internet sites and on Instagram, and finally everyone started talking about Porto.
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Casa de Musica
Casa de Musica was specially designed by the famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas for Porto's European Capital of Culture project in 2001. The Music House, which was opened in 2005, is considered the most modern architecture of Porto. As the name suggests, this place stands out as a concert hall and is suitable for any project, from classical music to traditional genres, from the smallest scale to the largest performances. You can visit Casa de Musica with a guided tour, €7.5 per person.
Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis
Let's not go without mentioning for the curious; Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis is Portugal's first public art museum. The name of the museum comes from the famous Portuguese sculptor Soares dos Reis. In addition to the paintings and sculptures of dos Reis, other antiques, glass and ceramic works can be seen in the collection. Entrance to the museum is €5 per person. Closed on Mondays, open from 14:00 to 18:00 on Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 18:00 from Wednesday to Sunday.
Serra do Pilar Monastery
Across the hill you will reach when you cross the upper floor of the Dom Luis I bridge is Serra do Pilar, one of Porto's famous monasteries. With its circular structure, the monastery is one of the most valuable architectures of the Gaia region and is similar to the Santa Maria della Rotonda Church in Rome with its design. Although its construction was started in 1538, it was only completed in 72 years due to the lack of sufficient budget, the rapid obsolescence of the monastery and the developing political events. Since it has a sheltered structure on the top of the city, it was even used as a military base in the 20th century. The monastery and the church inside are open to visitors, and the view of Porto with the Dom Luis I bridge can be seen from its tower. Closed on Mondays, entrance to the monastery €1, entrance to the tower €3.
Ribeira
Ribeira, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Porto, is one of the must-see areas in Porto with its dock area and narrow side streets. It was the center of Porto in the past as it covers the port area lying on the banks of the Douro River, and nothing has changed in the intervening years; because now it is the center of Porto tourism.
Wandering through the labyrinthine streets of Ribeira, which has been under UNESCO protection since 1996, is truly one of the best things to do in Porto. The highly preserved streets of Ribeira, which look like a movie set, are perfect for photographing Porto architecture and discovering authentic places. During the street tour, stop by Ribeira Square, there are cafes and souvenir shops around where you can sit against the view. Afterwards, you will go up to the quay and take a break against the view of the Douro River. The colorful houses on the quay are also a bonus of the Ribeira trip.
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