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Porto

City in PortugalPorto is in northern Portugal on the estuary of the Douro River, where the city reaches the Atlantic coast, about 280 km north of Lisbon.

What it's known for

Porto is Portugal's second city and gave its name to port wine, which was packed and shipped from the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river. Its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Fun facts

  1. Its old name, Portus Cale, is thought to be the origin of the name Portugal.
  2. People from Porto are nicknamed tripeiros, or tripe-eaters, from a time when the best meat went on ships for sea voyages and locals were left with the tripe.
  3. The Dom Luís I Bridge, opened in 1886 and designed by a former partner of Gustave Eiffel, has two decks: metro trains run on top and road traffic below.

Finding it on the globe

Trace Portugal's Atlantic coast north from Lisbon to the mouth of the Douro River: Porto sits on the river just before it reaches the ocean.

Easy to mix up

Lisbon, not Porto, is Portugal's capital. Also, don't confuse Porto with Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin in West Africa.

Sources: Wikipedia: Porto, Wikipedia: Dom Luís I Bridge, Wikipedia: Lisbon, Wikipedia: Porto-Novo