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Portugal : Porto - January 2010

Country Code: Dial 1 for Portugal

With clear blue skies in January, take to the streets and explore Porto on foot. Make regular stops for tea, cake, port or a hearty winter stew. The city’s thriving cultural scene is particularly active this month – music lovers should make tracks to Porto’s iconic Casa da Música (casadamusica. com) for a range of jazz, choral and classical music concerts. Paul Blaney investigates

Getting around

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport

Bus: The 601 bus runs to the city centre every half hour, the 602 runs every 15 minutes. The journey takes about an hour and tickets cost €1.30.
Train: The metro runs into the airport terminal and takes 25 minutes to reach the city centre. Tickets cost €1.35. Trains run from 6.00am to 1.00am.
Taxi: A taxi to the town centre costs about €20 and will take approximately 20 minutes.
Tourist information: 25 Rua Clube dos Fenianos (tel.//, www.visitportugal.com).

RIBEIRA (PORTO AND GAIA)

This historic district of cobbled alleys, bars and restaurants runs along both the north (Porto) and south (Gaia) banks of the River Douro.

Sleep soundly – The boutique Pestana Porto Hotel (1 Praça da Ribeira, tel. , pestana.com, rooms from €170) has grand views across the river to Vila Nova da Gaia.

Culture vultures – The Museu do Vinho do Porto (45-52 Rua de Monchique), housed in an atmospheric 18th-century warehouse, will tell you all you need to know about the production, history and consumption of Porto’s best-loved drink. And then you get to try some!

Must eat – Restaurante Sessenta Setenta (1a Rua Sobre O Douro, tel. ), part of a former convent, has great views and an innovative, new-wave menu. The oysters with pineapple are truly inspired. Dinner costs around €30.

BAIXA

Downtown Porto cries out to be explored on foot, with art deco cafés, cheap eats and many of the city’s finest buildings.

Sleep soundly – The Rivoli Cinema Hostel (83 Rua Dr Magalhães Lemos, tel. , rivolicinemahostel.com, rooms from €40) is a hostel with a touch of the silver screen – each of its 12 rooms is styled after a different film. And, while you’re in movie mode, there’s a cinema right next door.

Culture vultures – The Café Majestic (112 Rua Santa Catarina) is a gorgeous reminder of the belle époque, where you can enjoy coffee, cake and snacks in true early 20th-century style. The ornate café also has a downstairs art gallery.

Dance the night away – A stylish café by day, Armazém do Chá (180 Rua José Falcão) transforms itself after dark into a club. Expect live music and DJs till late in this former tea warehouse.

Shop til you drop – The Lello Bookstore (144 Rua das Carmelitas) is not so much a shop as a bibliophile’s fantasy. Opened in 1906, this is one of the most exquisite bookshops in the world. And, in case all that browsing wears you out, there’s a coffee shop on the the second-floor that does a nice drop of port.

BOAVISTA

This high-end district is home to the state-of-the-art Casa da Música.

Sleep soundly – Those looking for value, as well as an upmarket location, could do far worse than Bessahotel (111 Rua Dr Marques de Carvalho, tel. , bessahotel.com, rooms around €150). The design is modern without being soulless, and both the bar and the restaurant are worth a second visit.

Culture vultures – FC Boavista (Avenida da Boavista) may not be as successful as neighbours FC Porto, but their stadium is central and state-of-theart. Tickets are generally easier to get too, and the atmosphere at league games is second to none.

Shop til you drop – Porto is celebrated for its jewellers and David Rosas (1471 Avenida da Boavista) is one of the finest. Their hand-crafted gold and silver jewellery ranges from traditional to more creative styles.

FOZ AND MATOSINHOS

Watch the Atlantic waves roll in from the safety of beachside bars and industrial-cool clubs.

Sleep soundly – The 150-year-old Hotel BoaVista (58 Esplanada do Castelo, tel. , hotelboavista.com, rooms from €120) is right across the road from the beach and has decent-value rooms and suites. Be sure to ask for a sea view.

Culture vultures – The Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves (210 Rua D João de Castro) is Portugal’s top contemporary art museum. As well as visiting the permanent collection, this is your last chance to see work by Augusto Alves da Silva, who is one of Portugal’s top photographers (the exhibition ends 31 January).

Must eat – For fresh, affordable seafood dishes, with an emphasis on lobster and crab, look no further than Restaurante Gaveto (826 Rua Roberto Ivens, tel. ). Menu from €25.

Compiled by Paul Blaney