Porto

The pretty riverside town of Porto is synonymous with the fortified wine – port – that’s been produced here for centuries. You can visit the grand old port houses of the Douro Valley and see the vintages slumbering in huge wooden casks in underground cellars, and embark on a tasting tour to sample the many different varieties of this time-honored drink.As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Porto has plenty to offer besides wine – it’s home to the Serralves museum of contemporary art, while its distinctive churches, bedecked inside with gold leaf, are well worth visiting. Then there’s Porto’s vibrant night life, much of which happens on the streets as patrons spill out of cafés and bars – without ever spilling their port, of course! For a more immersive experience, take the short trip out of the city to the Leça swimming pool complex. Regularly voted as one of the best places in Europe to take a dip, the saltwater bathing pools overlook the Atlantic and are carved into the rocks of the shoreline. Come on in, the water’s lovely!