By Paulo Ferreira, Timelapse - Porto in Motion
WOW!
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Friday, 5 February 2016
Porto: European Best Destination 2014
«20 selected towns competed for the prestigious title of Best European Destination 2014.
After a three weeks’ period of online voting Porto is elected the Best European Destination 2014 and won the title ahead of 19 big European cities.»
in European best destinations Site
«Porto is exceptional. In more ways than one. Elected Best European Destination 2014 by the European citizens, Porto, the “Cidade Invicta” (unvanquished city) is history, is architecture, culture, gastronomy, trade, encounters and discoveries.
Porto has all the charm of towns which happily cohabit with their river. You can stroll along the River Douro (river of gold) in the Ribeira, fly over it by helicopter or discover Porto's architecture, its amazing landscapes and magnificent bridges by taking a cruise on this majestic river. Porto is also a sea city and in the briefest of time a tram will bring you to Foz do Douro’s gentle beaches face to face with the Atlantic.
Porto knows how to make you feel welcome; very likely it will conquer your heart and leave a long lasting impression. You will find it hard to leave.»
Saturday, 30 January 2016
Porto combines the best of old and new
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| Porto at sunset (credit Daniel Rodrigues for The New York Times) |
«From its stunning Beaux-Arts station to its cool bars serving Porto’s signature drink, this charming city combines the best of old and new.
Stunning 18th- and 19th-century buildings, new indie bars and restaurants and a laid-back vibe, facilitated by the excellent wine — it’s hard to find anything to dislike about Porto. Its walkable center is crammed with cobbled streets and balconies adorned with flowerpots, and the city’s love of food and design is apparent in concept stores and trendy restaurants offering innovative small plates. An ideal day in Porto combines both the grandeur of its history and its very up-to-the-minute cool.»
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| Porto Map (from Google Maps and The New York Times) |
This is the initial part of the article '36 Hours in Porto, Portugal', by Nell McSahne Wulfhart which was published in The New York Times.
People who love Porto have to read the whole article.
Those who still don’t love Porto (because they haven't yet visited Porto) should real it.
Everyone who wants to know wonderful cities must read it.
Saturday, 16 January 2016
Porto Airport elected once again
«Third place for the "2014 ASQ Award for Best Airport in Europe" went to Porto Airport in Portugal»
«Elected once again, in 2015, by ACI - Airports Council International - one of the five best European Airports, a distinction it has been enjoying since 2006, Porto Airport, that, in 2014, has processed a total of 6.9 million passengers, is increasingly reinforcing its role as a key contributor to the attractiveness of both the city and the region it serves.»
About Porto Airport
Porto Airport (IATA code: OPO), also called Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is a modern and very confortable international airport located 11 km (6.8 mi) northwest of the centre of Porto.
Leaving the Airport - Public Transport
The airport is served by Line E (line Violet) of the Porto Metro. The service links the airport to downtown Porto and by transfer to other urban centres of the Porto metropolitan area.
STCP buses also link the airport and the city (lines 601, 602 and 604). There is also a bus that operates all night from Porto centre to the airport (line 3M).
Taxis are available in the arrivals area. The cost to the Porto centre is approximately 20€ (a supplement is payable for baggage).
Friday, 8 January 2016
Little Frenchie (“Francesinha”)
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| Francesinhas |
Francesinha (meaning Little Frenchie in Portuguese) is a sandwich originally from Porto, made with a combination of bread, wet-cured ham slices, fresh chipolata sausage, steak or roast meat and covered with melted cheese and a hot (somewhat spicy) thick tomato-beer sauce. Usually is served with French fries and complimented with a draught beer.
History
“Francesinha” was invented in the 1960s by a Portuguese emigrant (Daniel David Silva) that lived some years in France. It is said that when returned he tried to adapt the French toast “croquet-monsieur” to the Portuguese taste.
Where to eat the best “francesinha” in Porto?
Porto and its surroundings is the traditional area of the “Francesinha” with many restaurants and cafés serving it. Locals will have their favourite restaurant with the best “Francesinha” in town, typically arguing about the quality of the sauce (a secret recipe that varies from restaurant to restaurant) and the quality of the meats.
My preferences are:
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| Francesinha (©Lucy Pepper) |
REFERENCES to Francesinha in travel sites
«Though it means “little French girl” or “little frenchie” in Portuguese, there’s nothing little about a Francesinha. They did get the French part right – the sandwich is a take on the French croque monsieur…on steroids. One tale claims it originated in Porto with a Portuguese emigrant who returned from France to his native land and adapted the French grilled ham and cheese for Portuguese tastes. Apparently that meant joining two slices of bread around some combination of steak, sausage and ham, crowning it with melted cheese and dousing it with a tomato-beer sauce. Adding fries and/or egg makes it “especial.”»
«There’s nothing dainty or gourmet about Porto’s culinary claim to fame, which makes this one a welcome break from many of the other delicacies on this list. Indeed, Francesinha – a booming, stacked sandwich with layer upon layer of melted cheese, cut chipolata sausages, crusted ham slices, steaks and other meaty treats besides – is a hearty meal of epic proportions, served up with a generous pile of French fries and doused in a trademark sauce. If you’re looking for the finest that Portugal’s northern city has to offer, then check out Café Santiago, or the Cufra Grill by the sea.»
Source: Europe’s Top 10 Local Flavours and Where to Find Them - Francesinha in Porto (The Culture Trip)
«Kind of like a shiny lasagna floating in oil, the Francesinha's made of bread, ham, linguiça, fresh chipolata sausage, and steak -- all covered in melted cheese and drenched in a beer sauce. The sauce is almost always secret (beer being the one constant ingredient) and diners are known to rate sammie -serving restaurants based entirely on the quality of their Francesinha. Also known as “Little Frenchie”, the Francesinha was created in the 1960s by a French/ Belgian emigrant trying to invent a Portuguese Croque Monsieur.»
«Se buscan valientes. Olvídate de un sándwich ligerito, la francesinha (francesita, en español) es contundente. Inventado por Daniel David Silva, un emigrante retornado de Francia, en 1950, se ha convertido en un símbolo del país y una parada obligatoria en cualquier visita portuguesa. Una experiencia inspirada en el croque-monsieur (comparte con él el pan, el jamón y el queso), montada con tiento, regada con su característica salsa secreta (que incluye cerveza, tomate y picante) y acompañada de patatas fritas. »
«Portugal’s proud mess of a sandwich, the Francesinha, is a savoury and juicy sandwich stuffed with the meat of your choice – often ham or sausage – smothered in a beer and whisky-based sauce, and topped with cheese and an egg. You’ll be full for days, but you won’t be sorry.»
Suggested LINKS
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Historic Centre of Porto
«The city of Oporto, built along the hillsides overlooking the mouth of the Douro river, is an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000-year history. Its continuous growth, linked to the sea (the Romans gave it the name Portus, or Port), can be seen in the many and varied monuments, from the cathedral with its Romanesque choir, to the neoclassical Stock Exchange and the typically Portuguese Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara.»
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| Historic Centre of Oporto - Map of the inscribed property (source: UNESCO) |
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| UNESCO - Historic Centre of Porto (Photos: Fiona Starr; Therin Weise; Vincent Long; Tim Schnarr) |
«The Historic Centre of Oporto is a commercial port that has been looking to the west for its trade for over 1000 years. The nominated area is enclosed within the 14th century city walls.
The city is situated along the river Douro, which has three impressive bridges (one of these, the Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, was built in 1877 by Gerard Eiffel). The old city centre lies on a steep hill. It is full of cathedrals, churches, monasteries and a bishops palace. All buildings were erected between the 13th and 19th century, without any plan and using totally different building styles.
One of the most impressive buildings is the Torre dos Clerigos, the highest tower in Portugal measuring 76 meters. It was built between 1754 and 1763, under supervision of the architect Nicolau Nazoni. You can climb the granite tower via 200 steps.
(O)porto has enough to offer to easily spend a week there. Maybe it seems a Southern European city like so many others, but the atmosphere is unique.
If you are tired of the monuments (and the food!), you can always taste one of many Port-samples handed out freely by the wine companies.»
Source: World Heritage Site – Oporto
Sunday, 3 January 2016
Porto: Top destination on the rise 2015
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| Porto is the top destination on the rise - Europe (source: TripAdvisor) |
«The town that gave the country (and port wine) its very name, Porto is Portugal’s second-largest metropolis after Lisbon. Sometimes called Oporto, it's an age-old city that has one foot firmly in the industrial present. The old town, centered at Ribeira, was built on the hills overlooking the Douro River, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 14th-century São Francisco church is a main attraction, as are the local port wine cellars, mostly located across the river at Vila Nova de Gaia.»
Friday, 1 January 2016
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