Porto is known as Portugal’s industrious heart. But visit during the Festa de São João in June and you might get a different idea about tripeiros—or “tripe eaters,” as locals are known. You could find yourself getting thwacked in the ear with a leek, watching men in soccer jerseys jump over fires, ogling fireworks from the banks of the Duoro River, or eating grilled sardines late-night. Porto has a ramshackle charm, with scuffed buildings piled on hillsides and cobbled streets threaded by a 1930’s-era tramway (complete with wood paneling and leather seats). Gilded Baroque churches and a 13th-century cathedral share space with Portugal’s best modern art museum, the Serralves. Of course, you can’t come here without sampling Porto’s namesake booze—ideally on a wooden ship while passing under the enormous bridges that arch over the Duoro.