Going to Porto

What to do in Porto

by Evelyn Spence

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.

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