Porto is on the spotlight again. A couple of weeks after receiving the prize for Europe’s leading City Break Destination in 2020 by the World Travel Awards (the Oscar of the Tourism Industry), this time was the National Geographic Magazine to choose Porto as the top destination for Culture and History Experience in 2021.
With the Covid-19 Pandemic, it has been a very difficult year for the Tourism Industry all over the World and although many business are struggling to survive, everybody is looking forward brighter days and avid travellers are already planning their trips for next year so those prizes come in very good time to promote the tourism in Porto.
According to National Geographic, the introduction of budget flight routes was one of the reasons to lead Porto to a boom of tourists in recent years and the city doesn’t disappoint its visitors.
With its hilly and narrow streets in the Ribeira neighbourhood (an Unesco Heritage Site), the many view points and the pleasant area by the banks of the Douro River are some of the main attractions in the city.
The Palácio da Bolsa, which was built in the XIX Century, used to be the glamorous house of Commerce of Porto and Casa do Infante, a museum that celebrates Porto’s most famous citizen, Henry the Navigator, the father of the Discoveries, offers a collection that explains the very beginning of Portuguese Navigations and its expansion that led Portugal to become the first Global Empire in History.
Another reason that brings many tourists to the city is the World famous Port Wine. Across the river Douro, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, wine cellars have long been settled and most of them offer tours and tasting but the new World of Wine (WOW) brings the story together.
This endeavour was opened last summer and was built inside former warehouses, in a 55.000sq metre area. It took 5 years and more than 100 million euros to be ready.
This massive complex offers restaurants, shops, a wine school and six different museums.
- The Wine Experience, which aims to demystify wine and is dedicated to wine enthusiasts;
- Planet Cork, which reveals a surprising industry and why Portugal is the largest producer of Cork in the World;
- Porto Region Across the Ages, which is dedicated to the history of Porto,
- The Chocolate Story, which aims the journey of chocolate from its origins until is transformed into chocolate;
- The Bridge Collection, with an incredible collection of drinking vessels;
- Porto Fashion and Fabric Museum, a homage to a major industry in Portugal.
Add to those reasons the incredible Northern Portuguese culinary with its fantastic restaurants, good prices, friendly locals, pleasant weather and the fantastic architecture, we can guarantee Porto won’t disappoint even the hard ones to please and to be chosen the number 1 destination for Culture and History Experience in 2021 was well worth it.
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