ÖZGE ŞENGELEN When writing about travel, my passion for exploring new places and capturing their essence competes with my enthusiasm for sharing those experiences. Perhaps you have noticed lately that I have been focusing more on series in my writings, which I hope are being enjoyed. As I begin this piece, separating Porto and Lisbon into independent sections didn’t sit right with me.
These two cities, located approximately 320 kilometers (nearly 200 miles) apart, can be visited with a single ticket. So, the only question that remains is: Where should you fly first? Which of these two cities is more worth visiting initially? Of course, the answer to this question varies for each traveler. After all, every traveler’s style and expectations are unique.
To find the answer to this question you’ve been asking yourself, follow this series of articles spanning from Porto to Lisbon. After Lisbon, Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and also the capital of the Porto region. Porto, which means “port” in Portuguese, lives up to its name as a port city, historically significant for its location where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
In this port city, you’ll inhale the scent of the sea, wander among famous ceramic-covered houses known as Azulejos and witness historical buildings. One of the city’s most important symbols, Ponte de Luis is a bridge spanning the Douro River and connecting the two sides of the city. Designed by Theophilos Seyrig, a student.
