Port of call

Ranjita Biswas

A Harry Potter connection, a centuries’ old book store and a port you often come across in literary classics as Oporto though locals simply call it Porto, or the port. This is Portugal’s second largest city in the north of the country. It sits prettily on the mouth of the Douro river as it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

As to the Harry Potter connection, before she became the famous writer of the boy-wizard series, J. K. Rowling lived in Porto for a couple of years and taught English. She was a regular at Porto’s signature Lello & Irmao Bookshop, built in art nouveau style near the Lion’s Square. It is said that the library at the Hogwarts is fashioned after this bookshop. Booklovers and connoisseurs flock to this century-old bookshop which is regarded as the “Third best bookshop in the world”. A beautiful, spiral staircase in rose pink will greet you on entering the bookshop. On the ground floor is a wooden panelled ceiling in stained glass with Lello’s motto: Decus in labore — there is honour in labour. 

The city has been inhabited since the 4th century. With many streets unchanged since the Middle Ages and a variety of tiles (azulejos) and wrought-iron balconies decorating its buildings, Porto retains its ancestry well and deserves its World Heritage Site tag. 

Carry along a pair of sturdy shoes to explore Porto as many parts are quite hilly with buildings built into the granite cliff that overlooks the Douro.

The Clerigos Church and Tower dominate the historic downtown area. This tower was the tallest structure in Portugal when completed in 1763. Ships used it as a landmark while anchoring near the Cais da Ribeira riverbank. If you have the inclination, and energy, climb up the two hundred plus steps to the top to get a wonderful bird’s view of the city.

Near the alleys of Ribeira area, choc-a- bloc with souvenir shops is the World of Discoveries museum. It is the brainchild of Douro Azul, a well-known tour operator. From outside, the edifice does not look imposing but inside it’s another world. The theme of the museum is the Age of Discovery when sailors of this great sea-faring nation navigated the seas in the Middle Ages, mainly to discover the spice routes to India.

The ushers in the interactive museum dress in medieval togs to receive visitors. Find a ‘real’ boat parked in a canal. As the boat moves along the water, at every corner there is a piece of history on the tableau, from Africa to India, their flora and fauna, the dangers the sailors faced, etc. explained over the audio. The most thrilling scene for an Indian can be the tableau where Vasco da Gama pays respect to the Zamorin king of Calicut on his first voyage.

The Praça da Ribeira square on the waterfront is full of food stalls and kitchy souvenir stalls. In the backdrop are heritage buildings with filigreed balconies, the washings flapping in the wind, the double-decker Dom Luis Bridge in the background (when it opened in 1886, it held the record for the longest iron arch in the world) and picturesque boats floating down the river. A perfect setting to gorge at ‘Francesinha’, a famous local dish which literally translates to ‘Little French lady’. It’s considered one of the 10 best sandwiches in the world with layers of all kinds of meat inside and covered with cheese and a spicy sauce.

Another well-known speciality is Bacalhau – salted codfish, fresh and succulent, cooked in many different ways.

A must-have is the delicious Portuguese pastry Pastel de Nata, an egg tart with a creamy custard filling.

Across the river is the beautiful waterfront of Cais da Gaia. A river trip is a wonderful way to see the city’s architectural wonders. The audio commentary is a great help to delve into the history of Porto.

Fact File

How to get there: By air, or by road and railway from Lisbon

Where to stay: Hotels to suit all budgets from luxury to youth hostels

What to do: Walking tours of Lion Square, river cruise on the Douro, visiting ‘Age of Discoveries’ museum

What to eat: Local fare like ‘Bacalhau’, ‘Francesinha and Pastel de Nata 

What to buy: Ceramic tiles, Portuguese souvenirs