Why go? Porto, in northern Portugal, is enjoying a golden moment. In 2026, Delta will launch direct flights from New York starting in May, the city will host a new edition of Primavera Sound in June, and it will continue to charm visitors with its blend of history, wine, contemporary art, and an evocative maritime atmosphere.
“O Porto não é um lugar. É um sentimento.” (“Porto is not a place. It’s a feeling.”) Stroll the streets along the Douro River and you’ll understand why. With the melancholic light on cobbled lanes, the clink of glasses in taverns, and a cuisine rooted in tradition, Porto effortlessly wins you over. La Ribeira, with its tiled houses and balconies overlooking the river, remains the soul of the city, but it’s only the beginning.
Recent hotel openings such as Forte de Gaia, The Social Hub Porto, The Rebello, and Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia have refreshed the scene alongside long-standing favorites like The Yeatman, Torel Avantgarde, and Vila Foz Hotel & Spa. Amid monuments, wine bars, and scenic viewpoints, the invicta, or “undefeated,” city moves into the future without losing its authenticity. Its old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves dishes that tell regional stories—from cod confit to tripe à moda do Porto—while the classic francesinha, drenched in tomato-and-beer sauce, remains a must-try.
Port wine is synonymous with Porto; the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia invite novices and connoisseurs alike to taste and learn. Contemporary art galleries, designer boutiques, and welcoming cafés complete an offering where tradition and modernity coexist naturally.
Highlights for 2026: Primavera Sound Porto returns June 11–14 with international headliners like Gorillaz and Massive Attack alongside Portuguese acts. Through April 19, the Serralves Foundation hosts the exhibition Beleza Apesar de Tudo (“Beauty Despite Everything”), featuring models and drawings by architects Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus. Chef Rita Magro, after earning a Michelin star in 2025, is set to celebrate the honor at Blind. And from May, direct New York–Porto flights will make the Douro even more accessible.
If it’s your first visit, lose yourself in the Gardens of the Crystal Palace; feel Atlantic breezes in Matosinhos and swim at the seawater pools, the Piscinas das Marés; climb the 250-foot Clérigos Tower for 360º views; and queue for the much-photographed Livraria Lello—worth the wait—before toasting the sunset over the Douro.
Porto’s narrow streets, its bridges, river reflections, and the warm welcome of its people do more than any marketing could. The city buzzes now, but it never shows off. It simply invites you to return.
A visit to Porto promises an intoxicating mix of history, modernity, culture—and, above all, good taste in every sense. Saúde! –María Casbas