PARTNER CONTENT FOR ASSOCIAÇÃO DE TURISMO DO PORTO E NORTE


FIVE REASONS TO EXPLORE NORTH PORTUGAL PORTO &


With centuries of intriguing history, deep-rooted gastronomic traditions and a fun-loving city at its heart, every corner of this region is worth exploring


The Douro is the third largest river in the Iberian Peninsula


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Heritage highs Home to five UNESCO World Heritage


Sites, North Portugal has serious cultural cachet. The roll call reaches from the Alto Douro — the world’s oldest wine region — to Porto’s historic centre, dating back to Roman times. Rewind to the 12th-century birthplace of the nation in Guimarães, climb the long staircase or take a historic funicular to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga, or ponder the mystery of Palaeolithic rock art in the Côa Valley.


Minho region is an unsung beauty. History and religion are writ large here, not least in Braga, with its baroque churches, 11th-century Romanesque cathedral and Bom Jesus do Monte’s hilltop sanctuary and baroque staircase. Just as memorable is alley-woven, castle-topped Guimarães, where the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, was born in 1110.


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Sacred moments In Portugal’s far north west, the


marching up steep terraces, while below, the river flows swift and silent. The landscapes are some of Europe’s most poetic — whether you see them by boat or train, on a hike or a bike, or by driving the roads that corkscrew deep into the Alto Douro, the region’s UNESCO-listed pride and joy. Allow time for tastings of the region’s reds and tawny ports at a quinta (estate) that’s probably been in the same family for centuries.


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Montes region. Cut off for centuries by the mountains and sprinkled with pretty granite villages, this region is Portugal’s go-to for good old-fashioned home cooking. Dig into the likes of posta à Mirandesa (veal steak) and cozido à Portuguesa (stew with boiled meat and vegetables). The locals also love pork, particularly smoky, silky presunto (cured ham).


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Farm-to-fork flavours The Douro spills into the Trás-os-


Douro vineyards The Douro wine region has vines


belltowers and pastel-coloured houses, Porto is an instant heart-stealer. It’s also a city where sparky young chefs like Vasco Coelho Santos are using creative new recipes to put Porto on the global gastronomic map. The city’s wines, from the nearby Douro, are outstanding. And now everybody is raving about WOW, the new World of Wine district, with its tasting rooms, restaurants, shops, cafes and exhibitions.


3 Essentials


Getting there: TAP Air Portugal, Ryanair, British Airways and EasyJet offer direct flights to Porto from UK airports. visitportoandnorth.travel


Soulful cities With its gothic churches, baroque


To find out more, visit visitportoandnorth.travel To find out more, visit portocvb.com


IMAGE: ANDRESGARCIAM


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