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Welcome to Portocityguide.com! Here you will find an insider's guide to all things Porto -- plus tips on what to visit in the Douro wine region and Northern Portugal more generally. Our goal is to be the most comprehensive, selective, reliable, and independent source of online information on what Porto has to offer! If you enjoy what you find here, you may want to consider subscribing to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Clerigos Tower (KLE-ree-goosh) is the ex libris of Porto. Designed by Tuscan architect Niccolo Nasoni in 1754 and completed nine years later, the tower is one of the best examples of the baroque style in Portugal. At the time of completion, it was also the tallest building in the country. The tower is 76 meters (249 feet) high. Its design is inspired by the Tuscan campaniles to which Nasoni was used. Since it is located at the top of one of the hills delimiting downtown, the view from the top of Clerigos Tower is one of the best of Porto. Adjacent to the tower is Clerigos Church, a slightly older (1732) building also in the Italianate baroque style.

Your way to the top will involve climbing 225 steps, but the view is well-worth the effort. In fact, it is the best overview of downtown Porto short of a helicopter tour. You can see the whole of downtown, as well as the Douro bridges, and the port wine cellars on the south margin. The faint of heart should stay home (or at the hotel), however. The steps in the long spiral narrow stairway are not uniform and, with all the climbing and descending, the stone is very smooth. Two observation platforms provide opportunities to rest on your way to the top.

On the inside, the tower is separated from the church by a thick curtain. The interior of the church is painted in light pink and gold colors and the altar is carved in polychromed marble.

The main facade of the church (facing downhill) is heavily decorated with typical baroque motifs, such as garlands and shells, based on an early seventeenth century Roman scheme. The lateral facades show the eliptic floorplan of the church nave.

Nicolau Nasoni, who was responsible for many other works in Northern Portugal, loved his Clerigos Tower so much he asked to be inducted into the Clerigos religious order and is buried in the church.

Price point: entrance to the Tower costs 1 euro; there is no charge to enter the Church.

Address: Rua de S. Filipe Nery, Porto.

Phone: (+351) 22.200.1729.

Website: unavailable.

Opening hours: in the winter, the Tower is open Thursday to Tuesday from 10:30am to noon and from 2:30 to 5:00pm. In the summer, it opens from 9:30am to 1:00pm and from 2:30 to 7:00pm. In August, the Tower is open uninterruptedly from 10:00am to 7:00pm.

Getting there: Clerigos Tower is a five-minute walk from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, turn left and start climbing the street — Rua dos Clerigos. The Tower is at the top; you can’t miss it. If you’re driving, the closest parking lot is the underground parking facility on Praca dos Leoes, so drive past the bookstore and follow the parking signs when you reach the top of the street.

For wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic images of Clerigos Tower, click on the large images above. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. While you’re at it, you may want to see more of downtown Porto by following the links in the detailed maps of Porto available on that website, including map A4 (Vitoria). As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Lello (LEH-loo) is a feast for the eyes — and for the mind. Open since 1906, it is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. It is also one of the best bookstores in Porto and the flagship store for one of the most important Portuguese publishing houses. Co-owner Antero Braga is usually around, knows the Portuguese book market in and out, and will be glad to help you find exactly what you want even when you don’t have a clue about what that may be.

But Lello is much more than a your run-of-the-mill bookstore. Its turn of the century architecture — by Xavier Esteves — is outstanding. On the outside, the facade is an excellent example of neo-gothic design. Don’t miss the two painted figures representing Art and Science. Once inside, the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello’s motto vecus in labore will no doubt impress you. The pillars are ornamented with bronze bas-reliefs of Portuguese literature figures and there is a small track on the floor along which employees move carts filled with books. All in all, Lello is one of the best works of the so-called “second eclecticism” style in Portugal, with beautiful art nouveau naturalist elements.

One of the best-kept secrets in Porto is the four-table coffeeshop on the second floor of Lello – there’s coffee, port, and cigars. It’s the perfect place to stop for a moment before returning to the bustling downtown life outside; or to spend a long time browsing a few books.

Besides the wide array of Portuguese fiction and non-fiction titles, Lello sells many English and French books, including translations of Portuguese literature and poetry works. If you’re looking for books on Porto, Lello has the widest choice. (For a broader range of books, check out the Fnac chain bookstores. There is one on the corner of Rua Sta. Catarina with Rua Passos Manuel in downtown Porto and another one in the Norte Shopping shopping center in Matosinhos.)

Address: Rua das Carmelitas 144, Porto.

Phone: (+351) 22.200.2037.

Website: unavailable.

Opening hours: open Monday through Friday from 9:30am till 7:00pm, and Saturday from 9:30am till 1:00pm.

Getting there: Lello is a five-minute walk from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, turn left and start climbing the street (Rua dos Clerigos) heading towards Clerigos tower. Right before the tower, the street splits into a narrow street to the left of the tower and a broader one to its right. Take this broader street (Rua das Carmelitas) and continue going up, past the tower on your left, heading to Praca dos Leoes — where you’ll see a fountain with lions. Lello is on your right just before you reach the square, at the top of Rua das Carmelitas. If you’re driving, the closest parking lot is the underground parking facility on Pc. dos Leoes, so drive past the bookstore and follow the parking signs when you reach the top of the street.

For a wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic image of Lello, click on the image at the top of this review. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Legend has it that this was the place where J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto between 1990 and 1993, drafted the first Harry Potter book. (Don’t believe it? Read Sean Smith’s J.K. Rowling: A Biography.)

Majestic (ma-JES-tic) — like Florian in Venice or Le Train Bleu in Paris — is one of the world’s greatest coffeeshops. Its magnificent art deco design remains intact, transporting you back in time. Though it tends to attract lots of tourists, enough locals go there to make it feel real.

Originally named Elite, Majestic opened its doors on December 1921. After initial success but a lack of name recognition, it quickly changed its name to Majestic the following year. Majestic is located in Rua de Sta. Catarina, the main commercial street in downtown Porto. Like Guarany (which now belongs to the same owners) in the 1930s, Majestic was the center of Porto’s life in the roaring twenties. From the first day, Majestic’s ornate design — by architect Joao Queiroz — attracted intellectuals, politicians, artists, and businessmen. With time, Majestic developed a clientele of writers, and several important figures of Portuguese twentieth-century literature were regulars there. After a period of decay, Majestic closed in 1964.

It only opened again in 1994, after an 11-year gut rehab that restored it to its original condition. The main room walls are covered in green Indian marble, also used in the decorative pillars with gilded Corinthian capitals. The ornate pink and cream plastered ceilings were totally reconditioned. The original crystal mirrors from Antwerp were kept, as were the crystal chandeliers, the marble-top tables, and the leather-cushioned chairs and couches with marble incrustations. The old European design wall-lamps illuminate sculptured cherubs smiling down on the patrons. The basement, which once lodged pool tables, now features art exhibitions. A lovely winter garden in the back provides additional opportunities for relaxation if you tire of the people-watching in the main room. The piano is often playing early twentieth century compositions adding to the belle epoque feel of the place.

Most people go to Majestic for a coffee or tea. Breakfast is a good option, with Portuguese-style (chewy rather than puff-like) croissants, natural juices, etc. Another option is a midday stop for a drink and a Portuguese dessert, like rabanadas (a more elaborate French-toast style sweet typical for Christmas) or ovos moles (literally soft eggs, a paste made of sugar and egg yolks, with a little port to provide extra aroma). But we recommend going to Majestic for lunch. They have several good option, such as the bacalhau a moda do Porto (codfish Porto’s way, breaded and fried in olive oil and garlic, served over creamed spinach with a sauce made with eggs with a bit of the olive oil where the fish fried), or a perfumed duck magret. Their francesinha (a hot sandwich you can only find in Porto, filled with encased meats, a bit of steak, covered with melted cheese, and with a tomato-and-beer based hot sauce poured on top), though not the best in town is pretty darn good. The wine list includes great Portuguese wines, especially from the Douro region. The port selection is also very good.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Rua Sta. Catarina 112, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafemajestic.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:30am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.200.3887.

Getting there: you can easily walk to Majestic from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, with Clerigos tower to your left, turn right and go up Rua 31 de Janeiro, until Praca da Batalha (it’s a steep street, and you can see a blue-tiled church at the top). When you get there, turn left to Rua de Sta. Catarina. Majestic is on the second block on your right side, just past Rua Passos Manuel. There’s no point in driving there, as the street is pedestrians-only. There are plenty of paid parking lots in the vicinity.

For a wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic image of Majestic, click on the image at the top of this review. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Founded in 1933, Guarany (gua-RA-nee) was part of the boom in downtown coffeeshops Porto experienced in the 1930s. These featured a modernist decor, contrasting with the art-deco style of the previous decade’s coffeeshops, of which Majestic is the flagship. To put it simply, Guarany is the prettiest coffeeshop on the prettiest square in town — the Avenida dos Aliados, Porto’sliving room , where the City Hall is.

Guarany is the name of the largest Indian tribe in seventeenth-century Brazil and the coffeeshop has since its opening featured a marble high-relief of an Indian by sculptor Rogerio de Azevedo. Brazil was the producer of most of the coffee that reaches Portugal, so the name was aptly chosen.

Guarany attracted artists, business people, and active oppositionist politicians during the dictatorship years (1928-1974), and was for a long time known as “the musicians’ coffeeshop.” Just like the Russians developed kitchen politics during the Soviet era, discussing all things political around the kitchen table, the Portuguese developed coffeeshop politics during the Salazar era, spending lots of time discussing the state of the nation at coffeeshops such as Guarany. After the 1974 revolution, Guarany went through a period of decay until it was bought by the owner of the preciously-maintained Majestic and completely restored. The finest craftsmen available were hired to restore the ceiling and wall-lamps, tables with marble tops and and wooden chairs, as well as iron and copper ornaments. Since its reopening in 2003, Guarany has again become one of the hubs of Porto’s coffeeshop life.

Its corner location helps make Guarany one of the most pleasant coffeeshops in downtown Porto in terms of enjoying the view and doing some people-watching. The decor was restored to the original 1930s look, plus two large colorful canvases titles “The Lords of Amazonia” by Portuguese painter Graca Morais were added to the walls. Porto residents have enthusiastically backed the re-opened Guarany, and the place is usually packed. The ambiance is lively with a noisy crowd, especially in the evenings. Live piano music is often playing.

Besides all sorts of coffee- and tea-based drinks (nothing fancy, this is no Starbucks; they serve good old-fashioned cafe au lait instead), the drink menu includes several good wines. The food menu includes several international cuisine dishes, such as grilled bass Baron Brise, shrimp Stroganoff, duck magret with port wine, and a good Guarany steak. But the highlights are the Portuguese cuisine specimens — such as veal steak a Mirandesa (a village in inner Northern Portugal) and above all platters with codfish fritters or presunto (Portuguese for prosciutto), served with olives and broa de Avintes (a very thick rye bread typical from the near-by village of Avintes). We know of no better place to sample these jewels of Portuguese food while taking the pulse of Porto.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Avenida dos Aliados 85-89, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafeguarany.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:00am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.332.1272.

Getting there: Guarany is in the heart of downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, Guarany is on your left, mid-way through to the top of the square, on the corner with Rua the Ceuta.