26 Facts About Porto

In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency.

Porto is on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago.

Porto was important during the Suebian and Visigothic times, and a centre for the expansion of Christianity during that period.

Porto fell under the control of the Moors during the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 711.

In 1387, Porto was the site of the marriage of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt; this symbolized a long-standing military alliance between Portugal and England.

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Porto demarcated the region for the production of port, to ensure the wine's quality; this was the first attempt to control wine quality and production in Europe.

Porto rebelled again and had to undergo a siege of eighteen months between 1832 and 1833 by the absolutist army.

Porto is called "Cidade Invicta" after successfully resisting the Miguelist siege.

Portuguese party Iniciativa Liberal, founded and headquartered in Porto, is the only Portuguese party represented in parliament which is headquartered out of Lisbon area.

Porto has seen its population climb over the years and with a thriving economy and a growing tourism industry, the population is only expected to continue to increase in the upcoming years.

Porto plus the conurbation to which it belongs and has Porto municipality as its central core forming the nucleus of the conurbation, is a major industrial and financial center of both Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula.

The development of Porto was closely connected with the left margin of River Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia, where is located the amphitheatre-shaped slope with the Port wine cellars.

Porto is often referred to as Cidade das Pontes, besides its more traditional nicknames of "Cidade Invicta" and "Capital do Norte" .

Porto is served by Francisco de Sa Carneiro Airport which is located in Pedras Rubras, Moreira da Maia civil parish of the neighbouring Municipality of Maia, some 15 kilometres to the north-west of the city centre.

Porto is connected with Lisbon via high-speed trains, Alfa Pendular, that cover the distance in 2h 42min.

In 2001, Porto shared the designation European Culture Capital with Rotterdam.

Porto has several museums, concert halls, theaters, cinemas, art galleries, libraries and bookshops.

The best-known museums of Porto are the National Museum Soares dos Reis, which is dedicated especially to the Portuguese artistic movements from the 16th to the 20th century, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Serralves Foundation .

Porto was considered the fourth-best value destination for 2012, by Lonely Planet.

Porto was the birthplace in 1856 of Susanna Roope Dockery, an Anglo-Portuguese watercolour painter who produced many paintings of the city and the people and landscape of the surrounding rural areas.

Porto is home to the Porto School of Architecture, one of the most prestigious architecture schools in Europe and the world.

The "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar" is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Porto is home to a number of dishes from traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Porto is home to northern Portugal's only Cricket club, the Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club.

In 1958 and 1960, Porto's streets hosted the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix on the Boavista street circuit, which are reenacted annually, in addition to a World Touring Car Championship race.

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FC Porto is one of the "Big Three" teams in the main Portuguese football league, and was European champion in 1987 and 2004, won the UEFA Cup and Europa League and the Intercontinental Toyota Cup in 1987 and 2004.